Dam Can’T Stop Flavor Grand Coulee’S La Presa Offers Wide-Ranging Menu With Vibrant Seasonings

Last weekend, I had the best dam Mexican food.

Sorry, just couldn’t resist the pun. La Presa is in Grand Coulee, just up from the big cement structure on the Columbia River that FDR built. And in that town, every place claims to have the best “dam” something-or-other.

La Presa is run by the Hernandez family and the lively atmosphere of this roadside cafe is typical of many Mexican restaurants - festive murals, sombreros, mariachi on the sound system.

Now, lots of joints claim to cook authentic Mexican, but La Presa delivers. The place came highly recommended by the folks running the bed and breakfast where I stayed. And, I had even greater expectations after spotting a glowing letter tacked up behind the cash register from Spokane artist David Govedare calling La Presa “the best restaurant in North America.”

Well, dam.

The seven-page menu features loads of house specials: a T-bone ranchero, chicken en mole, carne asada, fried whole fish, prawns sauteed with garlic and white wine. Beats me what that chicken teriyaki is doing in this mix, but there it was on the menu, served with rice and refrieds.

What stood out about all the dishes I sampled were the bright flavors and the vibrant seasonings. You could really taste the tomatillos in the enchilada verde sauce. And the thin skirt steak used in the carne asada was cooked over charcoal, giving it a pleasant, smoky quality.

Little extras such as the side of cabbage salad, the grilled jalapeno and the sassy salsa were good. The beans were dreamy and the rice was fresh-tasting.

The huevos rancheros were a fine eye-opener for Saturday brunch. Eggs also can be ordered with chorizo (the spicy sausage) and are served scrambled with shredded steak.

The only disappointment during a couple of visits was the sopa de albondigas - a pork meatball soup that was swimming with what tasted like frozen veggies. The fresh chopped onions and oregano on the side helped.

My lasting impression of the restaurant has got to be our adorable server - a 14-year-old boy who had all the moves of a seasoned pro. Well, after all, he has been waiting tables since he was 13.

La Presa is located at 515 E. Grand Coulee Ave. in Grand Coulee. The phone number is (509) 633-3173.

New Mexican here

It’s fresh. It’s Mex.

It’s Chevy’s Fresh Mex, a California-based chain that’s owned by Pepsi.

The locally owned franchise opens Tuesday in the new River Park Square. And, as the name implies, everything is made fresh. No cans, no mixes.

The company’s Web site (www.chevys.com) serves up the freshness pledge: salsas made hourly, guac made daily, tortillas cranked out practically continuously on something they call El Machin-o.

The menu covers a lot of familiar territory - enchiladas, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, chile rellenos. They also have some unusual fajitas (Texas-size, the menu says): salmon, pork loin and portobello mushrooms.

Fresh fish tacos, ribs and the catch of the day are grilled over a mesquite wood fire.

Once open, Chevy’s will serve lunch and dinner daily.

Casey’s back at the plate

Casey’s Bar and Grille has reopened with a new owner.

It’s Bob Lipe’s burning desire to cook up homestyle meals for not a lot of money.

The place serves three squares a day, with breakfast starting at 5:59, according to the sandwich board sign that sits on the sidewalk.

Bob’s Special - biscuits and gravy with a couple of eggs and your choice of breakfast meat - is $2.99. Three-egg omelets top out at $4.50 for the chili and cheese.

At lunch, there’s a dandy selection of classic sandwiches including a Reuben; bacon with sidekicks lettuce and tomato; a clubhouse; and a French dip. All come with a side, either fries, potato salad, soup or a tossed green salad.

There also are hot turkey or hot beef sandwiches for $3.95 and a bunch of burgers.

Evening entrees have the same sort of old-fashioned flavor, ranging from deep-fried fish and spaghetti with meat sauce to several cuts of steak and prime rib.

Among “Casey’s Favorites” are liver and onions, roast turkey with all the trimmings and a breaded veal cutlet.

Casey’s - which first opened in 1946 - is located at 2126 N. Monroe.

Beyond bar food

The Blue Spark - a downtown pub specializing in European beers on tap - is serving up a short list of sandwiches.

The space is tres cool. Retro lights are kept nicely dimmed. The smoke-free section a half-level down from the First Avenue side has faux leopard skin booths and table tops that look like a ‘50s kitchen floor, all kitschy checkerboard. Choice tunes on the sound system ranged from Billie Holiday to Duran Duran.

Earlier this week, however, the Spark was still smoothing out some rough spots. No diet pop. No working credit card machine.

OK, they’ve only been open a little more than a week. Still, how many chances do you have to make a first impression?

The menu features a daily soup, a simple green salad and seven sandwiches. The pastrami on Swiss was swell, served on a marble rye with stoneground mustard. But the garden hummus came with just a scant amount of that Greek bean dip. And the bread was dry.

Other choices include a turkey pesto, a roast beef and a Caesar chicken salad. There are several meatless items including the intriguing barbecued seitan sandwich. That chewy wheat gluten is marinated, then sliced thin and served warm.

The menu also offers soy cheese and nondairy mayo as vegan alternatives.

All sandwiches are $4.75 and come with Tim’s Cascade chips (yeah!). Or for a buck more, you can sub green or pasta salad or the soup du jour. It sure would be nice if they offered a half-a-sand-and-soup combo.

Blue Spark is located at 15 S. Howard. The phone is 838-5787.

A sad `so long’

Combray has closed its doors.

This ambitious little eatery in Pullman was really revolutionary for our area. It had a European sensibility reflected by its ever-changing four-course menu offering such innovative fare as grilled venison with cranberry bordelaise, roasted quail with smoked salmon mousseline and seafood souffle. The prices were on the steep side, but included the tip.

Combray had a loyal following, but apparently not a large enough one.

I feel guilty that after my initial visit a couple of years ago, I never made it back down to the elegant dining room.

It’s just another reminder that little places like that where people are passionate about food need to be supported.

Last call

For restaurants that do the seasonal shuffle with their menus, I need a list of fall fare by next Monday.

Fax it at 459-5098, send it snail mail to The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99202. Or, just get on the horn. My phone number’s below.