Hitting And Missing Down At The Bayou

I recently ran into Bayou Brewing Company’s brewmeister Scott Harris at a wine tasting. Harris, once Arbor Crest’s winemaker, asked when I was going to come back to the Bayou and write something nice. Okey-dokey, Scott.

So, I invited a friend who had just returned from a trip to New Orleans to lunch at The Bayou. A tough audience to be sure.

I do like the place, with all its faux funkiness. Where else are you offered colorful Mardi Gras beads when you walk in the door? And that relentlessly upbeat zydeco music sure sounds good.

The Bayou must be doing something right because it’s been packed every time I’ve been there. Well before noon, there was a wait for a table.

Specials on the fresh sheet explore other parts of the world with dishes such as an Italian chicken sandwich or a Greek pasta.

I stayed Southern and was pleased with my jambalaya, a jumble of chicken, tiny shrimp, andouille sausage and a spicy ham called tasso mixed with rice and vegetables. It was mild, so the server brought over a selection of bottled red pepper heat.

My pal’s etouffee was less successful, however. It had a pale brown color and a pasty texture - signaling something amiss in the roux-making step of the dish, the very heart of a good etouffee. (A proper roux is flour mixed with lard or oil and cooked slowly until it darkens.) So, the score stands at a hit and a miss.

The Bayou will soon meander over to the West Side. A second, slightly smaller version of the Spokane restaurant will open in March at the Redmond Towne Center. And a location near Seattle Northgate is also in the works. Other locales mentioned in expansion plans include Calgary, Edmonton and Southern California.

Now, that’s pretty ambitious.

More autumn offerings

Patsy Clark’s fall menu features nine new entrees ranging from a citrus-marinated duck breast, grilled and served with a ginger-orange-pepper sauce to a pumpkin fettucine tossed with grilled portobellos and adzuki beans.

Other recent additions include ahi seared medium-rare and drizzled with a peach-red chili sauce, a ravioli stuffed with mushrooms and hickory smoked chicken, tiger prawns in a coconut-green curry sauce and a Greek chicken with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives.

To sample some of this spread, call 838-8300 for reservations.

Destination dining

I know, I know. Suggesting a meal at the bus depot might lead you to believe I’ve flipped my lid.

But the new Kochi Teriyaki is worth the detour, especially if you have a yen for grilled meat served with that signature sticky sweet sauce.

The prices are ridiculously reasonable at this family-run place. A big plate of nicely cooked, boneless chicken breast, rice and a cabbage salad is $3.95. I couldn’t possibly make it at home for that price.

The setup is a little sterile, with cafeteria-type service. When I arrived at noon, the scene was chaotic behind the counter with several tables waiting for lunch to arrive. It did 10 minutes later and it was terrific.

The chicken was moist and had a nice smoky quality from the grill. And the syrupy sauce had a hint of fire.

The only disappointment was that they didn’t have several items on the menu ready yet including the pad Thai and the potstickers.

Breakfast is also served, with selections that range from French toast and pancakes to the typical bacon and egg routine. Prices for the morning meal are around $3.25.

The only time you probably want to avoid Kochi Teriyaki is in the wee hours of the morning when they get the big rush from the trains.

For take-out orders, call 744-9524.

Splashy new spot

Jake’s on the Lake opened to packed houses last summer.

The deck is now closed and the crowds have thinned a bit at this Hayden Lake eatery, which should make it easier to get a table.

The menu certainly sounds tempting. There’s a selection of Angus steaks and prime rib is featured on the weekends. Pastas include a linguine with clam sauce and there’s a chicken dijon with a tarragon cream sauce.

Chef John Fischer’s 11 years in kitchens on Maui gives him an advantage in working with exotic seafoods featured on special, tropical treats such as ahi tuna and ono, a highly prized, flaky white fish.

The owner of Jake’s is Tim Rooney, who operated a restaurant called Timothy’s in the same spot near Tobler’s Marina back in the early ‘90s.

Rooney sold the business and moved to California wine country for a couple of years. His passion for the fruits of that area are evident on the restaurant’s wine list. It’s heavy on selections from Napa and Sonoma including Caymus sauvignon blanc, Jordan cabernet sauvignon and Ferrari-Carano chardonnay. Most of the high-end wines are available by the glass, too.

Jake’s on the Lake is open for daily, starting at 4, with dinner service beginning at 5. Reservations are advised, even this time of year. To save a spot, call (208) 772-0992.

Small bites

I have really got to hand it to the marketing genius behind Pizza Hut’s new campaign. Those clever commercials suckered me into ordering The Edge, a pie with so many toppings they supposedly cover every inch of the pizza. That means the end of “pizza bones,” those uneaten crusts, according to a news release.

Unfortunately, the pizza didn’t live up to the hype. The crust had all the personality of a saltine cracker and the scant toppings were hardly teetering on the “edge.” Yet another product that looks better on TV.

I have it on good authority (from a 9-year-old boy) that the indoor playground at the new McDonald’s on South Regal is truly top drawer. There’s even an attendant on duty at this kid’s slice of paradise, which should help put Mom’s mind at ease.

The little place called Next Door (literally next door to The Spokesman-Review, on the corner of Riverside and Lincoln) has started making bagel sandwiches to-order. They also brew an exceptional cup of tea there, using the loose-leaf stuff. Call 455-7175 for take-out orders.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map showing Bayou Brewing Company location, 1003 E. Trent Ave.

MEMO: Leslie Kelly can be contacted via E-mail at lesliek@spokesman.com or regular mail to Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

This sidebar appeared with the story: CURRY FAVOR It’s kind of comforting to walk into a place and say: “I’ll have the usual.” That’s become my refrain at Scab Rock, where I warm up with a Hawaiian plate lunch laden with spicy katsu curry. The fragrant dish starts with a crispy, deep-fried chicken breast. It’s cut into bite-size pieces and then smothered with a thick saffron-colored sauce, studded with potatoes. It’s closer to an Indian than Thai curry, but it’s not so hot that you break into a sweat. Just enough heat to ease the November chill.

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