Palouse Bar and Grill pays homage to WSU with a signature ingredient: Cougar Gold cheese

The Palouse is Cougar country. And the menu at the new South Hill bar and grill that takes its name from this region of rolling hills and Washington State University honors that tradition with its signature ingredient: Cougar Gold fondue.

Executive chef John M. Niehenke put WSU’s namesake and flagship cheese front and center on the menu at Palouse Bar and Grill, which opened in the Regal Plaza shopping center at the tail end of June.

The establishment features an extensive wine list, curated by general manager Ryan Biesen whom local wine enthusiasts will remember from his previous position as the sommelier and director of operations of the Connoisseur’s Club at the Lincoln Center, now home to a church.

Whiskey is another specialty; there are more than 90 on the menu.

But first, let’s talk about the cheese.

There’s a fondue plate with five skewers and a bowl of Cougar Gold fondue for dipping. The house-made, hand-cut fries are tossed with garlic, parsley and Parmesan and served with that same cheese sauce. So is the Cougar Gold mac-and-cheese and the Cougar burger, which also comes with lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, a beef patty and a brioche bun.

Two of the “Wazzu” sliders also feature Cougar Gold: The Cougar, a smaller version of the burger by the same name, and the Smoking Cow, which has beef brisket, pale ale barbecue sauce and frizzled onions.

There’s Cougar Gold in the breakfast wrap, too. And the Palouse Scramble. And Garden Eggs Benedict.

Niehenke aimed to create a menu of elevated pub fare – upscale but approachable. And, “It has Cougar Gold all over it,” he said.

But, believe it or not, the top-seller is actually the cod-and-chips. The fish is hand-cut and battered in house. The fries are made from Russet Burbank potatoes, which are hand-cut, blanched and fried to order.

“It’s very important to me to do things from scratch,” said Niehenke, who spent five years at the Black Pearl Casino and Poker Room in Spokane Valley before coming here. Originally from Colfax, he spent most of his culinary career in Boise.

Palouse Bar and Grill is located in the space that formerly held Anthony’s Beach Cafe, which closed in December.

Owner Klint Croucher and son Ethan – along with other family members – spent about six months renovating the space. “The owners were shooting for a neighborhood hangout spot,” Biesen said. “Pretty much every surface changed.”

The vibe is contemporary, comfortable and casual. The bar runs nearly the entire length of the dining area, done in red brick, wood and mirrors – along with several big-screen TVs. Oversize windows on three sides let in plenty of natural light.

The bar area features counter seating as well as high-tops for four people. There’s room for 107 inside and another 98 on the patio, anchored by a table with a built-in fire feature. It seats 16.

Happy hour is daily from 3 to 6 p.m. with $5 well drinks and a dollar off wine and beer. Look, also, for a $3 version of those Cougar Gold fries, which regularly cost $7 (and are a bit larger).

The wine list offers 120 selections, most of which fall in the $20 to $60 range. “We want people to enjoy wine without emptying their wallets,” said Biesen, who chose mostly wines from Washington and California as well as some bottles from France, Italy, Argentina and New Zealand. “Ryan’s Hidden Stash” portion of the wine list includes limited release and harder-to-find selections, which tend to carry higher price points. The most expansive bottle on the current menu is $325.

There’s a full bar – eight taps, too. But whiskey is the specialty with glasses going for anywhere from $6 to $60.

Biesen plans to start hosting monthly wine-themed dinners and other tasting events. The first one, a five-course, reservation-only dinner, is slated for New Year’s Eve. He also plans to start a Wineaux wine-of-the-month club. For $30 per month, members will receive a select bottle of wine, tasting notes, pairing suggestions and a recipe.

Niehenke will be changing the menu in the next week or so, adding selections for fall and winter. He plans to add a cheese and charcuterie board soon with cured meats and cheeses from around Washington. There’s probably room for Cougar Gold there, too.

Meantime, there’s no Cougar Gold in the watermelon steak salad, which is slated to remain on the menu for about another week. It’s hearty and summery, and has been so well received that Niehenke plans to put it back on the menu when the warm weather returns in spring. Get it while you can.

The inspiration came from a melon salad that disappointed Niehenke because it included only three melon balls – watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew – on a bed of greens. He had been hoping for more melon.

From his version, expect a towering plate topped with kale chips, chunks of refreshing pink melon, blue cheese crumbles and field greens dressed with tomato-basil vinaigrette and lined at the base with a skirt of grilled petite tender medallions.

Rounding out the rest of the menu are several sandwiches and wraps, soups and salads. Entrees include petite tenderloin medallions and slow-cooked baby-back ribs. Desserts include New York-style cheesecake, a chocolate lava cake, creme brulee and an ice cream potato – a hand-formed vanilla ice cream dusted with cocoa powder and served in a puddle of hot fudge with whipped cream and candied pecans.

As for appetizers, Biesen prefers the ducks wings with plum barbecue sauce and sweet chili for dipping. Look, also, for coconut prawns, ribs with sticky bourbon sauce and chicken thighs tossed with a choice of house sauces: pale ale barbecue, hot sauce, sweet chili and sticky bourbon.

Sauces and dressings are made from scratch, Niehenke said. And burger patties are hand-pressed. While Palouse Bar and Grill doesn’t bake its own bread, it gets buns and baguettes locally – from Le Petit Chat bakery in North Spokane.

Breakfast is served from 8 to noon weekends. Look for cinnamon-roll French toast, biscuits and gravy, and a rotating selection of quiche.

Another perk: with its location in a shopping center, there’s plenty of free parking.