Flyer: Kralicek Fundraiser at Applebee's 12/01

Santorini’s Greek Cuisine

Santorini’s Greek Cuisine
4055 N. Government Way, Cd’A
(208) 676-0401

I always enjoy Greek restaurants, but I think the thing that magnetizes me back to them again and again is the dessert. The rest of the meal is just going through the motions, leading up to the grand finale of the rich, honey glazed pastry known as baklava that manages to send both my taste buds and my very soul into a state of bliss every time.

I’ve yet to cross paths with a hunk of baklava that has falls anywhere short of scrumptious. If it weren’t for fear of questionable looks from dining partners and restaurant staff, my Greek lunch would include a baklava hors d’oeuvre, baklava for the main course, and baklava for dessert, naturally.

While this is assuredly a most delicious idea, it isn’t so much a practical one nor is it especially good for the old waistline. The idea did cross my mind as I walked into Coeur d’Alene’s new Santorini’s Greek restaurant, but that’s really no sort of way to get a real perspective on the rest of a very promising menu.

Owners Dino and Fotini Tsakarestos weren’t just whistling "Saranta Palikaria" when they chose the word “Authentic” to land before “Greek Food” in all their ads. They arrived from Crete in the ‘70s, and have 30 years behind them in the restaurant world. The reason for their good reputation is apparent right away, with instantly warm service and a menu bound to make any empty tummy roar.

Appetizers consist of both old standbys and uncommon discoveries, including the beefy, lemony stuffed grape leaves known as Dolmades, Spanakopita (spinach and feta baked into layers of filo), and Saganaki (a plate of rich Kasseri Cheese sautéed and brandy and served with pita bread). I like the simplicity of kicking off with pita slices and a bowl of tangy roasted red pepper hummus.

Dinner is served from Thursday to Saturday and stars such palatable prospects as Mousaka, a dish made up of sautéed eggplant, potatoes and seasoned ground beef, and taken back to the old country with a homemade béchamel sauce. The indecisive will find comfort in the Santorini’s Plate, a sampler combining Mousaka, Dolmades and carved-from-the-spit slices of gyro meat, served with roasted potatoes and veggies.

The first time I whizzed by the strip mall Santorini’s sits in and saw the “coming soon” banner, I was so jazzed I called their flagship Spokane restaurant to find out exactly when they were opening up. “Next week,” I was told, and after about a month or so and probably a dozen slow, leering drive-bys, I heard word from a friend that the house lights were finally on and the grill was fired up and ready to go.

I waited a few weeks for the initial buzz to fade, but the place was still hopping with an early lunch rush. The refreshingly uncluttered wallscape features just a few panoramas of the Greek isles and some enchanting Greek souvenirs. Santorini’s is crisp and clean with fresh white paint, bright lights, and the aroma of new carpet. My order was taken right away, and I panicked momentarily when I overheard my waitress tell the kitchen she couldn’t seem to track down any baklava. Fortunately, I had showed up just in time to luck out with a fresh batch, brought out ceremoniously to restock the empty shelf in the dessert case.

The waitress returned to my table with a big slice of it along with the rest of my lunch. I resisted the urge to dive into the pastry right away in favor of a steaming cup of homemade Avgo Lemono soup, the strongest evidence available that the marriage of chicken, lemon and herbs is a recipe for pure joy.

I had to ask for extra napkins about halfway through my overstuffed falafel gyro. The waitress and I came to the conclusion together that sometimes messy just means its extra good. By the time I was finished, just as many lettuce bits, diced tomatoes and Kalamata olives ended up on my sweater as in my mouth, and my face was a mural of smeared feta and Tahini sauce.

Sadly, I was so stuffed I had no room left for baklava, so I had to send it back. Right, as if that would ever happen. In reality, I took on the flaky, golden brown triangle with a full-fork attack, and right away I noticed something a little different. Crushed almonds and walnuts bulked up the layers of crispy dough instead of the usual costly pistachios. They weren’t missed at all, in fact I embraced the unusual twist, and when I’d scraped every savory morsel from the plate, I sailed off into the afternoon on an Aegean sea of contentment.

Friday Local Music Thingie: Rex James

Name: Rex James

Genre: Americana/Folk/Rock

Hometown: Sandpoint, ID

Band Members:
Anthony Powell: Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals
Bobby White: Percussion
Dave Powell: Harp Guitars, 12-String Guitar, Vocals
Avery Anderson: Guitars, Vocals

Bio: "You may have seen Rex James as the brotherly duo in recent past, or perhaps as the original trio back in 2001-2002 performing acoustically in their home town of Sandpoint, Idaho. Somewhere along the train of time in this new century the band has finally regrouped to include their three founding members plus a new percussionist as the fourth. If you haven't heard them in the past, then you don't know what you've missed as these boys will probably transcend from a local band to a regional act in the not too distant future. Make sure not to miss any of their upcoming performances for a true original acoustic treat." ` Rex James website

Influences: Paul Simon, Nickel Creek, Bruce Hornsby, Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges

Upcoming Shows:
11.28.09 5 p.m., Pend Orielle Winery, Sandpoint, ID
12.03.09 8 p.m., The Grail, Coeur d' Alene, ID
12.31.09 9 p.m., Auntie's Bookstore - First Night Spokane, Spokane, WA
08.21.10 4 p.m., Huckleberry Festival, Wallace, ID

Links:
Website: http://www.rexjames.com/
Online EPK: www.sonicbids.com/rexjamesstudios
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/rexjamesbros
Myspace Profile: www.myspace.com/rexjamesbros
CDA Press Feature: http://www.rexjames.com/images/CDAPress_OriginalScan.jpg

Videos:

Flyer: Karaoke NIAC Benefit @ Baja 12/07

9 Easy Questions: Beverly Lodge

Beverly Lodge is the AE of Interactive Multimedia at local design firm Blue541. But more importantly, she's a mover and a shaker and she knows everyone in town because she's an extraordinarily chatty kinda gal. In fact, she lists talking as her number one interest on her Facebook profile and her favorite book is "Robot Dreams" by Isaac Asimov, which doesn't have anything to do with anything. She was nice enough lately to answer our 9 Easy Questions and let us know what puts the gift in her gab.

1. Favorite place to go for breakfast: The Breakfast Nook - I just really enjoy the setup of that place, and it has the best biscuits and gravy in town!

2. Favorite place to grab a sandwich for lunch: San Fransisco Sourdough - Because I'm a picky meat eater and their deli meat is top notch.

3. Best Mexican Restaurant: I like Toro Veijo better only second to Las Palmitas, but only because they have way better and friendlier service.

4. Best Chinese Restaurant: Dragon House - Because I had to pick one. I actually all think they stink around here.

5. Best place to get sushi: I have heard great things about the Fisherman's Market, which I have yet to try, so in that case I'll have to say Syringa. They just have a personal touch you just notice. Sort of like when a sandwich is tastier just because mom made it.

6. Best fast food joint: McDonald's on Hanley - I have never had to wait more than six seconds at that window.

7. Most frequented bar or nightclub: The Moose Market. They tend to have a lot more bands come in and play original music on the weekends, which is nice. I am sooo sick of cover bands.

8. Someone offers to buy you a drink. What do you order? Seirra Nevada Pale Ale or T3, Townsend Cellars red blend.

9. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be and why? I would be Ben and Jerrys "Rainforest Crunch". They don't make it anymore, sadly. But it was nutty, creamy, and original. And I think I encompass all three of those things. I just wish I had caramel running through my viens!

Pilgrim's Market

Pilgrim’s Market
1316 N. 4th St.
Coeur d’Alene
(208) 676-9730

"My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor." ~Phyllis Diller

I can’t recall exactly who, but every Thanksgiving, in the hazy afterglow of a full Turkey Day meal, one of my relatives says it. “Tryptophan must be short for ‘trip the light fantastic’”.

It’s true; the land is always dotted with houses full of post-meal dopers, passed out from the effects of the serotonin-inducing enzyme lurking in the tender, juicy slices of festive holiday poultry. It’s certainly not an unpleasant feeling, and it seems to do the trick even better than expensive prescription pills like Ambien. The tryptophan in turkey is for the most part non-habit forming, won’t cause next-day headaches or thoughts of suicide, and of course, it’s all-natural.

A new-millennium trend toward a more natural approach to mealtime has in many ways improved the landscape of the modern Thanksgiving Day table. The experiments in culinary convenience of the 1950’s and 60’s resulted in a layout of perfectly formed, reconstituted turkey loaves, glompy instant mashed potato flakes, gelatinous canned cranberry sauce and depressingly grey canned green beans.

It became less about upholding a fine American tradition and more about who could show up with the most bizarrely unappetizing Jell-o mold. Although people may still have to suffer through Aunt Franny’s “famous” Pear Walnut Lime Salad every year with a smile, many have realized that convenience rarely equates with edibility.

Most major supermarkets have zeroed in on the trend, but for those hosts and hostesses who really want to get back to nature for their Thanksgiving spreads, the place to shop is Pilgrim’s Market on North Fourth St. in Coeur d’Alene. Owners Joe and Sarah Hamilton opened their doors for business in 1999, starting life as a mere sliver of its current incarnation, a hole-in-the-wall shop stocking a relatively small selection of vitamin supplements and all-natural snack foods.

They were able to slowly take over the entire strip mall last year when Liquidation World closed, and while it isn’t quite as mondo as the Whole Foods chain or Spokane’s Huckleberries, it is the largest outlet for health-conscious products and foods in North Idaho. Food snobs relocating from places like Santa Cruz and Seattle should feel right at home in the well-stocked aisles of Pilgrim’s Market.

Natural food stores were always found in trendier cities, but for a long time they were considered by many to be hangouts for hippies and vegetarian radicals, full of mysterious, inedible goods made of soy, unsweetened granola, sea kelp extracts and most heinously, carob. I was exposed to many of these left-of-center food products in my younger years by a friend’s hippy mom, and there were some I sort of grew used to, if not vaguely fond of. Popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast is still a favorite.

However, as a lifelong chocoholic, I could never stomach the waxy sweet fakeness of carob. That alone pretty much turned me off health food stores and I continued to eat the mass-marketed, preservative-rich, highly fattening foods served by my mother and pretty much everyone else in the 70’s and 80’s.

It seems the older I get, the more conscious I am about the food I decide to consume. I’m a fairly recent frequenter of Pilgrim’s, and I’ve already discovered more wonderful items than I have space to list. I’ve been indoctrinated into the cult of Kombucha, a slightly sour, naturally fizzy fermented tea beverage sold in colorful bottles that look like artifacts from old Bombay. Also on the beverage tip, their selection of imported beers from around the globe is astounding, eliminating any reason to actually go abroad.

The Pilgrim’s deli alone makes the trip worth it, with organic pasta and tofu salads, incredible garlicky hummus or egg salad sandwiches, and a cozy bistro-esque seating area. They host an active monthly calendar of cooking classes and health seminars, taught by people who seem to know a lot about these things. There’s also a full case of farm-raised meats for those who choose to cross the battle lines of vegetarianism.

Speaking of which, for Thanksgiving, Pilgrim’s Market will have a selection of free-range, organic turkeys with extra Tryptophan available for pre-order, but only while supplies last. Treat the gang to Savory Butternut Squash Salad with Thyme and Garlic and an Organic Pumpkin Pie. Even the name “Pilgrim’s” evokes images of America’s square-jawed settlers in black buckled hats, Capri pants and white tights. And what could be more Thanksgiving than that?

9 Easy Questions: Rita Mikalatos

You could say that Mik-n-Mac's Lounge is Rita Mikalatos' baby. If that's the case, then she nearly abandoned her child and left in in the hands of terrible strangers. Thank the Gods of Booze, she came to her senses and re-opened the bar a few months back after a deal to sell the place fell through. Mik-n-Mac's is North Idaho's longest-running dance club (we don't count the Resort), and things just wouldn't have been the same without it. The deal was made even better by a snazzy remodel of the bar area and fresh staff members, all of whom will be happy to assist you in tying one on and move your groove thing. Rita was kind enough recently to share what shakes the ice in her martini mixer.

1. Favorite place to go for breakfast: Country Boy in Athol. Not only are Rosie and her family awesome people, but the food is excellent (no weenie bacon and see through bread). She also has killer cinnamon rolls. Don't count your calories there!

2. Favorite place to grab a sandwich for lunch: Hmmm, peanut butter sandwich from my pantry, ha ha.

3. Best Mexican restaurant: Hayden's Toro Viejo by far! Love them in Cd'A too, but parking is so much easier in Hayden. Love the pollo a la crema. Can you tell I don't count calories?

4. Best Chinese restaurant: Bonsai Bistro. Yes, I know it's a Hagadone corporation, but a close runner up is Panda Express. Yes I know, neither are Chinese. At real Chinese restaurants I end up ordering a grilled cheese.

5. Best place to get sushi: Yuck!

6. Best fast food joint: Panda Express. Well their drive-thru isn't so fast though.

7. Most frequented bar or nightclub: Mik-n-Mac's (of course).

8. Someone offers to buy you a drink. What do you order? Depending on my mood, Patron tequila or Red Stag (Black Cherry Burboun). Or cranberry juice in a rocks glass so they think its a Washington Sour Apple, ha ha.

9. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be and why? Birthday cake! With every bite it's a confetti surprise!!

Post Falls Thrift Store Tour

Post Falls, Idaho: Thrift City USA

In the last ten years, the Post Falls area has seen an amazing burst of growth, doubling from a mere suburb into a super-mega-suburb. Some have said that while it certainly is a fine and beautiful town, it basically lacks a gimmick, a solid pawn in the local tourist game like a cutesy, walkable shopping district where I-90 travelers can park their Airstream campers and stretch their chubby little legs before retiring to the dreamland of the Wal-Mart parking lot.

It seems that rumored plans for construction of a downtown business and dining plaza fizzled out when the economic boom said bye-bye and stomped out of town, over the forested hilltops. Everyone is struggling to even put tequila on the dinner table, let alone part with enough dollars to go toward building a new Pottery Barn outlet.

So how can Post Falls create a unique identity to generate some positive cash flow and help locals make their paychecks stretch at the same time? Three words: Thrift Store Mecca. There are nearly a dozen charity and second hand stores within a two mile stretch, and they all ought to consider joining forces in a clever marketing campaign to promote the idea of Post Falls, Thrift City USA. You know, design an eye catching logo, print up brochures and tank tops, call KHQ’s Cindy De Hoog and arrange for a flashy TV news segment.

Our tour starts on the west end of town at one of the city’s newer bargain emporiums, the descriptively named Post Falls Thrift & Consignment (414 W. Seltice Way). Every purchase here benefits TESH, so come stock up on VHS aerobic videos, New Age sermons on cassette, and George Foreman grills. Unlike most thrift dens, this one also sells a smattering of new, artsy-craftsy items including jewelry and handmade rugs.

Next is an old favorite, the St Vincent De Paul Books & More Store (201 W. Seltice Way). Open since 1993, they still have one of the largest and most organized selections of used books and records in the area. Fans of the music of Debby Boone or the Mantovani Orchestra are in luck; their oeuvres are available here in multiple formats. St. Vinny’s also has a ton of home furnishings and kid’s clothes so there’s no need to spend a fortune recovering from damages incurred during a toddler’s grape kool-aid hissy-fit.

My best finds at the Post Falls Goodwill (317 E. Seltice Way) have been a couple of framed Andy Warhol prints and a used-once silver Krupps coffee machine. It isn’t a huge store, but the management seems to have a keen eye for quality control and their shelves are refreshingly trash-free. Next door in the same building is the newly opened Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store, their 27th shop in the state. I’ve yet to validate this one, but I’m hoping to have the same luck locating semi-recent semi-fashionable men’s clothes as I’ve had at their Coeur d’Alene branch.

A few blocks down the way is the behemoth marketplace known as My Favorite Things, (503 E. Seltice Way) which is actually a “vendor mall”, a more alluring word for “ extra fancy flea market”. With over 20 dealers in 8,000 square feet, the thousands of items range from antiques to tools, shabby chic décor to racks of DVD movies, it’s a good place to take a pit stop and fuel up on free cookies and hot chocolate while strolling through the always-intriguing maze of insanity.

I recently dropped into the Hospice Thrift Shop (also 503 E. Seltice Way) to kill some time amidst their towering stacks of things, and I was practically begged by one of the volunteer staff to exhume an old, obsolete computer printer from their technology graveyard. “Any one you like, three dollars,” he said, but I told him the sad truth, that I had two in storage already. However, I did end up the proud owner of a fuzzy, tiger-print desk lamp.

It’s worth detouring off the main drag to the Senior Center Thrift Shop (1211 E. 3rd Ave.), where I once chanced upon a knee-length white fake-fur coat. Although I was frequently mistaken for a polar bear, I sported it proudly until an old roommate decided it was the perfect thing to wear to a Spokane drag queen bar, where it was naturally stolen in seconds flat.

Our final stop is another strip mall (1600 E. Seltice Way), home to both the Kootenai Humane Society and Real Life Ministries thrift stores. The former was nearly empty last year upon opening, but is now overflowing with must-owns. Highlights include a huge kitchen area filled with curiosities that vanished from the market ten minutes after they were rolled out, and walls displaying artworks from motel rooms lost in time and space.

I’m actually attending an “ugly sweater contest” in a few weeks, and the Real Life store is definitely where I’ll be headed to pick out a doozy, preferably something interwoven with multicolored gems and a felt silhouette of a reindeer.

9 Easy Questions: Kerri Rankin Thoreson

Few people have as much North Idaho-ness running through their bloodstream as Kerri Rankin Thoreson. Her father is the legendary Ron Rankin, one of the most controversial and well-respected politicians in Coeur d'Alene's history. The apple didn't fall far from the tree, as they say, and Kerri made a successful run in 2008 for Post Falls city council, a seat she will hold for at least four years. She writes the weekly Main Street column in the CDA Press (see her blog here), one of few reasons to get one's fingers inky with a copy of that paper. She also works hard to actively promote North Idaho tourism and belongs to approximately 425 local clubs and organizations. She was kind enough recently to answer 9 easy questions about what puts the main in her street.

1. Favorite place to go for breakfast: American Legion in Post Falls on Sunday mornings. I like to flirt with the guy who cooks the eggs to order (my husband).

2. Favorite place to grab a sandwich for lunch: Big Bear Deli, cozy and friendly service and great variety of sandwiches.

3. Best Mexican restaurant: La Cabana, it feels like you're in someone's home for dinner. If they lived in Mexico, that is.

4. Best Chinese restaurant: Golden Dragon, when I do Chinese it's usually take-out. Old habits die hard and they've been around quite awhile in the neighborhood.

5. Best place to get sushi: Takara/Bonsai Bistro I like Takara ambiance and Bonsai is where I always see lots of people I know. Both have elevated sushi to a fine art.

6. Best fast food joint: Hudson's Hamburgers With just burgers on the menu, I don't have to make too many decisions. Visiting with the assorted Hudsons who are there on any given day and the lunch counter conversations with old timers are a big draw for me, too.

7. Most frequented bar or nightclub: I don't stay out late much but the Oval Office is great place to mingle during happy hour after work.

8. Someone offers to buy you a drink. What do you order? Iced tea or Diet Pepsi.

9. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be and why? Baskin Robbins Chocolate Peanut Butter. Having consumed as much of that flavor as I have through the years, I think it might show up in a blood test.

Two Free Saturday Happenings: Hip-Hop or Jazz?

Bad Customer Service Report #752: Petco

So last week I became bored with the interior decor of my aquarium and decided it was time to spiff it up a bit. I sashayed through breezeway of the Coeur d'Alene Petco, grabbed a red handcart and headed back to the fish corner to pick out some new excitement for the tank. Browsing through the aisles, I decided to go for a very natural motif, picking up a few bags of sand colored pebble and a couple of realistic-looking plastic plants.

While I was at it, I thought it would be nice to select a few new fish to join the family. It usually takes me a while to pick out ones I like, gazing in each tank, watching them do their thing and pondering their potential as well as how they might fit in with the rest of the fish. Oddly, there was a giant puddle of water on the floor right in the corner where people are checking out the tanks, and next to it sat an abandoned shop vac. Otherwise, nothing appeared to be amiss.

A little over 30 minutes later, I had finally decided on a small angelfish and a cute little blue gourami. I hadn't seen a customer service associate the entire time I'd been there, so I tracked one down near the front of the store and told him I wanted to get a couple of fish. "Uh...that's not my department," he mumbled, "but I'll call someone back there." Another ten minutes passed before a girl finally came to bag my two fish to go. The time issue wasn't a major big deal, I wasn't in a terrible hurry but I was kind of anxious to get home and start my project.

I pointed out my fish to her and she got the step ladder. She already had one fish in the bag when another red-aproned kid came marching over.

"Hey Amber, remember? No fish."

"Oh yeah," the girl sighed and looked at me with complete detachment. "I forgot, we're not selling any fish right now."

"Why not?" I inquired, puzzled.

"We just got in a big shipment," she offered, as if that actually explained anything.

"Yeah, so what?" I asked, swiftly losing my patience.

"We can't sell any for a while if we add new ones to the tanks. Gotta keep an eye on 'em first."

"Okay, how long is a while? An hour? A day?"

"I dunno. Just depends."

And with that she dumped the fish back into the tank and wandered off.

No apology. No apparent interest at all in the fact that I had completely wasted nearly an hour in their store only to be told that I couldn't purchase what I wanted. There were no signs up anywhere explaining the situation, warning people not to even bother looking. There was nobody to inform customers about what was going on and offer a "I'm sorry about that"and a real explanation.

I should have pretended to slip in the puddle of water and then sued their asses. I wasn't in the mood to throw a snit, so I simply left my handcart full of goods in the middle of the aisle and walked out, vowing never to return.

I ended up much happier by doing what I should have done in the first place. I found everything I needed AND some better looking fish at Duncan's Pet Store, a wonderful local establishment with super friendly service and good vibes all around. Moral of the story: don't support the fishy corporate ways of Petco, buy local instead.

Do you have local bad customer service stories you'd like to share here on Get Out? If so, please email them to orangetv@yahoo.com and I'd be more than happy to share them here.

9 Easy Questions: Cynthia Fassler

I'm introducing a new recurring "man on the street" feature here on Get Out and to kick things off, I asked Cynthia Fassler, the fabulous and foxy bartendress of Baja Bargarita and Willie's fame, to answer 9 easy questions about which North Idaho stuff floats the cream in her Sex on the Beach with a Blanket.

1. Favorite place to go for breakfast: I really never go out for breakfast. I stay home and have eggs and toast.

2. Favorite place to grab a sandwich for lunch: Pilgrim's deli. I like their chicken sandwich 'cuz it's juicy.

3. Best Mexican restaurant: Definitely Toro Viejo, and not just because I work there.

4. Best Chinese restaurant: I like Bonsai Bistro because what they serve is different than the usual. Whichever one I end up at, I always get the General Tso's Chicken.

5. Best place to get sushi: Bonsai Bistro again. The kobe beef sushi is sooo good, you've gotta try it.

6. Best fast food joint: Never eat fast food, unless the Pilgrim's Deli counts...

7. Most frequented bar or nightclub: Other than the two I tend bar at, I like to go to the Iron Horse.

8. Someone offers to buy you a drink. What do you order? I only drink either a good red wine or a good Irish whiskey.

9. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be and why?
Coffee ice cream because it evokes wonderful childhood memories and plus, I'm a total coffeeholic.

Chicken Basket

Chicken Basket
601 Northwest Blvd.
Coeur d’Alene
(208) 765-3535

(Update: I've been told that sadly, on November 11 The Chicken Basket closed for good due to hard economic times. Also, I'm pretty sure that building is cursed.)

This most recent election season in Coeur d’Alene seemed to bring out a lot of passion in supporters of both the incumbents and challengers in the race for mayor and city council. While I admire those who choose get involved in such a crazy kind of circus, I find it somewhat odd that a restaurant would choose to forgo neutrality and boldly display signs in support of their preferred candidates. I would tend to think that by doing so, they run the risk of alienating certain customers who don’t share the love for the particular office-seekers they’ve chosen to advertise.

On a recent visit to the Chicken Basket on Northwest Boulevard in Coeur d’Alene, I was immediately greeted by several large placards endorsing a particular mayoral hopeful. They were scattered around the property and several were taped at eye level to the front door. Inside, there were candidates’ flyers posted here and there and even an official election ballot hung on the wall with the owner’s selections penciled in. Certainly there was no ambiguity about where the Chicken Basket stood in the impending municipal election.

Oh, well. Such an intensely appetizing aroma hit the hunger center of my brain when I walked in, all other thoughts evaporated right away. Really, the only politically oriented thought I could muster was “Vote for tender, juicy broasted chicken!” The Chicken Basket is the only local eatery licensed to serve the fine foods of The Broaster Company, a Wisconsin-based outfit who developed, according to their website, “a revolutionary method of preparing chicken, meats, and fish by combining pressure cooking and deep frying concepts”.

In exchange for the glory and glamour associated with the internationally renowned Broaster name, they agree to adhere to the use of certain equipment, methods and recipes developed by the company. Useless bit of trivia: as a teen, a pigtailed, smiling Daryl Hannah starred in a Broaster print advertisement. Clearly, this career-defining gig helped set the “Splash” actress on the fast track to fame and fortune.

The atmosphere in the tiny former railroad depot that houses the Chicken Basket is festive and inviting with cheery red walls and black and white checkered floors. The décor brings together an interesting mix of choo-choo trains, shabby-chic chickens and the golden age of rock and roll. I approached the counter and began taking in the wall menu. The treatment of the various chicken parts served here was both malicious and delicious. Breasts, legs, wings, thighs, even gizzards are subjected to the cruelty of the broaster, and far be it from me to cast judgment on the situation. For those who prefer to avoid the savagery of eating their fowl directly off the bone, they also offer up chicken strips and chicken sandwiches.

Other realms of the animal kingdom are not safe from harm either; pulled pork sandwiches and Dutch Harbor cod also make appearances on the Chicken Basket hit list. Everything comes with French fries, coleslaw and a roll, and big buckets of up to 22 golden chicken pieces are available for those looking for something to delight the guests at their next post-election or animal rights party.

I opted for the Chicken Strips Basket and the friendly gentleman behind the counter, who I’m guessing was the owner, told me that it would take a couple of minutes for my meal to reach

perfection and was nice enough to offer me a free soda while I waited. It wasn’t too long, maybe eight minutes before he reappeared behind the counter with my lunch, and it was well worth every moment.

The broasting process had left the lightly peppered breading delectably crisp and the meat inside succulent and steamy. I know there’s no room for a chicken coop anywhere in or around the place, but these two monstrous slabs of white meat tasted like they were rendered from a bird that clucked its final cluck only moments ago. The meaty fries were among the lengthiest I’ve ever seen and the creamy coleslaw had a flavorful snap that impressed even this non-fan of coleslaw. Plopped on top was an old fashioned roll, the kind which are rarely encountered these days, but were once served with every meal everywhere. As if that wasn’t enough southern-fried calories to deal with, the roll came with a gold-foil wrapped pat of real butter. Hello, calling Paula Deen.

Personally, my growling tummy is guaranteed to overrule any concerns about political posturing. If a restaurant such as the Chicken Basket serves good enough food and the service is pleasant, they could hang signs espousing the evils of kittens and unicorns and I probably wouldn’t care.

Wah Hing Rathdrum

Wah Hing Chinese Cuisine
15512 Highway 41, Rathdrum,
687-1688

"Do not mistake temptation for opportunity." ~ Fortune cookie.

It was uncanny how much this paper Chinese Zodiac placemat knew about my personality. The tiny red print below an illustration of a rat, my animal sign, read “You are ambitious yet honest. Prone to spend freely. Seldom make lasting friendships.” I have a few longtime pals who might disagree with the latter notion but maybe it’s true at least with Horses, who according to the zodiac, are supposed to be my arch enemies. However, my ambitions are many and honesty is my only policy, frequently to the point of being savagely blunt. Likewise, when it comes to dining out, I frequently go through dollars faster than the People’s Republic of China goes through oolong tea.

Spending freely was the plan when I called a friend and offered to get us lunch at North Idaho’s newest entry into the Chinese Restaurant scene, Wah Hing in Rathdrum. I’ve said it many times; the original Wah Hing over in Kellogg serves the best Chinese cuisine in the Panhandle. My tummy was all aflutter with excitement earlier this month when I ventured through town to run an errand and spotted their sign, along with an overflowing parking lot and dozens of hungry Rathdrumites lined up to check out the latest town hot spot. I was hungry as an ox (who, by the way, is bright, patient and inspiring to others) but I wasn’t in the mood to mix it up with such a large crowd.

For my return attempt, my strategy was to go early, before the lunch rush hit. It worked. There were only three other tables occupied when we slid into one of the spacious booths, ten minutes after the 11 a.m. opening time. We both immediately commented on how crisp and clean the place seemed, with colorful hanging jellyfish lamps and the faint aromas of fresh white paint and brand new carpet. The place is bright and extremely well lit, so much so that I was having subconscious urges to photosynthesize like the lotus flowers depicted in the back-lit wall art. Our waitress presented our tea and menus like she was performing some kind of arcane good fortune ceremony.

As we investigated the menu, good things were happening that had us thinking we were in for the real deal. We overheard another customer ordering something indistinguishable, and the waitress teased him with “oh, you order that every time you’re here…” For a place to be only open for a few weeks and already have heavy-duty regulars is a good sign of success. Next, another server came through the room with a dramatically noisy tray of food, something which crackled like fireworks on Chinese New Year. I caught her on her way back through and she told me the magic dish was called, appropriately enough, Chicken Sizzling.

I was tempted to go for the sizzle, but I always need to sample a variety of things to get a well-rounded impression. Combination Dinner No. 10 would do the trick, with its promise of soup, Hong Kong LoMein, Almond Chicken, barbeque pork, and an egg roll. The waitress gave us the choice of either Egg Flower or Hot & Sour soup, which always earns big bonus points with me. We both needed a good sinus burnout, and Hot & Sour is usually quite effective in that area. The soup came instantly and it was as incredible as I’d hoped. It was a fresh batch, texturally delicate and with a flavor powerful enough to make anyone consider tossing the Actifed.

Act two arrived and we marveled at the mouthwatering visuals laid out before us. If Chinese food were impressionist art, this would be the equivalent of a Cézanne still life. Okay, that description is a little corny, but let’s just say our combo meals looked eminently edible. As expected, everything was as close to perfection as possible. The Almond Chicken was served as a whole, sliced breast coated in an incredibly light, crisp tempura-like fry batter and covered in a savory pale yellow sauce. I’ve never encountered a place so generous with barbeque pork; six fat slices lined the edge of my plate. The chow mein was done stir-fry style, with soft noodles and fresh veggies and the egg roll was also fried mercifully gently, free from the oodles of stale grease that can sometimes render them just plain unappetizing.

My lunch partner was equally impressed with his Sweet & Sour chicken, saying that the opaque red glaze tasted like it was just whipped up ten minutes ago especially for him. He agreed with me that with such remarkably cordial service, an inviting atmosphere, and an undeniable finesse for delivering a better-than-average culinary experience, Wah Hing Rathrdrum was a five star joint. And that’s a pretty bold statement coming from such a timid, unassuming Sheep.