Small Cafe Has Big Hopes For Soup-And-Salad Menu

The new neighborhood cafe on South Perry may well be Spokane’s smallest restaurant, but the owners have big aspirations.

Windmill’s Classic Cuisine has just four tables and three of them can only accommodate parties of two. With its warm, cozy decor, it’s a lot like eating in your grandmother’s kitchen. Additional seating is available outside, weather permitting.

Chef-owner Constance TracyTayler’s lunch menu is largely soups and salads, and she calls her preparations gourmet. A daily special such as beef stroganoff is also offered in three portion sizes, starting at a most reasonable $3.95.

Among the interesting greens are Caesar, taco, Chinese chicken, German potato and curried potato salads. Small salads, which should be more than ample for most appetites, are $3.95 and a huge helping is $6.75. All are served with bread baked on the premises.

Soups also come in three sizes, starting with a cup graduating up to a bowl big enough to split between two. Hot soups include clam chowder, mushroom, Greek chicken, vegetable, onion and an intriguing African nut cream. A Spanish-style gazpacho - where the ingredients are pureed instead of chunky - and a French potato soup called vichyssoise are served cold in chilled dishes.

A good selection of home-baked goodies, including some delectablelooking pies, are available for dessert.

Breakfast is also served weekdays and Sunday brunch features a choice of several hot items along with a selection of fresh fruits, a salad and dessert. Brunch is $9.95 or $7.95 for a smaller portion. The restaurant is closed Saturdays.

Windmill’s Classic Cuisine is located at 1102 S. Perry. For takeout orders, call 535-3395.

Same view, new menu

Carnegie’s at The Highlands Golf Course in Post Falls has revamped its menu.

Chefs Lee Stolworth and Jan Perkins have come up with a lineup Stolworth described as lighter, California-style cuisine with an emphasis on freshness.

Among the more adventurous fare is a spicy Thai curry shrimp stir-fry, Dungeness crab cakes served with Chilean shrimp and a creamy lobster sauce, a mixed seafood grill cooked over mesquite and rosemary grilled lamb chops served with wild mushroom ravioli made on premises.

Even the standard steaks get a gourmet treatment. The filet mignon is served atop a sauce of gorgonzola cheese, horseradish and carmelized onions. A pork tenderloin is finished in a raspberry and black cherry sauce laced with Wild Turkey bourbon. Prime rib is served with a wild mushroom-wine sauce.

The menu also includes several pasta dishes and entree-sized salads.

For reservations, call (208) 773-0066.

That’s a mouthful

The mother of all food fests, the Bite of Seattle, is scheduled for July 21-23 at Seattle Center.

Admission is free and dozens of restaurants sell some of their specialities. At this year’s Bite, eateries will offer $2 bites - smaller portions so people can sample more food.

I’d head for the Russian stew from Bumpus vegetarian restaurant, the garlic nan from Raga Indian restaurant and finish up with the mango ice cream from Kabul Afghan cuisine.

A portion of the proceeds from this event goes to various charities.

Name of the week

I can’t vouch for the food at Mutt and Jeff’s - I haven’t eaten there yet - but I like the name. And yes, it refers to those old comic strip characters.

The fare is all-American diner. Specialities include burgers, fried chicken and roast pork with all the trimmings.

Mutt and Jeff’s, located at 2714 E. Sprague, serves breakfast and lunch.

Will Elvis make an appearance?

Gregory’s restaurant in Sandpoint is throwing a clambake to benefit the Panida Theater.

The fund-raiser, with proceeds going to help retire the venerable theater’s mortgage, will feature salmon, halibut and clams cooked on a barbecue.

The fresh Manila clams were donated by Pacific Fish in Spokane.

The meal will include corn on the cob, salad and cornbread. There will also be hot dogs and hamburgers for the seafood wary.

The fun starts at 6 p.m. Sunday, just behind the theater on First Street.

There will also be a beer and wine garden, as well as live entertainment. Tickets for the delectable benefit are $10.95 in advance and are available at the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, Java Adagio, Eve’s Leaves and Gregory’s in Sandpoint.

Gregory’s will take phone orders. Call (208) 265-2004 for additional information.

Admission at the door will be $13.95.

, DataTimes