Hello and Sante!

I am a food lover, living in the Inland Empire, otherwise known as Spokane, Washington. Even though Spokane is surrounded by amazing agriculture, it does not have much of a foodie reputation. Nor does it particularly deserve one. But there is good food to be had in Spokane: some of it in restaurants, some of it from shops and markets around town, much of it being made in home kitchens. I am writing this blog to chronicle one foodies successes and failures, surprises and disappointments living in the inland Northwest.

I have no particular credentials as a food expert, unless one counts my great-grandmother on my father's side, who was a professional chef in Bar Harbor and Bermuda. I wish I had known her. My father is a pretty good cook of the french persuasion, and some of my most cherished childhood memories are of watching The French Chef with him. I am a good home cook, and I have eaten in some very good restaurants (I even worked in one, once, but only as a waitress). Mostly, I just like food. There is nearly nothing I won't eat (except Doritos, licorice, and any candy whose name begins with "gummy").

For my inaugural entry, I want to talk about the meal I just had at Sante, the new restaurant in the Aunties bookstore building. I like it. I think this is exactly the kind of restaurant that Spokane needs, and that those of us who like food should support. The menu is thoughtful if not adventurous Northwest fare: steak, pork, salmon. I had the wild boar roulade, which was sausage-like and meaty, served on a disc of mashed potatoes so rich they were almost too much, with a lovely demi-glace jus. I also tasted the pork chop and the chicken, both of which were perfectly cooked and juicy. And herein are the two reasons why I like this place: first, the food is carefully and respectfully prepared. A juicy porkchop can be sublime, but it takes good seasoning, better sourcing, and perfect timing. Second, everything else on the plate adds to the meal, rather than competing or detracting from it. The chicken came with a spring pea and morel risotto (which avoided all hints of mushiness). The entrees were the work of a chef who knows how to work with fresh, seasonal ingredients and put them together so that the total is greater than the sum of the parts.

I also like that Sante has charcuterie roots. The first and cold courses include duck confit, their own sausage (they called in salami, but it was really more of a tasty summer sausage), and house-cured duck prosciutto. These are not items that are typical of Spokane menus, and I am happy they are around. Indeed, my entire time in the restaurant said that these people like food, and like people who like food. The waitress encouraged us to ask questions, and seemed happy when we did. This attitude seemed to fit with their commitment to local farmers and produce, and well as their "slow food" orientation. The service was pleasant and enthusiastic, if not four-star polished.

A final word: the wine list is really interesting. Not in the "faint praise," I don't know what else to say way, but legitimately interesting. Our waitress said that because so many of their diners choose the three or seven course option with wine pairing, they don't feel as constrained to offer recognizable labels. We ordered a French varietal that I have never seen as a varietal (it's usually blended), but it was exactly what we said we wanted. None of the wines on the menu were above fifty dollars a bottle and all were available by the glass, although I believe there were more bottles available on request.

Sante began as a daytime lunch/snack place, and now offers dinner Wednesday through Saturdays. It's dinners are definitely going for fine dining. Meals are expensive by Spokane standards: twenty-five to thirty dollar entries, with tempting first and cold courses running around ten dollars. They offer a three and seven course menu, with wine pairings. Given my current respect for the kitchen, I would hazard that they are options worth exploring.

I wouldn't call Sante a world-class restaurant, but it does seem to be a place that is serious and sophisticated about food. At this point, I'm hoping Spokane can show itself to be the same.