Four Diamond Award Adds Sparkle To Beverly’S

For the 10th straight year, Beverly’s has received AAA’s prestigious Four Diamond Award.

It’s a rare distinction, as only two such honors were given in the state of Idaho. (The other quad diamond went to The Sun Valley Lodge Dining Room.) And there are only a handful of four-diamond restaurants in Washington, all on the West Side.

The annual awards are based on sophisticated food preparation and presentation, as well as whether the ambiance is one of appropriate elegance and style to make for a memorable dining experience.

“What I like about this award is that the criteria is very specific, so when we receive this recognition, we know it’s not just a subjective opinion,” said chef Curtis Smith. “We feel really proud of being recognized for taking care of the guest’s entire experience.”

Beverly’s is located in the Coeur d’Alene Resort. For reservations, call (800) 688-4142.

Pasta and much more

A new breakfast and lunch place has opened in downtown Spokane, in the former digs of Mediterranean Delight.

The menu at Pasta Veloce includes deli sandwiches and homestyle soups, along with a lineup of inventive pasta dishes.

For instance, the penne alla zucca combines roasted butternut squash with spinach, roma tomatoes, fresh herbs and a touch of cream. Linguine is tossed with sauteed chicken and a gorgonzola cheese sauce. Meatballs are made in-house with a combination of beef and pork.

Along with the standard roast-beef-on-wheat, Pasta Veloce serves paninis, the Italian-style grilled sandwiches. Choices range from an open-face roasted pork loin with pear-apple chutney to a grilled chicken breast with smoked mozzarella, portobello mushrooms and roasted peppers.

The cafe also serves breakfast weekdays with eye-openers such as omelettes and French toast.

Prices range from $3.95 for a half sandwich with soup to $6.75 for a couple of the pasta entrees.

Pasta Veloce is hoping to eventually extend hours, but for now, it’s open weekdays from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Find it at 421 W. Riverside, inside the Paulsen Building.

Mediterranean meals

The Olympia is a new spot in Coeur d’Alene that specializes in Greek food starting with hummus and finishing with homemade baklava.

Owners Fotini and Constantin Tsakarestos are natives of Greece. Until recently, the couple ran The Olympia Cafe in Missoula, Mont., but relocated to be close to family in Coeur d’Alene.

The Olympia’s lunch offerings include soups (avgolemono is a fixture) and salads, as well as gyros. Those classic sandwiches feature seasoned beef or chicken tucked into a pita and topped with tzasiki, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. For a bit more, you can add feta cheese.

Dinners showcase such traditional fare as moussaka, dolmathes, kabobs and spanakopita, with prices ranging from $7.95 to $11.95 for a combination plate. Soups and salads are priced ala carte.

The Olympia is located at 301 Lakeside. For take-out orders, call (208) 666-9495.

More moves in the Lake City

After nearly four years on the east end of Sherman, Terry Brown has relocated his Chuckwagon restaurant across the street inside Cove Bowl.

What makes this bowling alley venue so unusual is that Brown bakes his own bread, butchers his own meat, makes sauces and stocks from scratch, and concocts several kinds of salsa to accompany what he calls “border food.” (Four varieties of that salsa are now available for $5 a pint at the restaurant.)

The fare isn’t fancy, more like home-cooking. At breakfast, there’s eight different burritos including one stuffed with ham, bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese and topped with chili verde. Lunch means burgers and sandwiches, including a traditional Reuben, a clubhouse and a chicken fried steak tucked in between a couple slices of bread.

The Chuckwagon rolls out specials on the weekends, too, including steaks, housemade jalapeno sausage, French toast topped with macadamia nuts and bananas, along with fresh-baked cinnamon rolls and fruit turnovers.

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, breakfast and lunch only on Sunday. To check on the daily special, call (208) 765-7779.

And in the former Chuckwagon, a place called Michael D’s has opened after an extensive remodel. It serves breakfast and lunch, with such classic fare as biscuits and gravy, 10 types of omelettes and big burgers.

Michael D’s is open daily, but serves only breakfast on the weekends. The address is 203 Lake Coeur d’Alene Dr. (heading east on I-90, take the No. 15 exit - but not the 15th Street exit).

Wrap it up

Z-Teca Mexican Grill is the latest entry in the area’s burgeoning burrito biz.

This Denver-based chain (which has no connection with Azteca) is locally owned by Jim Cravens, who opened a Z-Teca in Coeur d’Alene last summer.

This spiffy little spot across from Sacred Heart Medical Center offers some highly seasoned stuffed tortillas. My favorites on a recent tasting trip were the poblano pesto and the spicy chicken mole.

Other stuffing options included a choice of black or pinto beans, cilantro-flavored rice, sauteed veggies and a selection of five salsas.

Along with the burritos, there are tacos (soft- or hard-shell), a taco salad and nachos.

Most items are under $5.

You can find Z-Teca at 901 S. Grand Blvd., or in Coeur d’Alene at Ironwood Square.

Burgers are D. Lish

A former California resident wrote to rave about a new burger joint on North Division that reminded him of the In-and-Out chain.

Harry Rosenkrantz said that “if I had closed my eyes while eating that burger I would have swore that I was back at my beloved In-and-Out.”

D. Lish’s Hamburgers serves those ground beef sandwiches and sides, but nothing else. No hot dogs, no chicken strips.

Everything on the menu - including the patties and the fries - is fresh, not frozen. Shakes are mixed to order.

D. Lish’s is located at 1625 N. Division.

Don’t worry, be happy

Mizuna is kicking off ‘99 with complimentary appetizers during its new happy hour in the wine bar.

Along with discounts on featured wine and beer, guests can munch on cheeses, breads and spreads, along with fruit and maybe even a meatless pate. The selection will vary daily.

Happy hour at Mizuna is from 4 until 6 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday. For additional details, call 747-2004.

Smoke-free eats

Got a call the other day from a reader looking for a smokeless spot to have lunch with her pals.

Spokane Regional Health District put out its dining guide last fall listing eateries that don’t allow smoking. It comes out annually.

To receive a free copy, call 324-1452.