This Granny Can Cook

There’s a running joke among restaurant critics that you just never eat at a place called “Mom’s.”

I’m not really sure what the punch line is on that gag. Maybe somewhere along the line, a burly “Mom” with hairy arms and a beard was spotted in some kitchen.

Fortunately, that sentiment doesn’t extend to Granny’s, because there’s a gem of a cafe in North Idaho that goes by that name.

Granny’s Pantry (not to be confused with the Granny’s Buffet chain) is one of the happiest surprises I’ve stumbled onto in recent memory.

A reader had sent me a heads-up, saying I had to get in and try the pie. But Rathdrum isn’t exactly on my dining radar. (It’s a 45-minute drive from Spokane.)

Still, I’m so glad I made the trip.

Inside the roadside restaurant, the dining room is divided evenly into smoking and non. The walls are knotty pine, the booths red Naugahyde. It’s cheery and cute without being too cutesy.

Shortly after being seated, our table became mesmerized by the revolving pastry case near the counter. So many choices, so little stomach space.

The dozens of varieties of pies and cakes and cinnamon rolls and cheesecake are all made in-house by Lynn Johnson with Granny’s secret recipes. (Granny is owner Sharon Mayberry, who has eight grandkids and has worked in restaurants most of her life.)

If ever there was a good reason to eat dessert first, it was the contents of that twirling case.

But the menu had some treasures, too.

At Granny’s there’s a different hot special every day. Sundays mean chicken and dumplings. Prime rib is offered every weekend. Breakfast is available all day long. Most of the items are made from scratch. (Including the awesome dinner rolls!)

Lunch covers the usual ground: burgers, entree-size salads (the Panhandle Cobb sounded tempting) and sandwiches. Soups are made from scratch daily.

I tried the Reuben — grilled rye stuffed with corned beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese — and it was pretty good. The meat was nicely spiced (though a little fatty) and the portion was generous. A side of potato salad was creamy good, with lots of chopped pickles and onions.

My daughter had no complaints about her kid-sized grilled cheese (which came with chips, a teeny soda and Jell-O). Other choices for the 10-and-under set include burgers and hot dogs, spaghetti and deep-fried shrimp. All kids’ meals are under $5.

There’s also a seniors’ menu, with all nine meals under $7.

Dinners are homestyle fare such as chicken-fried steak, liver and onions, Salisbury steak, pork chops and fried chicken, with most of those priced in the $6 to $7 range. And that includes soup or salad, choice of potatoes and fresh-baked roll or cheddar biscuit.

All that’s just a prelude to the pies.

Each pie is an individual-size portion, a tiny tart really. The fruit pies are exceptional. So far, I’ve swooned over the strawberry rhubarb, the raspberry, the huckleberry. I’m crazy about the lemon meringue and will be back to try the Key lime. I wasn’t as wild about the apple crumb or the mint-chocolate.

What’s filling the pie seems almost secondary to the incredible crust — a thing of flaky perfection, from its pretty lattice top to the bottom of the pan. I enlisted the palate of a pie-loving pal and she liked her cherry pie so much, she’s already been back for more.

And these little helpings of heaven are just — get ready for this — $2.25 apiece for fruit, $2.50 for the cream. Granny could double the price and it would still be a bargain.

If I ever eat my way through the lineup of pies, there’s also several types of cheesecake (including a featured flavor of the month) and eclairs, napoleons, German chocolate cake and carrot cake.

On a return visit, I did try a couple more items from the extensive menu and was extremely pleased with the daily special. It was a roast pork dinner, with real mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and a buttery, flaky roll.

Not fancy, but delicious. And filling.

The generous slab of roast was glazed with an apricot-pineapple concoction that was a fine complement to the juicy, tender meat. The only (slight) letdown was the gravy, that kind of transluscent, bland brown stuff that’s surely made with a mix.

I also sampled a bite of a Spanish omelet, a three-egg job stuffed with peppers, cheese and salsa. It was good, but not nearly as good as the potatoes O’Brien on the side. These excellent, crispy golden hash browns were fried with onions and green peppers.

Nice options on the breakfast side of the menu include huevos rancheros, eggs Benedict (for $6.95) and Italian sausage and eggs (as well as the more traditional choices of links, patty or German).

Granny’s is just the kind of mom and pop place that gets my juices flowing. It’s proof that restaurants can make affordable, good food from scratch. Just like Grandma.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Granny’s Pantry *** The tab, etc. The prices here are downright cheap, especially considering the quality. Breakfasts average around $5 or $6. Lunch starts at $4 for a burger with a side and tops out at $9.25 for a steak sandwich. Dinners are between $7 and $12, the latter for an 11-ounce prime rib. They take Visa, MasterCard and personal checks. There is a smoking section. Serving Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the year except Christmas.

What the ratings mean: **** Excellent *** Great ** Good * Fair