Leslie Kelly

So, we're thousands of miles away from Spago in Beverly Hills. Yet tonight we can dine on dishes created by that landmark restaurant's famous chef-to-the-stars, Wolfgang Puck. In the freezer section of specialty food stores, you can "order" such gourmet goodies from Puck as pumpkin ravioli with tomato-curry sauce, eggplant Parmesan with tomato-basil sauce or spicy chicken tortellini.

A week off this time of year sounds pretty good to us working stiffs. But to kids, spring break is an excuse to pull out that ever-popular phrase: "There's nothing to do. I'm bored." Well, Mom and Dad, we're here to help. We've put together a list of fun activities that should keep Junior occupied until school's back in session. There's everything from mastering the art of tie-dye to learning how to saddle up during a half-day horse camp. Most Spokane County schools are off next week, with Coeur d'Alene's break this week.

Spencer's **-1/2 My huge, honking porterhouse looked naked on the big white platter, without so much as a radish rose or a sprig of parsley to hide behind. At Spencer's, everything is served a la carte, meaning potatoes and veggies are priced separately. That's a bold move in a town that prizes its buffets and full meal deals. I don't want to belabor the point, but even at Seattle's swankiest steakhouse, El Gaucho, they throw in a spud.

Greg Richards wants to help you mind your peas and cucs. The Spokane Community College instructor started teaching basic table manners last year during his quarterly etiquette lunch. And he's been floored by the response.

First, a quick primer in pronunciation: pasty doesn't sound like the same word to describe residents complexions this time of year. Pastee rhymes with nasty. Next, we'll dissect these hand-held meals. The pasty featured at the new Pasty Depot in Coeur d'Alene, is a stew-like mixture encased in a pastry crust. They're loosely related to calzones, pirogis, even potstickers and were originally created as meals for Cornish miners in the 1800s.

Michael Waliser is the chef-owner of Cafe 5-Ten. Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Ferguson's Cafe is like a food museum, a relic from another era that would be worth a visit even if the food was lousy. Fortunately, it's not. This joint reeks of character - and cigarette smoke. Everything from its weathered vintage sign to its old-fashioned soda fountain gives the place a time-warp appeal. Walk in the door and you might feel like you're back in the '60s, especially when it comes to the prices.

1. Top: A few noteworthy Hummer owners include Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner, Gary Payton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. 2. Tony Anselmo gets his Hummer into some rough road to show off the handling and performance of the rig's wide track. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review 3. (Photo of Hummer) 4. Anselmo laughs about the looks he gets driving through downtown Spokane in the Hummer.

(From For the Record, March 7, 1998): Wrong restaurant: St. Patrick's specials will be offered the entire holiday week at Dewey, Cheatham & Howe at 3022 N. Division. A story in Friday's Weekend section identified the wrong restaurant.

Kerr's latest book promotes healthy meals.

Kim's Korean Restaurant **-1/2 We know Chinese, Japanese and Thai food, and have become familiar with many Vietnamese dishes. Yet Korean cooking remains mostly unexplored. According to some food pundits, it's one of the rising stars of Pacific Rim cuisines. Kim's Korean is a pleasant place to take a lesson in kimchee, bulgoki and the like. It's located in a non-descript storefront on Division, next to an Asian grocery store, and it's one of those spots I've driven by hundreds of times, always meaning to try it. After several recent trips, I'm only sorry I waited so long. Beyond some of the exotic names, Korean food is surprisingly straightforward. Many dishes are marinated and grilled. Homey soups are a big part of the cuisine. And fluffy white rice accompanies all meals.

1. Plush chairs and a fireplace add to the coziness of guest rooms in the Inn at Harbor Steps. Photo compliments Inn at Harbor Steps 2. Sumptuous wood furnishings complement the upscale appearance of the Hotel Monaco's lobby. Photo courtesy of Hotel Monaco

Shogun is calling its new addition a "sushi palace." And the space is, indeed, palatial. To reach it, you stroll over a bridge, past the waterfall in the entry, through the bar, across the dance floor, past the karaoke machine and up a couple of stairs to the spacious new sushi bar. There, you'll find more than a dozen seats. Fluffy white clouds painted on a cobalt blue ceiling and flashing lights give the place an other-worldly feel. And when the sushi chef slipped on Nirvana's "Unplugged" CD, that was trippy, man.

Chef Patrick Fechser in the kitchen at Percy's in University City. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review

There's lots of the white stuff to enjoy up on Schweitzer. Photo courtesy of Green Gables Lodge.

1. The dessert tray at Europa holds Irish coffee pie, chocolate raspberry mousse cake, lemon tart, three-layer chocolate mousse, lemon cloud, choclate peanut butter pie, carrot cake and strawberry cheesecake. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review 2. Lindaman's dessert case has an ever-changing selection, but is always loaded with chocolate. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Last Sunday, a good 30 minutes before the first matinee showing of "Titanic," the line to buy tickets snaked out the door at the Spokane Valley Mall Cinemas. By the time I got to the front of the line, I was told the noon show was nearly sold out, that the only seats left were in the front two rows. What? This is a movie that has been in theaters for more than six weeks and people are still lining up to see it.

The sign in front of The Ground Round in Coeur d'Alene tells only half the story. It reads "famous for burgers." Let's not forget about the kitchen sink. That's the name of the gut-busting omelette jam-packed with everything but the said sink.

1. Lindaman's offers many items for takeout. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Chad Michelbook stands behind the sushi bar at Huckleberry's at Ninth and Monroe. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Soup's on. Readers responded generously when The Sliceman recently asked them to ladle up their favorite spots around the region to sip soup. Recommendations covered a lot of turf - from The Pastime Tavern in LaCrosse (make a right at Colfax and go through Dusty) to a couple of nominations for Travo's in downtown Spokaloo. The bowls most often mentioned are so very Northwest by way of New England. Folks here seem to love creamy clam chowder.