Back On The Right Track
Everybody loves a good comeback story, right?
Well, it looks like Fugazzi — downtown Spokane’s most sophisticated dining room — is back on track after a couple of rocky years.
To fully understand the importance of this latest chapter in Spokane’s restaurant saga, let’s step into the time machine for a sec.
This vintage building was gorgeously rehabbed in the early ‘90s by husband-and-wife dynamos Kit Garrett and Bob Hancock. The two had originally envisioned it as a bakery and casual lunch spot, but shortly after it opened, appreciative diners hungered for more.
Talented chefs were hired; the most notable vets of the place are Cafe 5-Ten’s Michael Waliser and, later, Meg Rychel-Edwards. Upscale menus were created. Fugazzi quickly became one of the hottest tables in town.
But the owners worked too hard. They burned out. They sold out to developer Joe Dinnison in 1996.
I’m not going to speculate about what happened next, but the place definitely cooled off. Maybe restaurants are like people. They can have bad days (or bad years).
And that’s what makes Fugazzi’s dramatic turnaround so exciting.
Last fall, a new dining room manager was hired. Stacey Endress grew up in Spokane, but earned her professional chops at restaurants in the California wine country.
Shortly after she was hired, Endress recruited a new chef, Chet Gerl, a 26-year-old graduate of the Western Culinary Academy in Portland, who most recently was a sous chef at Luna.
Gerl’s new, mouthwatering menus reflect his penchant for Asian flavors. (He’s made several trips to Thailand.) So-called fusion food might be over as a trend, but some of the dishes that came out of that movement could well become classics.
Take the ubiquitous calamari appetizer, for instance. Gerl’s version of this sauteed squid dish is jazzed up with fresh ginger, Thai basil, red chilies and lime. Those assertive ingredients give the dish an unusual and tasty twist. (Though I would have really appreciated a wedge of lime on the side to add a little extra zing.)
Scanning the dinner menu, it was once again a challenge to order at Fugazzi. Everything sounded so good.
There’s a tortilla-crusted halibut with avocado salsa; seared salmon with a guava puree; beef tenderloin with oyster mushroom risotto; pork loin with herbed polenta and grilled asparagus; two preparations of tuna, Small Planet tofu stir-fry, and that’s not all.
On the starter side, I loved the rock crab spring roll — a beautiful plate garnished with chili oil and shredded veggies. The delicate spring roll wrappers enveloped generous chunks of crab. It was a huge hit. The only problem was there were no spoons on the table to scoop up the scrumptious sauce.
The simple, but flavorful bruschetta was another swell starter. This Italian toast was topped with oven-dried tomatoes and tangy crumbles of goat cheese. Squiggles of reduced balsamic vinegar syrup decorated the plate.
I skipped the salad course (though the baby spinach with feta, pink grapefruit and toasted soy nuts looked tempting). Better to save room for dessert.
As an entree, the pan-roasted duck breast took an Asian turn, paired with rice noodles, stir-fried baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and asparagus tips. The sweet oyster sauce on the noodles was good, but there was a little too much of a good thing. The duck breast was cooked medium rare, just as requested. The meat had a good, slightly gamey flavor, but I wasn’t crazy about the thick layer of fat under the skin. I realize that’s the nature of duck, though.
I also tried a bite of the basil-seared ahi tuna, nicely complemented by a fresh pineapple relish and basmati rice with bits of orange zest — a very nice plate.
For dessert that evening, there were several selections, but only one clear-cut choice: the strawberry rhubarb cobbler made with rhubarb from the chef’s own garden.
That fine treat — served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — speaks volumes about Gerl’s enthusiasm. He’s not just going through the motions. He’s at home, thinking about what he’s going to make diners for dessert.
Hoping this memorable meal wasn’t just a fluke, I’ve been in for lunch a few times, too.
And it’s all good.
I’ve admired the flavor-packed jerk chicken wrap — spicy white meat paired with coconut rice and a mango salsa — as well as the juicy, beefy burger with fries and the enormous steak quesadilla topped with zucchini salsa.
The only stumble was the half-baked Reuben sandwich. It’s got cabbage instead of sauerkraut, and soy-ginger mayo instead of Russian dressing. The cheese wasn’t melted. And the corned beef was tasty, but the meat was tough and stringy.
Good try, but this is no Reuben.
Still, that’s a minor quibble. There’s much to recommend about this improved Fugazzi. If it’s been a while since you’ve been in, it’s time to get reacquainted.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Fugazzi
***
The tab, etc.
Count on spending between $7 and $10 at lunch and at least $20 each at dinner, with entrees ranging between $12 and $22. Starters are in the $8 territory. Desserts are around $5. They take all major credit cards and personal checks. The dining room is nonsmoking and there is wheelchair access.
Serving
Lunch weekdays and dinner Monday through Saturday. The menu is also available in the stylish Cavallino Lounge next door. A full bar is available, with nine beers on tap (including Guinness, Newcastle Brown and Northwest faves such as Hale’s Pale Ale and Mac and Jack’s African Amber). The small wine list has some gems, including the food-friendly King Estate pinot gris and excellent (and nicely priced at $18) Falesco Vitiano, an Italian red that’s a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese.
What the ratings mean:
**** Excellent
*** Great
** Good
* Fair