Bark, A Rescue Pub provides a tail-wagging dining experience

Perhaps underselling the menu at Bark, A Rescue Pub, is a wise move. When Josh Wade, the owner of Bark, described the fare at his latest restaurant as “elevated pub fare,” he failed to give the culinary delights their proper due.

I was taken aback by the face of Nectar Wine and Beer’s take while sitting at a table two days before Bark, A Rescue Pub, opened Thursday. My expectations weren’t particularly high after glancing at similar menus from animal rescue/bistros across the country. Much of what is offered is pedestrian at best.

However, I’m still trying to get the pesto wings created by chef Kayleigh Wytcherley out of my mind. The wings are tangy and the pesto, oh! I’ve seldom enjoyed such a sublime wing combination. The chipotle blueberry wings should take top billing since they’re unique and tasty, but it’s difficult to get over the pesto. Then again, I love the sauce that originates from Genoa. I would probably lose it over pesto ice cream.

Another winning starter is the Pretzel Bones. The soft, buttery and doughy appetizer is the best pretzel I’ve had outside Philadelphia. Since I hail from the City of Brotherly Love, man do I miss the soft pretzels. I had to ask how Wytcherley nails it. The Cheney resident, who was part of Spokane Valley’s Craft and Gather, makes everything from scratch, and she kills it using Spokane water (H2O is what makes or breaks a soft pretzel). Honey mustard and whole grain mustard sauce are two delicious dipping sauces, but beer cheese is the way to go.

The Fry Board is a wonderland for potato lovers. Chili-spiced sweet potato fries with garlic aioli, a mix of regular and sweet potato house-made chips with jalapeno artichoke dip, and herb fries with a basil aioli – it is more than a carb treat. The extra-special part of the board is the salt and vinegar tots with tomato aioli.

The sandwiches are inventive and top-notch. My son Milo enjoyed the Pizza Burger, which is unlike anything we’ve experienced since it’s akin to a pizza wrap. The hand-pressed patty, accompanied by mozzarella, pepperoni, marinara, olives and mushrooms, is covered by a toasted flatbread bun. It’s not like the pizza burgers I grew up with, but that’s fine since it packs just the right punch.

I absolutely loved the Waffle Chicken Sandwich. I’ve been looking for a great chicken sandwich since I haven’t had Chick-fil-A since last year. When will the beloved franchise finally open in north Spokane? Now I’m not craving the fast food gem since I had my fill of the waffle-battered fried chicken that has that extra oomph thanks to the jalapeno slaw and pickled jalapeno.

My son Eddie couldn’t get enough of the Cheesy Goat. That shouldn’t be a surprise since the grilled cheese, goat and mozzarella sandwich with pesto, basil, tomato and balsalmic reduction is the most popular item on the menu a few days out the gate. The Cheesy Goat is yummy and one of a kind.

For those who would like to go the healthy route, there’s the Farro Bowl, which includes farro, blueberries, orange zest, parsnips, fennel, citrus and thyme dressed arugala. The Farro Bowl was like a dessert.

But the actual final item enjoyed was a scrumptious ice cream sandwich. The vanilla ice cream is slotted between peanut butter cookies resting on a pool of caramel.

There’s a full bar with 38 draft beers from the Pacific Northwest, but we opted for the tangy huckleberry lemonade, which, like much of what is served, is aesthetically pleasing. Edible sparkles dance inside the libation.

Bark’s atmosphere couldn’t be cooler, as it is pet-themed, of course, since it’s all about dog and cat adoptions. There’s a cute fire hydrant a few feet from the door, and photos of dogs and cats adorn the walls. The object is to check out the cats and dogs, and hopefully the furry pals will find new homes.

But it’s not just about our four-legged friends. The pub more than stands on its own as a bistro. Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy Wytcherley’s vision. She also is working on pet treats for the residents. Lucky cats and dogs.