Schweitzer Fall Fest

Schweitzer Fall Fest at Schweitzer Mountain Resort
10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd.,
Sandpoint, 487-4643
Sat., Sept. 5 & Sun., Sept. 6

It seems like summer appeared and disappeared faster than a cold pint of ale on a Friday afternoon. We’re already less than a week away from Labor Day, and it’s all downhill after that. Soon trees will decide to dye their lush, green Manic Panic locks a more sensible auburn Lady Clairol but sadly, the over processing will ultimately leave them bald. Beaches will clear of all but the most hardcore sunbathers, ice cream trucks will begin their winter thaw, and a bountiful season of outdoor music will come to an end.

Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort’s annual Fall Fest offers one more fair-weather opportunity to enjoy a free open-air concert and sample some of the region's most delectable microbrews and wines. Local big-name breweries such as MickDuff’s and Laughing Dog will be joined by several dozen other Northwest beer entities and a handful of vineyards under the tasting tents, where you can sample a bunch of booze and build up your glassware collection at the same time.

Here’s how it works. You purchase your choice of vessel and it comes with several tokens that can be traded for samples at the various vendors’ booths. For example, the beginner’s option, also the least expensive, is a 5 oz. tasting glass and 5 sampling tokens. At the top of the list is a 22 oz. limited edition stein with 3 tokens. You can choose from a variety of mugs, jugs and glasses and additional tokens are available for an extra couple of bucks each. There’s even soda tasting cups for the kids so they can feel included while mom and dad work on their buzz. Also included is an entry ballot for the “People’s Choice” competition, so out of fairness, you’ll have to sample each and every variety before you vote, that is if you can still make it to the ballot box at that point.

If by some miracle you still have some energy left at that point, Schweitzer has some great ways to spend it. A climbing wall, a bungee trampoline, and mountain biking are some of the more strenuous options. Personally, I’d rather take the opportunity to relax and browse the arts and crafts booths looking for leather goods and refrigerator magnets. I’m not actually brave enough to hop the chairlift and ride all the way to the top of the mountain for huckleberry picking, but it sounds like a good idea in theory. There’s also a massive BBQ that’s got to be worth investigating and most importantly, this year’s performers are so great, you’ll want to spend most of your time in front of the stage.

With a name most appropriate to the spirit of the festival, The Stout Pounders are a Celtic-folk quintet whose energetic shows are known to cause outbreaks of dancing and jigging among Guinness-soaked pub audiences in their hometown of Seattle. Their comedic, cartoonish take on traditional Irish and Scottish music almost approaches parody. Certainly any band that lists among their influences The Chieftains, Tenacious D and Iron Maiden promises an entertaining afternoon. Tellingly, their latest self-released CD is titled “Live Drunken Nights” and was recorded “over an extended St. Patrick’s Day holiday.” Pick up a copy when they open Saturday’s line-up at one o’clock.

Spokane’s Milonga take the stage at 3 p.m. with their hot “Pan-Latin” sound that turns even the manly men in the crowd into hip-shaking Shakiras. They blend the traditional dance music styles of Spain and Latin America with modern jazz and hip-hop, bringing to the table, as they describe it, “the whole enchilada, mixing cumbia, merengue, mambo, rumba, reggaeton, bomba, flamenco y cha cha cha in a delicious blend that's straight out of your abuelita's kitchen.” If that suddenly makes you want to head back to the food booths, too bad because the pull of Milonga’s multi-rhythmic trance will keep you stuck on the dancefloor.

Sunday morning brings more Celtic action with a performance by the Albeni Falls Pipes and Drums. Band founder Bill Prater and his massive gang of bagpipers and drummers take a more customary approach to the music of the highlands, seeking to keep the traditions of Celtic culture alive for future generations. Expect to see several dozen hairy men (and a few lovely ladies) in kilts, high boots, and funny little hats creating a proud, thunderous musical din that is likely to stir hearts and make small forest animals scurry down from the mountains.

The Ian McFeron Band makes a stop at Fall Fest to perform its jangly brand of folksy Americana Rock at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Seattle band released its first CD release in 2003 and it was an instant local hit, drawing praise from Seattle Weekly and receiving mega-airplay on the popular alternative rock station the Mountain. McFeron’s songwriting is influenced by such ‘60’s greats as Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, and he includes among his contemporaries Tracy Chapman, Wilco, Ryan Adams and Lady GaGa. Okay, maybe not that last one. The additional touch of Alisa Milner’s woeful fiddle ensures that their sound seductively original.

Finally, wrapping up the festival at 3 p.m. is Adrian Xavier, Seattle’s “Crown Prince of Reggae.” Xavier has a massive Emerald City following and, as he so descriptively puts it on his MySpace, is a “Gypsy Reggae Soul Rock sound wave from the north lands taking the world by storm.” Songs like “Miracle” and “Mother Nature” exude a positive vibe and like all good reggae artists, Xavier speaks to the possibility of love, peace and harmony via social and political change. You might not want to concern yourself with such deep thoughts after a day of sampling beer and eating ribs, so just enjoy the sunset and let the music ease you gently from summer into fall.

Live Music Previews, Video Style - August 28 - 29

Plan on being bored this weekend? Don't. There's a million things going on. Not the least of which is the North Idaho Fair, if you can actually stand it. I do like to see the chickens.

Otherwise, there's plenty of magical live music to behold. Here are some video previews to help you decide:



The Disparities are one of Coeur d'Alene's more promising young indie-rock acts, comprised of Oliver Lemke, Julian Lemke, and Harrison Lemke, three brothers who make a much better racket IMO than the Brothers Jonas and they're just as teen-dreamy. Check them out tomorrow night, 8/29 at 7 p.m. at Calypso's.





Cd'A's unstoppable Cris Lucas closes the summer music series at Eddie's Bar and Grill at Arrow Point Saturday 8/29 with a set of his grungy acoustic folk and lots of witty banter.





Lots of wild jigging will be happening when the girls of Celtic/Folk trio The Gothard Sisters take the stage at the North Idaho Fair this weekend (check calendar for times).





Coeur d'Alene's popular acoustic soul rocker Ron Greene graces the North Idaho Fair tonight 8/28 with a performance at 6 p.m.






Copper Mountain Band hail from Kalispell, MT and bring their upbeat brand of country-rock to the Slab Inn tonight 8/28 and tomorrow 8/29 at 9 p.m.





Stockholm aren't from Sweden, they're actually from Spokavegas, WA and they hit the Calypso's stage tonight 8/28 at 7 p.m.





Southern California metal act Kicking K8 plays The Grail tonight 8/28/ with opening acts Boneyard Butchers, Peratus and Medicine Wheel at 7 p.m.

The Sunshine Inn Restaurant Lounge

The Sunshine Inn Restaurant Lounge
301 W. Cameron Ave., Kellogg,
(208) 784-1186

The only purple hair we expected to see walking into the place was on the heads of Kellogg’s many lovely grannies. So we were mildly bewildered when we slipped out of the torrential summer rain and into the Sunshine Inn to be greeted by a smiling young waitress with shoulder-length vibrant violet locks and rocker girl gear. Her soundtrack was the corny, fist-pumping grunge of Puddle of Mudd’s “She Hates Me” which blared at a delightfully disruptive volume from the open passageway that separates the dining room from the chaos of the attached lounge.

“Anywhere you like, guys!” she hollered over the music and the outbursts of drunken laughter emanating from the just-off-work Friday bar crowd. We were cruising Kellogg looking for dinner and were drawn in by the gigantic, retro-tastic neon sign out front. Bill Woolum, whose dad poured drinks there in the 60’s, recounts his youthful memories of the place on his “Kellogg Bloggin’” website. He describes how then-owners Sig and Bunny Peterson lived in a small apartment behind the lounge and would “come right out of their residence onto the dance floor and circulate, saying hi, drinking right along with their customers, and adding a sense of cheer to the bar.” After years of increasingly seedy ownership and general neglect, the Sunshine and its attached motel sat looking sad and abandoned for a large part of this decade. Current owners Tim and Cheryl Moyer saw potential in the old beast, bringing it up to par and reopening in February 2008.

We were really just expecting burgers and fries, BLTs, tuna melts, that sort of thing. I was too caught up taking in all the oddball rummage sale bric-a-brac to get into the menu right away, but my dining partner was examining it with a dropped jaw. “Woah. Kinda spendy,” he warned. Certainly, the contents of the menu were completely incongruous with the rowdy, truck-stop atmosphere. Back in the golden days when it was known as the “Jackass Room”, it was quite a classy, steak-and-baked-potato destination dining spot. Perhaps the new owners are attempting to recreate that vibe, offering a selection of entrees mostly in the $15-20 price range. No matter, we were starved and somewhat impressed by a few of the options.

We considered an appetizer, perhaps some spinach artichoke dip or the “blistering” hot wings, but decided to nix the idea after reading that all dinners came with trips through the salad bar. It was tough to decide; maybe a nice seafood or chicken fettuccine? Or was I in the mood for Chicken Cordon Bleu, Coconut Prawns or a juicy, 16 oz. Prime Rib with sautéed mushrooms? We considered the hardcore comfort foods under “Specialties” like Chicken Pot Pie, Pork Chops and Applesauce, or Liver and Onions with Bacon. Part of me was still craving a greasy burger but alas, unless the bar side had a menu I wasn’t made aware of, it wasn’t an option,. Ultimately, I decided on the Friday “Chef’s Special”, the Clam Chowder and Seafood Platter, loftily described as a “ship of dreams.”

Sky, our purple haired waitress, breezed by to take our order. She told us to go ahead and help ourselves to the soup and salad bar while she conjured up our beverages. A man ahead of us in line lifted the lid of the soup pot and frowned in horror. “Uh Miss, I think this soup is done for.” I peered inside at an inch of a dried-up, chunky yellow sludge that had allegedly been clam chowder at some point. Sky yelled into the kitchen for a fresh batch and an unseen voice returned with “Sorry folks, we’re all out.” “Well, you can have as much salad as you like,” she offered apologetically, but the options on the bar were quite slim and only a scant few scraps of lettuce remained. “Um, it’ll be a few minutes on that one,” she said.

For some reason, I’d pictured a platter filled with fresh fish, something broiled in lemon butter, maybe crab legs or oyster shooters. I realized my error when Sky set down my plate and explained how they’d lost use of all but one deep fryer. Indeed, this “ship of dreams” was covered in breading and sailing on a sea of hot oil. Everything had to be cooked one item at a time, so the under layer of French fries and mini-shrimp was already cold, the middle layer of oysters and salmon (yes, deep-fried salmon) was lukewarm, and the top layer of cod was hot and somewhat edible (with lots of tartar sauce). Horrifyingly, my dinner pal’s Chicken Fried Steak was served with canned Veg-All, sprinkled with parmesan in an impossible, humorous attempt to make it seem “gourmet”.

We picked at our plates and as the crowd in the next room continued to audibly whoop it up, we began to wish we’d chosen to hit the bar for a liquid dinner instead. Not wanting to seem rude, we asked Sky for to-go boxes and lied “all that salad must have filled us up.” We laughed heartily at the tab, deciding it was worth the interesting experience. Thanking Sky for her efforts and relentless cheer in the face of doom, we exited the Sunshine and returned to the rain.

Flyer: O'Shays End of Summer Shakedown

Battle on the Beach: Cd'A Hosts Rap Contest

Is there a Lil' Wayne or maybe a Vanilla Ice trapped deep inside you just itching to take the stage and throw down mad rhymes? Indulge your inner hip-hop superstar by entering "Battle on the Beach", a freestyle rap competition happening this upcoming Saturday 8/22 at noon at the City Park Bandshell in Coeur d'Alene.

My experience rapping is 1) tried Missy Elliott's "Work It" one time on karaoke night and failed miserably. 2) recorded a song called "Trim Your Bush" for the 2004 election which featured a short rap including the lines "It's a hairy situation/to overthrow the administration/time for America to buy some razors/eliminate the haters." This is why I will definitely NOT be participating. However, it might be fun to check out at least. I just don't get enough opportunities to break out my oversized, diamond-encrusted "P" pendant. Bling bling!

Here are the details & rules as posted on Craigslist by the organizers. (What? No profanity? What kind of rap is that?)

$50 gets you a spot in the competition
$300 grand prize + Demo CD (compliments of Flipside Studios - Spokane, WA)
Runner ups - you get the satisfaction of performing in front of a TON of people!

Rap performance competition going down this summer at the park in Coeur d'Alene, ID. You can freestyle if you'd like, but it's not necessary. We'll have rappers from Portland, Seattle, and Salt Lake City to compete with you. It will be a bracket-style competition with rappers being judged by the crowd in groups of 3. Sound equipment/engineer provided, you only need to provide your instrumentals/beats. If you have a live band or DJ, you'll be required to set up and run your own equipment (due to insurance reasons). As of now, we are accepting 25 performers - FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! That number could change in the future, so hurry and reserve your spot.

Official contest rules and prize information:
1. Absolutely no profanity! It's a public park and there are bound to be children present. If you curse during your song, you will be immediately disqualified (If you have questions on what is acceptable, feel free to call me)
2. Each contestant will get 5 minutes per act to perform a full song. No freestyle skills necessary, so you have time to make it good! Come prepared with more than one song in case you make it to the next round (3 is ideal)
3. There will be short intermissions after every few acts
4. Each contestant is responsible for sending in their own music. You can bring it the day of, but you might be pushing it.
5. Instrumentals do not have to be original work, however, you will be required to indicate original composer(s) and those credits will be announced before and after each song.
6. After 3 artists/crews finish performing, the crowd (applausometer), as well as a couple of judges will decide who moves on to the next round of the tournament.
7. Studio time scheduling will be determined by the winner and Flipside Studios
8. "Demo CD" will be recorded and mixed by Flipside studios and will consist of 4-6 songs. THIS IS NOT A FULLY MASTERED ALBUM. Mastering and duplication discussions are to be had with Flipside Studios.
9. $300 Grand Prize will be paid out the night of the event.
10. $50 entry fee due ASAP
11. Payment can be made by cash, check, or paypal
13. Lyrical content is not restricted, as long as you are within the 'no cursing' guidelines.
14. Last of all, be a good sport if you lose! We don't need any fights because you suck at rapping!

Keep in mind that with the crowd that each performer will bring, the people that the advertising will bring and the local traffic downtown, you could be performing in front of hundreds to thousands of people. This could be your break! You'd better make it worth it. Call and reserve your spot now! 208-651-4890

Karaoke : Tuesday is Moving to Wednesday

Karaoke can be habit forming, and hardcore junkies frequently haunt the same lounges week after week, not only for a momentary fix of sweet stardom, but also to meet with others afflicted with the same addiction. Eventually, bonds form between singers, dramas arise, and it becomes a dysfunctional karaoke family, especially when the evening is accompanied by a $5 bottomless domestic keg special and plenty of Rumple Minz shots.

For the better part of ten years, Tuesday karaoke at ye olde Mik-n-Mac's was one of the busiest nights of the week and was home to my own close-knit karaoke tribe. Our host and "Koala-T" KJ was Jerry, a Neil Diamond lover and an all around nice guy whose mantra between singers is "...and the crowd goes wild." Jerry's fabulous mother Charlene (pictured) always showed up and would amuse us with her many outrageous bar stories and renditions of Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline tunes. We call her "Mom" and she really is our mother figure, bringing baked goods and helping us figure out our lives. Christa was both our bartender and our babysitter, and we must not have driven her too totally cuckoo because she always made a point to request to work on Tuesday nights.

Mik-n-Mac's is now in the history books and it remains to be seen if the new owners will decide to keep karaoke. Thanks to Jessi at Baja Bargarita, our little TV show is rescheduled with a new day and time on a different channel. Baja is beginning karaoke nights on Wednesdays at 7:30 with Jerry KJing, Christa bartending and they're even doing the $5 bottomless keg special. Come down and help break in the new digs, maybe sing your knockout rendition of "Don't Rain On My Parade".

10 Random Songs I've Sung on Karaoke:

1 "Slow Hands" (Interpol) (a recent fave, fun to belt out)
2 "Harmony" (Elton John) (for Sue, its her fave)
3 "Jolene" (Dolly Parton) (in an extra deep voice)
4 "Anarchy in the UK" (Sex Pistols) (only after a LOT of PBR)
5 "I Got You Babe" (Sonny & Cher) (I was always Sonny, Brian was always Cher)
6 "Too Shy" (Kajagoogoo) (always Sam's request)
7 "Ashes to Ashes" (David Bowie) (weirds out the young crowd)
8 "Rock Lobster" (B-52's) (Shannon doing the animal noises)
9 "Angie Baby"(Helen Reddy) (because the lyrics are so odd)
10 "I Know There's Something Going On" Freda (solo Abba duet with Jay)

Eddie’s Bar &Grill

Eddie’s Bar &Grill
4496 S Arrow Point Dr.,
Harrison, 676-1305

I get excited about the rare occasions when I’m able to spend a leisurely summer evening sculling around Lake Coeur d’Alene on the family watercraft. There’s something especially rejuvenating about the cool, misty wind in my hair and the smell of the secondhand ultra-light menthol cigarette smoke that constantly emits from my parental units. I love the remarkable view of the city skyline and the ambient sound of frat boys vomiting over the sides of the Mish-a-Nock. Most of all, I enjoy the wine-induced disorientation that always causes our captain to panic and curse after becoming completely lost trying to find his boat slip in the black of night.

Recently, I had the honor of being one of the first guests aboard my mom and stepdad’s newly purchased speedboat. A cruise of the lake with my dear mother and stepfather is always nothing less than high adventure. I christened the craft “Mrs. Ro-boat-o”; she’s an 80’s model with retro-futuristic dashboard graphics straight out of the movie “Tron”. We decided to make Arrow Point our destination for the evening, specifically Eddie’s Bar and Grill. We were curious to see how it had changed since the Gozzer Ranch folks rolled in and took it over a few years ago, upsetting quite a few locals in the process by hogging city docks, lighting fireworks without permits and worst of all, they did away with the former Arrow Point Grill’s beloved Thursday night all-you-can-eat spaghetti feed.

Eddie’s and the surrounding condos have the look of an Alpine ski-lodge but the vibe of a tropical island getaway, with bikini babes sunning in lounge chairs and kids splashing around with neon colored beach toys. Drifting into the marina to park the boat, one can almost smell the scent of money on the breeze. When a valet met us on the dock to help tie down the boat and make sure we weren’t unwanted riff-raff, it became clear the place was no longer the ultra-casual “Cheers on the lake” of yesteryear.

The glint of the rhinestones sparkling from all the ladies’ big sunglasses rivals the sun itself for sheer glitz, not to mention the actual diamonds on their fingers, and nearly all their husbands sport a certain Hawaiian-shirt and white shorts ensemble that says “my doghouse is worth more money than your car.” We found a nice table on the expansive deck but before we had a chance to sit, a waiter zoomed in and snapped “That table’s reserved! Do you have a reservation?” It hadn’t crossed our mind to do so on a Wednesday evening, and we were told by the much friendlier hostess that it’d be about twenty minutes.

Settling into some overstuffed chairs in the waiting area, my mother and I passed the time by scanning the crowd for famous faces. Vanna White and Rush Limbaugh are have reportedly been spotted there recently, but all we could find was a guy who sort-of resembled a bald David Hasselhoff. We were melting in the heat and quite parched, and when our waiter finally led us to our table, he gave us menus and took our wine order but brought no glasses of ice water, a pet peeve of mine. I held my thirst as we discussed the ins and outs of the menu, noticing that most options were comfortingly traditional and surprisingly affordable.

Appetizers include classic pleasers such as BBQ chicken wings, shrimp cocktail and Walla Walla onion rings. The “Eddie’s Best” burger, the cheese steak, the B.L.T. and other sandwich selections come with a choice of fries, rings, a house salad, sautéed veggies, a fruit cup, or delightfully, macaroni and cheese. The Pulled Chicken Taco Salad, the Blackened Salmon Caesar and the Oriental Ahi with Cabbage Slaw are some of the more creative options for those who like to nibble the greens. Naturally, I turned my attention to the significantly more expensive entrée section after my stepdad told us he was footing the tab. As our waiter took our order, I mentally noted his name badge; it read “$cott”, a dollar sign standing in for the “S” in an act of subtle irony.

Our appetizer arrived, a towering plate of nachos which were tasty and visually appealing, multicolored chips under plentiful avocados, jalapenos, sour cream and small chunks of chicken. Oddly, instead of actual cheese they chose to use a canned nacho sauce which got cold and gloppy immediately. We were ravenous enough to not really care, but it was ultimately just a tease for the main course.

The wine was flowing and time tends to fly when we all get caught up visiting. Eventually, we started to realize that the folks at the next table, who arrived ten minutes after us, had ordered, eaten and were having their table cleared. $cott had come by at one point to say we were “only four tickets back” but that seemed like ages ago, and we weren’t sure exactly what that sort of kitchen lingo meant anyway. Our dilemma was that we needed to head back across the lake before sundown because my stepdad has a knack for getting lost on the lake after sundown. My mother and he once cruised the waters for hours, unable to find their way home and when they finally found Coeur d’Alene were so loopy they didn’t recognize it at first, thinking they had ended up at some dazzling new casino.

My parents’ patience was being tested so they decided to step out for a smoke. Of course, this is a classic, no-fail way to make the food arrive. My stepdad had ordered the Alaskan halibut and when the server set the plate down, his face grew suddenly long with disappointment. Certainly, at a nice place like Eddie’s, one would expect more than a nondescript strip of shriveled fish atop a small mound of shredded vegetables, especially for the price it was listed at. Even worse, he tasted it and fully grimaced. I snatched a piece with my fork to make sure he wasn’t just being persnickety. Indeed, it was rubbery in texture and devoid of flavor save for the faint taste of a burnt oven. Charitably, my mother offered him half her BBQ salmon, which was actually quite scrumptious, as were the accompanying huge onion rings, which they also shared.

My filet mignon, on the other hand, was awesome, cooked to a perfect melt-in-mouth medium-rare and served with plentiful hearty mushrooms and a whole roasted onion. It was impressive and memorable, as was the garlicky side of mashed red potatoes. When $cott returned, we clued him in on the halibut disaster and he apologized kindly, saying he’d be happy to subtract it from our bill. Even better, he told us that in lieu of our eternal wait, dessert was on the house. All bad feelings were instantly erased as we dug into our slices of Tuxedo Cake, a divine concoction made with alternating layers of creamy chocolate mousse, white cake, chocolate cake and an intensely dense fudge frosting. It was so phenomenal that I’d swim all the way across the lake just to have another slice.

We waddled down to the dock and back to the boat, stopping to amaze at a huge and superbly luxurious wooden boat tied up front and center. “That’s John Elway’s little baby” said the valet, which made my mom and I momentarily flustered that we missed a real celebrity sighting until we both realized we had no idea what John Elway looks like anyway. I’ve never followed football at all, so he could’ve been standing at the urinal next to me and I’d have never known it.

Unfortunately, we missed our goal to be back in town by nightfall. Actually, the lights that surround the lake are a lovely sight to behold; that is except for Hagadone’s obnoxious Casco Bay monstrosity which successfully attempts to recreate daylight. My mom and I were enjoying the relaxing night ride when suddenly we slowed down to a crawl. I looked up to realize we were feet away from running straight into the log pilings that surround Cedar’s restaurant. “Where in the hell are we?” my stepdad announced, a quiver of confusion in his voice. We tried in vain to direct him, but when he gets in that mode, his hearing and attention span fly away like a moon bat.

With a dull ka-thunk, we rode right over some unidentified water object and sure enough, the boat engine died. The smell of gasoline permeated the air as I glanced at my mom who was seconds away from absentmindedly lighting yet another Virgina Slim. “No!” I yelled and reached out to snatch it from her hand. Miraculously, the boat started up again without effort and after a bit of guidance my stepdad slowly began to recognize our location and steered us into the boat slip. I jumped off onto the safety of the dock, just happy we made it back in one piece. I thanked them for a good time and a wonderful dinner but made them vow to stick to boating during daylight hours only, for the safety of themselves and Lake Coeur d’Alene itself.

Found: Product Knowlwdge Quiz #1

This mildly entertaining, ungraded exam sat in the cocktailer's caddy at Mik-n-Mac's for two years until last night when I randomly decided to snag it and capture it here as a sort-of tribute to all my homegirls who slung trays full of drinks around that bar over the last 12 years. Sadly, tonight is the final night of Mik-n-Mac's before dear Rita hands the keys to the dungeonous cavern over to new owners. The party should be mega.

Video: The Huddy Phenomenon

Just don't ask for fries: Here's a way cool mini-documentary produced by KSPS about the Hudson's Hamburgers legend, complete with fascinating photos of old Cd'A and a chat with walking local history book Robert Singletary. Ouch. A hunger pang.

Caruso’s Sandwich Company

Caruso’s Sandwich Company
202 Ironwood #A,
Coeur d’Alene,
(208) 765-1001
(and various locations)

John Lennon once sang “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” This and various bits of wit and wisdom adorn Caruso’s walls on big, eye-catching placards made of neatly pressed black plastic letters. Perhaps they’re there merely to offer potential ponderous conversation points to customers, or perhaps they’re the senior project of an especially unimaginative typography student. Taking them all into consideration while enjoying lunch there recently, I came to realize the connection between all these quotable quips: they do a good job of explaining the Caruso’s experience itself.

“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking,” reads one of the signs, hung in an obscure spot high near the back of the kitchen. Since relocating to North Idaho and opening their first deli in 1999, Vince and Shell Caruso have built themselves a miniature empire based on quality, and it seems like everyone was looking. Franchise opportunity seekers were paying attention for sure, and now there are four Caruso’s locations in the area with more to come. Each store is clean and inviting and they do a consistently knock-out job of providing the finest and freshest ingredients for an exceedingly affordable price, making a certain popular national chains’ “five dollar foot longs” seem rather limp and lifeless.

Caruso’s offers the cure for the not-so-fresh feeling one often experiences at Subway and its ilk. There simply is no comparison, and also unlike the chain places, it’s refreshingly free of teen angst and attitude behind the counter. The folks that run the Caruso’s show actually act like they enjoy their jobs and are having a good time. It’s unusual behavior for sure, but as another one of their signs says “Why be normal?”

A duo of these wordy wall boards claim that “If confusion is the first step to knowledge, I must be a genius,” and that “Confusion is our most important product.” Depending on the time of day, a visit to Caruso’s can indeed seem a bit overwhelming. The menu alone is disorienting with so many terrific food possibilities. I’ve been to Caruso’s later in the afternoon and things are somewhat quiet and relaxing, but come during the lunch rush and you can expect to mingle with a large and diverse crowd. Fortunately, Caruso’s staff has the ability to keep things moving right along, and even on the busiest of days, I’ve never had to wait more than a few minutes in line to order and a few minutes to pick up my lunch.

With high industrial ceilings and plenty of table space, it has the air of a community gathering place, a sense of public activity that draws everyone in. Nurses come to check the pulses of the hot Italian Stallion sandwiches and policemen show up to arrest Meatball Subs for the crime of existence while committing brutal acts of sloppiness and enforcing strict napkin laws.

“Do or no do, there is no try.” These powerful words were once spoken by the wise Jedi Master Yoda and are now captured on one of Caruso’s brightly painted walls. There’s a lot to try and to do on Caruso’s menu, the main attraction being the Specialty Sandwiches themselves. “We bake our bread daily” isn’t exactly another witty quote, but it is an obvious truth; the just-baked aroma is alluring and strong when first entering the place. A half-loaf size affair should be sufficient for all but the mightiest of appetites.

The Caruso’s Club piles turkey, ham, bacon and Swiss cheese high with all the veggies. The Italian Dip is pastrami and provolone cheese served hot with Au Jus. For meat haters who still love Italy, the Mozza Ball combines fresh mozzarella cheese with tomatoes, red onions and romaine. Caruso’s sandwiches aren’t overloaded with unnecessary sauces and toppings, allowing the simple, primary flavors of the breads, meats and cheeses to shine through.

My personal perpetual favorites are the Roast Beef and Cheddar with avocado on sourdough and the basic Tuna on wheat which uses a form of albacore so divine it makes what the chains offer seem suddenly very fishy. A recent experiment with the Caesar Salad Chicken Wrap was another coup; it was overstuffed with ingredients and flavor. Soups are homemade and at least three different varieties are on offer each day along with tossed green salads and a scattering of pasta or potato salads. On a recent visit I tried a red potato salad that was quite incredible. Large hunks of soft, skin-on potatoes and dill pickles were mixed with plenty of fresh dill in a delicate, creamy sauce. It was enough to make one wish Aunt Franny would start bringing this to the family BBQ instead of her usual mustard and egg slop.

“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” This sign must refer to the extensive menu of espresso beverages, breakfast sandwiches and muffins awaiting Caruso’s early birds each day. Also in the “things you’ll never see at Subway” department is the fact that they serve both bottled and draught beer and run a happy hour between 4 and 7 p.m. daily, with both domestic and micro pints under two dollars. Cheers to that idea. The sign right above the entry reads “It’s not the employer who pays the wages, they just handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages.” In that case, this happy customer says to give everyone a raise.