Plenty of reasons to visit

I don’t know why the Washington Restaurant Association named Downriver Grill the 2005 Full Service Restaurant of the Year, but it may have something to do with these two words: Gorgonzola Fries.

Or maybe these three: Pork Osso Buco.

Or possibly these four: Chicken and Brie Sandwich.

Actually, the reasons go beyond the food. A pair of recent visits to Downriver Grill confirmed what was obvious when it opened to overflow crowds in 2003: This is an exceptionally well-managed restaurant.

As good as the food is – and chef/proprietor Jonathan Sweatt has loaded this menu with carefully thought out recipes – the real key is that Downriver Grill treats its customers with courtesy and gives them plenty of reasons to come back.

At one dinner visit, our waitress was not only professional and friendly, but she saved us from ourselves. We tried to order the large version of the Gorgonzola Fries ($10) as an appetizer for a table of four. She suggested, tactfully, that the lighter version ($7) would be sufficient.

Boy, was she right. These waffle-cut fries arrived hot, crispy and dripping with a creamy white sauce, sharp with the fragrance of melted gorgonzola. We completely lost our impulse control and dove in. Yet when we came up for air, we still had leftovers, even with the light portion. Don’t go large unless you’re willing to (1) ruin your appetite, or (2) order the fries as an appallingly decadent entrée for two.

Downriver Grill’s charms extend to the décor – rust-colored walls, tasteful lighting and abstract art – and to the prices, which are mostly mid-range.

As for the food – well, I wouldn’t call it virtuosic, but I would call it consistently, dependably above-average, which may be even harder for a restaurant to achieve over the long haul.

The Pork Osso Buco ($18) is the restaurant’s most popular entrée and a good example. The presentation was dramatic: a huge pork shank, with two bones pointing skyward, balanced atop a bed of mashed potatoes. An intense reduced demi-glace sauce surrounded it.

The pork is fork-tender, from hours of slow-cooking, then the kitchen finishes it by dunking it briefly into the deep-fryer. That last step came as a surprise – the result is not greasy, yet it does provide a crackly touch to the exterior.

Once you run out of the demi-glace for dredging, the pork can come off as a bit bland. For flavor, it can’t match the cider-braised pork shank at Catacombs. Yet it is an undeniably satisfying entrée, and a terrific change of pace for people who always order a steak or a rack of lamb (you know who you are).

Flavor is certainly not a problem with the classic pasta dish Puttanesca ($14, lighter version $11), which is loaded with salty, flavor-packed capers, anchovies and kalamata olives. What really makes it work, however, are those little half-moons floating in the ruby-red sauce: slices of Sonnenberg’s spicy Italian sausage. This is just one manifestation of Sweatt’s commitment to using local products; the White Box pies on the dessert menu are another.

The lunch menu includes one of the best sandwiches in Spokane, the Chicken and Brie Sandwich ($9). It’s filled with contrasting flavors and crunches: the crisp apple slices, the tangy cranberry marmalade, the ruffled greens, and the grilled white chicken breast with creamy brie on top. The best part may be the chewy and substantial focaccia bun, complete with grill marks.

The finest dish we had was not on the regular menu. It was a daily special, with the improbable name of Mong Chong ($16). It was a Hawaiian fish, sometimes spelled monchong, sautéed and served in an aromatic curry with a coconut-milk base. Did I say that I wouldn’t call the Downriver virtuosic? Sometimes it is, especially if you venture into the daily specials.

For dessert, try the exemplary Tiramisu ($5.95), accented with rum and espresso, and the hard-core Chocolate Pot de Crème ($4.50), a small, nearly black pot of custard with a hint of orange from the Grand Marnier.

Yet once again, we return to the intangibles. Something about Downriver Grill makes it feel cozy and comfortable from the beginning. The tasteful wine-and-beer-only bar, loaded with microbrew taps and hand-picked wine selections, is part of it. So is the location, in a relatively restaurant-free part of the city.

I wish I could put my finger on it, but my judgment right now is clouded by a fragrant reverie; something to do with Gorgonzola Fries.