Well, we were fans. Then after the pies had turned into grease fests we weren't. Now, though, Flying Goat is back in our good graces, after our last few visits have been something more reminiscent of the days of yore.
Not surprisingly, then, the grease is gone, or at least reduced to a level we gladly can accept. We don't feel the need to dab the pizza with a paper towel anymore, and that is decidedly a good thing.
The crust had also gone kind of south during the dark period, but has again improved. It doesn't quite feel like it used to, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's worse. The crispiness level seems to have increased, and it might be just a little bit thinner now, which we have no issues with. You might, and (we suppose) that's fine.
Toppings and all have a fresh feel to them, though that never stopped being the case, and we like the variety of the choices of pies. Anything from prawns to asparagus to potatoes. Much respect for being one of a handful of places in town that doesn't go all in on a pepperoni pie.
The beer selection is still good, and the service is friendly. The interiors are comfortable. Really, we have few to no complaints anymore. The Flying Goat is once again a place we'd put in our rotation.
Of course, most of you have visited the spot, be it a while ago, recently, or on a regular basis. Your experiences might vary -- or have continuously varied -- from ours. Either way, we find the Flying Goat to be a safe bet now, and a place most should enjoy. Those kind of things make us go :-).
Original June 21st, 2010 post
Well, we're fans.
Spokane has always been a pizza kind of town, though more Rita and Pipeline fast-food style than anything else. Hey, Bennidito's is good and all, but it's no Di Fara.
The Flying Goat might not be Di Fara either, but it's closer than most places in town, and the pizza is of a quality only a handful of Spokane parlors hold. Think of it as Audubon's South Perry Pizza, and you're close; they even use a Wood Stove oven.
And the pizza is excellent stuff. The thin crust is crispy with just a perfect bite to it, and it comes with high quality toppings. The mushrooms did remind me of Di Fara, which is a good thing. There's a good array of pizzas to choose from, some odder than others. While we didn't try the one with an egg over medium, the bianco, it's on my list of Spokane Bucket List Meals. I highly doubt you can go wrong with any of the pies at any rate. Nor the appetizers. Our potatoes, pictured above, were nice and spicy.
The beer selection, too, holds a high standard, and the Horned Aviator, their Northern Light exclusive, should be sampled for all its hoppiness.
Finally, the interiors are nice, but I'm not quite seeing the "Irish/Scottish" influences. Which brings the question, what's so wrong with going for an Inland Northwest look?
At any rate... The Flying Goat makes an excellent pizza. Expect long lines when making your way there. The pizza is worth the wait.