Yesterday we had a lunch meeting, and food was delivered from Herbie’s Deli. Those people that ordered sandwiches were happy with them, I had a grilled chicken caesar salad. It was okay, but it was the first time I ever had a grilled chicken caesar salad with Italian dressing. If that’s the way they serve it, it’s weird. If they screwed up, well then, they probably shouldn’t have. I won’t be going there myself anytime soon.
Last night I dropped my mom off at, of all places, the Iron Horse, a downtown bar/restaurant. I can’t stand the place, and think the food is awful (their catering sucks, too). I can’t imagine how nasty “cheap steak” must be, but you get what you pay for. Somehow, her friends she was dining with love the place.
My in-laws, who run a downtown bed and breakfast, also steer people away from the place. I can not understand why people go there.
I had the opportunity to eat a late lunch at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course restaurant this afternoon, and it was quite nice! I had a great french dip with a caesar salad, they were both delicious. I am working on arranging a big meeting we’re having at the resort in two weeks (we’re renting out most of their meeting rooms for the whole week), and was treated to lunch by our contact at the resort. We also took the Eagle wooden boats out there, what a treat! It was a beautiful day for a quick boat ride on the lake. Not to mention the fact that it took me away from my desk for a couple hours. And the fact that it was my second free lunch today. Hehe. I love my job.
Tonight Lorien and I drove over to The Office, a new(er) restaurant in Post Falls. I was skeptical, especially when the sign outside says “Bistro Pub and Martini Bar”. Anyway, the food was a little pricey, but quite good. The waitress staff was very friendly, and the chef even came out to our table to ask how everything was. I haven’t had that pleasure before, and it was nice. I had a nightly special, grilled halibut, it was a little under $17, but quite a big piece of fish. To be totally honest, I expected it to be smaller. For some reason, the “bistro” name comes with higher prices and smaller servings. The menu wasn’t really big, but had enough selections to choose from. The dessert menu was in the waitresses head (there were only three items). Lorien had some very good linguine noodles in a soup with some clams and bread all around the bowl—the bread was awesome.
Overall, I have to say the food was great, but I won’t be going back soon because the menu wasn’t huge. I certainly recommend it for a night out for a couple that’s looking for a new restaurant. The Office is located where the old Momiji’s Japanese food place used to be, right behind The White House (the garlic-smelling restaurant right off the freeway in Post Falls).
One of the perks of being a married guy is you get your dinner, plus a little taste of what your wife gets.
I can’t vouch for this one personally, but I heard a review and because of it I won’t be going, so I figure at least I’ll post what I heard, so caveat emptor, or perhaps caveat eator is more appropriate…
My wife’s uncle went to Japan House, a new restaurant in Coeur d’Alene on Appleway between Highway 95 and Lowe’s (East of 95). He had a $25 dinner, there was no Japanese food (it was French cuisine), and he left so hungry he had a peanut butter sandwich as soon as he got home.
To be fair, leave a comment if you actually go there and have a better experience, but from what I heard, I’m not going to even try it.
Okay, I’m probably going to step on some toes here, but I have to say—what’s the big deal? Yeah, they’ve been down on the main street for 100 years (really, they were established in 1907!). Lorien and I went down there yesterday for lunch. For the both of us, we left a little over $20 poorer. We both had two double cheeseburgers and a drink. Nothing else. They don’t serve fries or chips. They also don’t grill their onions (a slice they put on your burger is really powerful), which I would prefer.
I can cook a hamburger the same way at home, and I won’t even be able to tell the difference taste-wise. You’ll pay almost $4.50 for a double cheeseburger there. I’m convinced that this is a nostalgia thing. My wife grew up going there with her family, so it’s a childhood tradition for her. But for me, if I’m going out for a greasy burger, I’d rather spend less money somewhere else. Especially somewhere else I don’t have to wait 15 minutes for a seat. Hudson’s doesn’t have more than 20 seats (and I’d be surprised if it’s that many).
So, overall, I have to say go there once if you’re visiting Coeur d’Alene, but as a local, I’m going somewhere else.
My wife and I went out to eat about a week and a half ago, we went to Takara’s in downtown Coeur d’Alene. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from her parent’s Bed and Breakfast, so we parked there and walked (it was a Saturday night and there was no parking in the downtown area). After an immensely long wait, a small meal, and a larger bill, we left feeling like there was no reason to go back. The food was okay, but the experience was pretty disappointing. I’d heard stories like that before, but I’d never been there myself, so we thought we’d give it a try. As much as I hate to not recommend a restaurant, I have to say don’t bother with it.
Speaking of Japanese food, there’s a new restaurant going in on Appleway, East of the Chinese buffet Top of China, called Japan House (if I recall correctly). I wonder what it will be like?
Well tonight is a special night, we’re headed for some of the best steak in the country tonight—Wolf Lodge. I’ve been to several fancier steakhouses throughout the country, and have never had a better steak that what I can get right here.
Well this weekend is Art on the Green, I’m headed down there right now to meet my wife and see the sights and eat the good-smelling foods. Last year there were tons of places to eat, and most of it was really good. If you live in the area, stop by downtown and try something new!
PS: After walking the entire fair, both downtown Sherman, Cd’A Park, and NIC, I must say that the food is about all that’s worth seeing. The whole thing is about half jewelery vendors, and the other half seems to me like it’s a bunch of hippy crap. Nothing really stuck out to me as new, or even original. This year is definitely a disappointment. The kettle corn and funnel cakes are good, though.
Yesterday evening Lorien and I braved the long lines and went to the newly-opened Panda Express (quite near where I work). The lines were long, and they don’t have a good Internet connection to charge credit cards, they do it over a dialup connection—and will be for another week. Take cash if you’re going there real soon.
The food was okay (most people used to American Chinese food will probably like it), and the chicken egg roll was really tasty, but the steamed rice was absolutely abysmal—it was very dry and nothing like what it should be.
My dad treated me to dinner last night at Schlotzsky’s Deli last night. It’s been several years since I last went there, and now I’m wondering why I haven’t gone in so long. Their sandwiches are darn good. It doesn’t hurt that my uncle recently bought the Coeur d’Alene franchise. We got free cookies last night, yum.
My wife and I went there last Tuesday night for some sushi. The place was pretty busy, and we got a small table by the sushi counter. The waitress took FOREVER to take our order, like over 30 minutes. From sit-down to get-up-and-leave time, it took two hours to have dinner (on a Tuesday night!). With that out of the way, the food was excellent. I had one of the best eggrolls I’ve ever eaten—and I lived in Taiwan and China for almost three years. I had a very tasty shrimp and green onion thing that was great. Lots of their stuff has avocado or salmon, and I don’t really care for either, but there’s still enough other things to choose from. I recommend it if you can stand the long wait.
Last night Lorien and I went to dinner at the American Cheesecake factory, right next door to where I work. The dinner was marvelous—I had a lasagna that I just couldn’t stop eating, it was so good. They covered it with mozarella and lightly browned it in the oven, the taste was fabulous. I barely had enough room for part of the dessert (it was free because it was my birthday). Now I have some wonderful leftovers in my fridge at home 
Eat there, they have free wireless access!
I posted the first part of this message from a booth. Now I’m going to complete my review from my desk. I had a great burger with sauteed onions. The service was quick, and they kept refilling my root beer (props for that). There were no signs about free wireless, but I busted out my PDA and found out about it. The network ID is just hotrod.
And while technically this isn’t in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls is so close that it doesn’t really matter.
I can call this Dining because yesterday I actually ate dinner there. Coldstone Creamery just opened three days ago, next door to the new Riverstone Cinemas downtown. I had a most excellent concoction of chocolate ice cream, real peanut butter, fudge, and peanut butter cup fragments, it was aptly named Peanut Butter Cup Perfection.
What’s nice is they make the ice cream every day in the store, and mix in what you want on a frozen slab right in front of you. They also have to sing when you tip them. A definite must-try, it’s a perfect date location—next to the theatre.