Photo by Frank Cruz-Aedo Splash contributor Frank Cruz-Aedo spent a week scoping out local lunchtime restaurants and eating out on a tight budget. Fresh-baked treats like these are on the menu at one of his stops, Great Harvest Bread Co. More News Sun and Fun Liberty Lake Events you don't want to miss! Road Reminders Safety Tips on how to be safe this spring. Future Library Location changed City Council looks to combine with Town Square Project. Click here to read this and more in the March Edition of the Liberty Lake Splash! Ridgeline Volleyball Wins State Championship Ridgeline Volleyball Team wins first school state championship trophy. Eat Shop and Be Merry 2024 Click here to learn about all of the amazing opportunities to shop and support local businesses this holiday season! October 2024 Edition Your Guide to the General Election! June 2024 Edition Congratulations Class of 2024!

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Five days at lunch
2/2/2011 4:05:12 PM

THE MISSION: Eat out over the lunch hour for five days at a local eatery.
THE RULES: Mix it up, talk to everyone you see and record your reflections.
THE BUDGET: $50 for five lunches
THE CRITIC: Frank Cruz-Aedo, veteran of both the restaurant industry and Liberty Lake

Story and photos by Frank Cruz-Aedo
Splash Guest Contributor

It's well known that the first couple of months of the New Year find the gyms and specialty sports spots filled with cars in their lots. But you still have to eat.

In my trek through five different eateries in and around Liberty Lake, I found myself already testing some of my New Year's resolutions, but the temptations I knew would be well worth it. Fifty bucks and five days, here we go…

The chef's work at Mongolian BBQ doesn't take long when this large cast-iron flat pit is heated to 700 degrees.

MONDAY
Good eats - and nearby, too!
My assignment was to enjoy one of the five meals outside of Liberty Lake, but close enough that it's still a lunch destination. So I check this off my list on day one, venturing west on Country Vista Drive 10 minutes to the Mongolian BBQ, a family-friendly spot with a strip mall corner anchor at Sullivan and Sprague.

It's a modest restaurant, but with a lot to offer. The hostess gives a cheerful hello and immediately asks if I'd like chopsticks. On the right, I'm greeted by a 120-foot long mural of the countryside of Mongolia. On the left, my lunch awaits me. If it's been a while since your last visit to a Mongolian-style restaurant, here's the gist: Load your bowl with your favorite ingredients, pass it to the chef, watch them cook your feast on large cast-iron flat pits, enjoy. Repeat. The menu lists no less than 50 items for building your meal, from cold finger-food bites like fresh orange sections and pineapple chunks to sunflower and sesame seeds to top your dish.

First you have to choose the bowl size, which includes the Little Khan for young kids ($3.99), the Mighty Khan ($7.95) or the Barbarian ($10.95). These give you one trip through the line. The most popular-sized bowl ($9.95, all lunch prices) is all-you-can-eat. I grabbed this one and proceeded to load up with extra cilantro. Next, I weighed that down with Banh Pho flat rice noodles. I then added the mixed seafood (squid, cuttlefish, octopus, scallops, bay shrimp), a few pieces of imitation snow crab, mushrooms, snow peas, a pinch of jalapeńo slices and finished it off with lemon juice, Mongolian fire-oil and Mongolian sauce.

The cooks are very helpful, and they are fast to complete your dish. If you need assistance with the vast array of sauces, ask them. The pit is set at a 700 degree temperature, so you're not kept waiting but mere minutes. Back to your table you'll find a hot bowl of white rice has arrived. Common condiments such as salt, pepper and soy sauce are kept company by a bottle of the vibrant red-hot Sriracha chili sauce.

Heading back for my second trip, I couldn't resist an old standby favorite of mine: lamb.  With it, I added fresh bell peppers, broccoli, scallions, onions and chow mein noodles.  This time I was treated by the owner herself cooking my meal. Thuy Pham joked, "You must be special!"

Thuy has owned the restaurant for five years. She told me she was actually once employed there as a waitress and one night had a dream she owned the restaurant herself.  A year later, that dream came true.

Two workers from Huntwood tell me they come about once a month and enjoy the food and like that the staff is friendly. Another young boy and his dad come in any chance they get. "We live in Newman Lake, but the food here is great," Brian Ruchert tells me.

I mentioned New Year's resolutions before? Well, now I'm grappling with one of them: my personal challenge to eat less. But an encore is required, I reason with myself, for the purpose of giving you more highlights!  For the third and final round, I decide on a tofu-veggie combination including fresh celery, Napa cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, bamboo shoots, fresh spinach, bean sprouts and zucchini.

I'm plenty full, but I never pass up the fortune-cookie fun of finding out what my future holds. I read Confucius' note to me: "The strengths in your character will bring you serenity." Nice.

Frank's other picks within a 10-minute drive:
• The White House Grill, 712 N. Spokane St. in Post Falls
This chef makes Guy Fieri look like a timid, shy prep-cook. If you love garlic, you'll love this Mediterranean restaurant.
• MAX at Mirabeau, 1100 N. Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley
I helped design the bar, so I'm quite proud of the MAX. Upscale eats, huge menu, DJ and dancing on weekends.
• Otis Grill, 21902 E. Wellesley in Otis Orchards
Seven years ago when I reviewed this spot for The Splash, it was the Burger Barn.  They've come a long way, and owner Ronda Emerson continues to do a great job.
• Twigs Bistro, 14728 E. Indiana in Spokane Valley
Double-sided fireplace and fab design features; contemporary pizzas and sumptuous sandwiches.

Ample seating and free wireless internet make Twisp the type of place where one can spread out and get some work done.

TUESDAY
Work … eat … work … eat …
Twisp on Tuesday. Gotta do it.

Twisp Café & Coffeehouse is located on Appleway next to Anytime Fitness - just east of the intersection with Molter. It's a great place to pull out your laptop for some work and a great soup-and-sandwich lunch.

Amy Snoddy is the owner, and she just completed her first full year in business with Twisp in 2010.

"I'm happy how it went," she sighs with a smile on her face. "We changed our hours last year during certain times of the day where we weren't seeing enough business, but I'm excited about bringing back ladies' night in February."

Twisp offers more than you'd guess. Amy said a lot of people don't know they serve food and suspects many think they only serve coffee. They have daily sandwich specials, and their deli case is filled with quiches and fresh pasta salads to choose from. When you come by for a visit, be sure to take advantage of their comfortable couches, and make sure if it's your first time there, you introduce yourself to Amy.  She will like that.

Their staple soup is the tomato basil, served daily with a second soup as an alternate choice. The menu ranges from wraps to traditional sandwiches to beautifully made salads, and everything is made in-house. They have a bar area with comfortable stools, a newly updated wine list, beer, live music events and local art to admire or take home with you. Weeknights they are open until 7 p.m. or "maybe later," Amy says. A special wine-tasting night is in the works.

An example of one of their gorgeous salads is the Caribbean Salad ($7.50 or $5.50 half).  Mixed greens, fresh pineapple, mandarin oranges, avocado and sugared pecans served with honey-lime dressing (add chicken $2) served with warm pita bread slices. A Twisp happy hour menu includes edamame, hummus with pita, cool veggies, gourmet flatbread pizza and more.

I was curious if Amy had background in culinary work or the restaurant business.

"No culinary background, but I owned a coffee drive-thru, and I wanted to open my place," she said. "I was told about this new location in Liberty Lake, and I really wanted to open here in this community." 

She pulls all her recipes from various sources and is proud to tell me that she makes everything herself.

Savannah Brosvik, Amy's longtime friend and second-in-command, recommended their staple soup with a Panini or sandwich. The chicken salad sandwich on wheat (white and flat bread is also offered) was quite good, and I liked the use of red leaf and red cabbage in there. I'm not usually a fan of cold pastas, but Amy's was fantastic. You could taste how fresh it was, and the crisp broccoli florets, cucumbers, black olives and tomatoes stood out nicely.

During my visit to Twisp, there was a variety of traffic. A father with his two boys. A young couple. A regular who came in for his usual. And several different tables were all business lunches. They were all well taken care of by Amy and her team.

I've not mentioned the desserts. Aaaah, but then I want you to go in to Twisp to try them and tell me what you think. Say "hello" to Amy.

Frank's other picks to both work and dine with wifi:
• Chevron Café, 1109 N. Liberty Lake Road
New York-style deli hoagies, salads - best place for quiet to focus on work.
• McDonalds, 1306 N. Liberty Lake Road
Have a McFish or McSalad while you work.
• Safeway Signature Café, 1233 N. Liberty Lake Road
Deli food, sandwiches and great soups. Say "hi" to manager Dan.
• Starbucks, 1342 N. Liberty Lake Road
Preeminent spot to work while you eat/drink. Plus, artisan breakfast sandwiches.

Frank Cruz-Aedo greets Great Harvest owner Ross Umbdenstock (left) after surveying a vast array of baked goods that sit ready and waiting.

WEDNESDAY
I feel the need, the need … for speed!
On Wednesday, I paid a visit to the Great Harvest Bakery in the Home Depot shopping center for some quick bites and wonderful bread. Business was hoppin' at 12:30 p.m. when I arrived.

For fast, casual service, Great Harvest offers a nice selection of hot and cold sandwiches. In the morning, you can't pass up their popular breakfast bites, which starts with their signature honey wheat bread and then adds to it cheddar cheese, bacon, eggs and a tomato basil spread. For lunch, I had the Honey Mustard Ham sandwich boasting a homemade honey mustard spread. The sandwich was made fresh and included honey ham, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion on Great Harvest's honey wheat bread.

A conversation with owner Ross Umbdenstock reveals he's happy about The Mat opening next door, and the foot traffic is great, but hopes more will lease the remainder of empty spaces. Umbdenstock has nearly 15 years experience in the food and beverage business, and he's now complete with having recently taken over the franchised store from his business partner. If you've ever met Ross, you know he is always all-smiles. He's proud about the community involvement that he's committed Great Harvest to. You'll often also catch him wearing his toque hustling to his Great-Harvest-Mobile to deliver baked goods.

Liberty Lake resident Natalie Urbiha said she comes in once a month for the wonderful cinnamon chip loaf. 

"They're great for snacks," she said.  

Ross said he sees a lot of regulars, one who is affectionately called "Great Harvest Mama" because of some ties she has to the original concept - and also, of course, because she comes in frequently as a customer. Another local is seen once or twice daily for his fresh roasted coffee and occasional breakfast bite treat. Ross brings in two bakers at 3:30 a.m. daily and boasts about a full calendar of bread choices always baked fresh.

"Our honey wheat is who we are and what we do," he tells me.

There's four to five breads offered daily, and every month it is different. A total of 150 different breads have been baked at the Liberty Lake location, with a possibility of another hundred Ross could try and offer to everyone. Throughout the day, you can take advantage of their sampler plate. Try a bite-size nibble of your choice: Almond Roca scone, oatmeal chocolate chip or breakfast bite. Lather on a bit of whipped creamed butter if you wish, or a little squeeze of honey.

 "There's quite a bit of competition," he says, but he counters that catering business is good for them. "Just today, we got a nice order from the HUB Sports Center."  

Large catering orders average about eight per month. This fall will be Great Harvest's four-year anniversary, and it's evident he is pleased with the business and appreciates the support Liberty Lake gives.
Keep up the nice work, Ross, and thank your staff for the fast work on my sandwich.

Frank's other picks for grabbing lunch on the go:
• Papa Murphy's, 1334 N. Liberty Lake Road
Take ‘n bake pizza and new s'mores dessert pizza; also, Italian salads.
• Pizza Hut, 1330 N. Liberty Lake Road
Lunch takes 10 minutes. Try the new Big Dipper (feeds four) or 50 cent Wednesday Wings.
• Quizno's, 1235 N. Liberty Lake Road
Freshly toasted sandwiches and hot soups; owner's always there to ensure speed of service.
• San Francisco Sourdough, 23801 E. Appleway Ave.
"The best sandos start with the bread." - Chef Joe

The cafeteria-style Mamma Mia's serves hundreds of employees in the Liberty Lake Business Park, home to Safeco's Customer Care Center and Getronics, but it is also open to the public for breakfast and lunch. Thursday is Mexican Day.

THURSDAY
Hidden Valley Ranch
No, we're not talking about the dressing, but about a hidden spot in Liberty Lake you may not know about. It wasn't Hidden Valley Ranch chicken day today, but maybe better: Mexican Day at Mamma Mia's.

Thursday's the bomb at Mamma Mia's, and Safeco/Liberty Mutual employee Ronda Ives will attest to it. I met with new owner Jerry Amicarella early in the week, and he spoke about his tough location and challenges with signage, but he wanted to be sure I came back on a Thursday. It was "Chef Jose" that he was proud to tell me about, as was Ms. Ives.

Mamma Mia's in Liberty Lake is not hidden or unknown to the hundreds of employees who work in the Liberty Lake Business Park, home to a Safeco Customer Care Center and Getronics. But if you or I don't work there or aren't driving down Appleway past Taco Bell, we may not know about Mamma Mia's. Daily, they serve many employees, and Ms. Ives says she frequents the eatery about four times a week. She said the food is really good and, of course, it's convenient for the campus' workers. 

"Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. is when the majority of folks come in and out during their different times for lunch," Ives says.

But there is still plenty of room for walk-in traffic, and it's a treat the cafeteria was made open to the public. Typically, corporate campuses are closed to the public.  When you drive onto the Liberty Lake Business Park, trend left and then make another left into the parking lot. From there, you'll walk about 200 yards to Mamma Mia's door No. 19 (visible from the lot). You'll then walk into a 10,000-square-foot cafeteria. It's carpeted. It's comfortable. It's inviting as a cafeteria. And the prices are competitive to boot.

You can pick from a self-serve sandwich bar, a self-serve pay-by-the-ounce salad bar, a specialty station that changes types of cuisines daily or weekly, and a grill for your standard fare of cheeseburgers, fries, grilled cheese sandwiches and more. Tia Amicarella, Jerry's daughter, also urged I try "Chef Jose" and his food.  And that's certainly where the big line was.

I had a wet burrito with the works. Jose asked what I wanted to finish off the burrito, and I told him everything. He struck a surprised smile when he heard me order in Spanish. The choice was beef or chicken burrito, and I chose beef even though more often than not, the beef is not seasoned correctly, usually turning out bland. Not the case with Jose's. It was perfect. Toppings were fresh lettuce, cheddar, tomatoes, black olives, green onions, jalapeńos and a dollop of sour cream.

Mr. Amicarella has been in the industry seven years, and though he's hopeful for his Liberty Lake cafeteria, he also wonders about signage restrictions and whether the community will embrace his cafeteria-style lunch for their options. He's confident about his catering business, which he says is up. He's already catered two weddings, and an airline called that day about renting the entire facility.

It's a tough business indeed, no matter what kind of place you have, and Jerry's hanging in there. A job well done, Jerry. Or should I say, "ˇVamos!" And, you are hidden no longer.

Frank's other picks for local lunches you may not have thought of trying:
• Clubhouse restaurants at Meadowwood (24501 E. Valleyway Ave.) or Liberty Lake (24403 E. Sprague Ave.) golf courses
Club sandwiches and light fare.
• Cabela's Café, 101 N. Cabela Way in Post Falls
Deli meals served, and I love the game that's on the menu - try the alligator sandwich. Also, free fudge samples.
• George Gee Automotive Café, 21502 E. George Gee Ave.
That's right: George Gee. Breakfast cooked to order or sandwiches made on the fly.
• R'nR Clubhouse, 23203 E. Knox Ave.
'50s-inspired diner open to the public on the campus of the area's largest RV dealership.

Hay J's Bistro is known for not only its food - but the clever sayings about food and wine that line the walls.

FRIDAY
Stay for a while and relax
Dare I say we've saved the best for last?  Well, Hay J's Bistro is the best.  It's not the same as a grab ‘n go or a laptop lunch or taking a drive with the kids for a meal. Hay J's is top-notch in the upscale dining arena and very well liked in Liberty Lake.

Located on Harvard Road just on the other side of the freeway, you will pull into the gas station, and if you're lucky during lunch you'll find a parking spot in front. Yes, on my recent visit they were packed. The restaurant quickly filled and owner Rhonda Entner Dean was hustling back and forth seating guests.

My lunch companion and I were not in a hurry, so it was perfect. Many were there on their lunch break, and many were there to stay and relax for their visit.  Three executives from Mario & Sons told me on their way out that the food was excellent and the service was great. Two of them frequent Hay J's for business lunches.

One of the many things I like about Hay J's is its hip concrete floor and brushed walls with painted-on clever sayings about food and wine. The atmosphere is posh, but casual. And Chef Patrick Fechser's artwork on his lunch plates is not to be missed. The pretty food goes absolutely perfect with this pretty restaurant. 

A long-time regular, Liberty Lake resident Lori Olander, says she comes two to three times a month and has been coming in since Hay J's opened. Her lunch that day was fabulous, she said - a blackened steak sandwich wrap with a cup of the roasted tomato, feta and artichoke soup.

Stephanie Bregher is another good customer, and at one time she said visited every week with her husband. Stephanie ordered the same soup as Olander along with a garden salad. I chose the Ladieu salad (remember my "eat less" resolution).  The soup was wonderful. Bregher thought it would be a thicker soup, but was not and was happy about that. My Ladieu had fabulously delicious goat cheese that I just love. This, coupled with a nice fresh cucumber-infused water, and you couldn't ask for more. Our server was pleasant and unobtrusive to our lunch experience.

Think a busy place like Hay J's gives the chef and owner some time to rest in-between lunch and dinner? Guess again. Rhonda and Chef Fechser have been quite busy lately preparing for the Hestia Wine Makers Dinner, a four-course extravaganza with dessert and carefully selected Hestia Cellars wines.

If you'd like another glimpse into Hay J's and you happen to be a part of the Facebook community, just take a look at all the great comments from customers.  Not to mention people excitedly making their lunch plans through the Hay J's fan page. Recently added to Hay J's offering is brunch on Sundays. 

It's Stephanie and Lori's favorite place. And no doubt it's many others as well. Just take a look on Facebook.

Frank's other picks for Liberty Lake places to settle in with your meal
• Barlow's Restaurant, 1400 N. Meadowwood Lane
Comfort food, nice ambiance for relaxing, fun diner counter overlooking open kitchen.
• True Legends Grill, 1803 N. Harvard Road
Spacious bar area with tables perfect for large groups or small; new menu and many large-screen TVs for your fave sports.
• Palenque Mexican Restaurant, 1102 N. Liberty Lake Road
Overlooking our beautiful Trailhead Golf Course; popular family spot.
• Ding How, 1332 N. Liberty Lake Road
Small restaurant, cozy sushi bar; this one's here to stay.

IT'S A WRAP!
Well, I accepted the MISSION, followed the RULES - and I came in under BUDGET! Even with gratuities added in, you can enjoy five excellent lunches and feel good about your New Year's Resolutions. That is, of course, as long as one of your resolutions doesn't involve portion sizes (see Monday). So I blew one resolution, but championed another when I chose water instead of soda at Great Harvest.

Frank Cruz-Aedo has managed restaurants from Coeur d'Alene to Airway Heights and from California to North Carolina. His all-time favorite spot is TGI Friday's, and he enjoys gourmet home cooking.

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