Reincarnated Black Angus Opens In Valley

Black Angus is back.

Long before there was an Outback or a Chili’s, Stuart Anderson’s place was one of the nation’s first steakhouse chains. In the 1960s, Spokane was home to just the third Black Angus. It closed in the late ‘80s.

There have been some changes over the years. The chain has been owned by a California-based company since 1987. The new location at the Valley Mall is the company’s 104th restaurant.

But the goal remains the same as the original concept: to provide quality meat and seafood at affordable prices.

That means you can order a 12-ounce ribeye dinner with all the fixings for $17. The high-end T-bone is $19.99, with the top sirloin going for $12.29.

The menu has been updated over the years to appeal to a broader range of tastes. There’s now chicken, ribs and several fresh fish entrees including a daily special.

At lunch, there’s a lineup of sandwiches and entree-size salads. Those choices include the classic burger, a grilled prime rib sandwich, French dip, and a turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich. All those come with fries and coleslaw.

During the midday meal, something called the “Square Meal Deal” is also offered. It includes a choice of a first course (soup, salad, Caesar or coleslaw), an entree, two sides and a beverage. Those can-I-eat-that-much-for-lunch specials are priced around $10. The same thing is offered at dinner for slightly more.

Prime rib lovers will be tickled about the options for ordering that popular roast beef. It’s available as a half-pound, a three-quarter pounder and a full pound cut (for $18). There’s also a complete prime rib dinner for two that includes a sampler appetizer platter, a couple of half-pound dinners, salad or soup, a choice of potato, steamed veggies and the Big Mountain Chocolate Fudge Cake for $36. (No extra charge for a doggie bag!)

The new Black Angus is open daily for lunch and dinner. It’s located at 14724 E. Indiana.

Speaking of steaks

I overheard two business-guy types chewing the fat on a flight from Seattle. One of them had been to Spokane many times and was telling the first-time visitor where to eat.

“You’ve got to try Spencer’s,” the seasoned vet said. “They have the best bone-in ribeye and I’ve eaten steak all over the world.” He went on to tell his new bud about a place in Montreal.

Ferguson’s opens with new menu

That vintage cafe on Garland has new owners, a new menu and a new nonsmoking policy.

“Most of our customers have been really happy about it,” said Jim Adolfson, one of the owners. He and partner Jim Senger first worked together in the food industry back in 1982 when they managed the St. Regis Cafe (now home to The Italian Kitchen.)

The morning menu includes corned beef hash; chicken-fried steak and eggs; biscuits and gravy; pancakes, French toast and omelets.

At lunch, the $4.95 Blue Plate special features comfort foods such as beef stroganoff, Swiss steak, and chicken and dumplings. There’s also a selection of hot and cold sandwiches, homemade soup and chili, and floats, sundaes and shakes.

Ferguson’s Cafe is located at 804 W. Garland. It’s open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday.

Evolution at The Elk

The kitchen at Spokane’s yupscale pub has added some new dishes to its repertoire.

Gone are the bratwurst, the smoked turkey and jumbo ravioli. They’ve been replaced by some new standards. Under the appetizer selections, there’s a New Mexican-style quesadilla stuffed with anasazi beans and asiago cheese, and topped with a chipotle salsa. A creamy curry salad is tossed romaine, red grapes, candied walnuts and red onions. (You can order half salads, too.)

They’ve added a traditional Reuben to the lineup, as well as a cured ham sand that’s slathered with an intriguing-sounding “toasted Parmesan cheese aioli.” Under the house specialties, there’s now a cheese tortellini smothered in creamy pesto and marinara sauces.

The Elk Public House is open daily for lunch and dinner, and also features a weekly fresh sheet. It’s located at 1931 W. Pacific, in Browne’s Addition.

Lunch at Luigi’s

Luigi’s recently introduced a new lunch menu and has discontinued its deli downstairs.

Among the offerings for lunch are the restaurant’s most-ordered items, including the classic pastas, the smoked salmon lasagna, linguine with clams, fettuccine Alfredo and eggplant parmesan. There’s also a selection of sandwiches, including a burger, meatball or sausage sandwiches and smoked turkey with cranberry and cream cheese.

Prices at lunch start at $7 for the burger and top out at $11 for the lasagna. The “Beggar’s Banquet” is $7.95 for soup, salad and bread.

Luigi’s is located at 245 W. Main.

Small bites

* Mizuna will feature wines from Walla Walla’s respected Canoe Ridge winery during a special dinner Dec. 10.

The five-course feast starts with a pear-chestnut Camembert torte with the ‘99 chardonnay. A ginger-yam terrine with mesclun greens will be paired with a gewurztraminer. The exceptional ‘98 merlot will be poured with a roasted winter squash soup that’s topped with porcini mushrooms, caramelized shallots and a blue cheese crouton. The entree is a smoked seitan turnover with an espresso-plum sauce and mint pesto, which is served with a ‘98 cabernet.

Winemaker John Abbott will provide commentary throughout the meal. Tickets are $55 each and advance reservations are essential. To save your spot, call 747-4422.

* Now it’s your turn. Those of you who get fed up with my critiques can come take a potshot at one of my creations.

Together with staff artist Bridget Sawicki, I built my first gingerbread house (it’s actually a replica of The Spokesman-Review building). It’s on display with many other donated gingerbread houses (including some made by The Winged Lion, Clinkerdagger and Europa) this weekend at River Park Square in downtown Spokane as part of a charity fund-raiser put on by the Gamma Epsilon chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International. (Now, there’s a mouthful.)

These edible structures will be sold during a silent auction, with proceeds going to the sorority’s pet projects (which include Ronald McDonald House, the YWCA, Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Women in Transition scholarship.)

During this second annual event, kids of all ages can decorate their own gingerbread house and take it home for $5. It runs through Sunday at 5 p.m.

Report from the road

I was in So-Cal last week for the holiday and had a few memorable meals out. For starters, I went to a restaurant that was ranked No. 1 in L.A. by the most recent Zagat survey.

Cafe Bizou (which has multiple locations, including the one in Pasadena where I had lunch) scored points with the participants in this guidebook for serving bistro food at amazingly low prices. I did like their concept of the dollar romaine salad or soup you could order with any entree.

But my meal was disappointing. First, the waiter lost our order. Then, my crab cakes were mostly breading and the salad that came on the side was riddled with black bits of greens way past their prime. Ewwww.

To make up for forgetting us, our server did offer to buy us dessert, but by that time, we were running late.

On the upside, I finally had my first In-N-Out burger (a double-double, of course) and can see why this place inspires such devotion. This California-based burger chain does nothing but burgers and cooks everything to order, so it’s hot and juicy. But what I really appreciated were the toppings, especially the whole leaves of iceberg lettuce (not the wimpy shredded stuff). That does make a big difference.

Still, the most memorable meal had to be our Thanksgiving dinner. While hundreds of stylish folks lined up for the amazing-looking buffet at the Hilton Waterfront Resort in Huntington Beach, where we were staying, we opted for something spectacularly nontraditional. The hotel’s Surfside Deli puts together all you need for an old-fashioned weenie roast on the beach.

So, while the sun set over hordes of surfers, our family cooked hot dogs over the fire and finished up with some s’mores.

Now, that’s living.