We don't get out to Coeur d'Alene too often, but as we made a stop-by there last week, we were kind of curious to check out Seasons. And when I say "check out" I mean that fairly literally, seeing we did not go there to eat.
Rumors have suggested an extensive remodel of the old Coeur d'Alene Brewing Company building has taken place, but that doesn't even begin to cover it. The exteriors barely resembles the old brewpub, and we almost walked straight past it. The interiors, too, look nothing like they used to; the old, slightly rundown pub-feel has been replaced with something resembling a chic hotel lounge. I'll leave it up to the individual to decide if this is a change for the better or not.
Decorations aside, the place was eerily empty at 8pm on a Saturday, and when you read something like this on the menu, the emptiness might be explained...
Rich beef demi-glaced braised Oregon hedgehog and [name of mushroom unintelligible from my photo, sorry] mushrooms...
Multiple people, apparently, have thought they actually served demi-glaced hedgehog (from Oregon!) here. Hey, any way you look at that menu item, it probably should be worded slightly differently. (Or commas could be used more liberally.)
The bar seems well stocked, and there are about eight taps with the usual suspects from Deschutes and Laughing Dog.
We didn't dine at Seasons, so I'm not going to say anything about the food. It might be amazing, it might not be. My real point here is that I find Seasons odd in so many ways. They obviously put a lot of money into remodeling -- or rebuilding, as it seems -- the space, and I'm just not sure Coeur d'Alene was screaming for a place like this. To me it doesn't seem like something quite up to the average North Idahoan's taste -- awful stereotyping as that is -- yet it feels a bit too dated for tourists from larger cities.
Yet I find myself strangely fascinated with the spot. We might be back, just out of curiosity.
Have you tried their food? Send a tweet to @spocool and let us know how it was!