Review: Tomato Street (Coeur d'Alene)

221 W. Appleway Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 (208) 667-5000

Tomato Street offers everything you might expect in an Italian restaurant thousands of miles away from Italy: checkered table clothes, soft lighting and red plastic tumblers. It also offers somethings you might not expect: entertainment for the kids and an extensive menu.

The most surprising thing about Tomato Street for me was their perfect Seafood Fettuccine. Yes, I said perfect. Too often Italian restaurants skimp on the seafood, under cook or charge a fortune for it. None of the above apply to Tomato Street.

I ordered the lunch sized portion of Seafood Fettuccine for $8.99 (which would be a perfectly fine dinner size for me). The menu promised shrimp, clams, calamari and scallops in a wine and cream sauce with fettuccine noodles.

When my order arrived, perched on top of the al dente pasta were two thick prawns. I dove right in to sample a prawn while it was hot and fresh. The meat was pink, firm and cooked just right. It was so good that I saved the second one for the end of my meal. Five baby manila clams surrounded the prawns. They were tender and sweet. Perfect enough I could have eaten a whole bowl of just clams.

The real deal breaker of seafood dishes for me is the calamari. One rubbery bite and the entire dish becomes sub-par. I tasted my first ring of calamari with a bit of hesitation and was not disappointed. It was absolutely tender without being underdone. From that point on, I was in love with my meal.

The creamy sauce was just thick enough to coat the pasta. The flavor of garlic complimented, but didn't overpower the seafood. A few slivers of sun dried tomato added the perfect amount of sweetness. My only complaint could be that the scallops were so small that I almost forgot they were there. But, what the scallops lacked in size, they more then made up for in quantity and flavor.

My meal was accompanied by a basic green salad consisting of romaine and iceberg lettuces, shredded carrot and store bought croutons. The House dressing - creamy garlic - can be overpowering in large quantities. I ordered mine on the side. Baskets of hot, soft garlic bread were kept stocked at our table. It made the perfect utensil with which to scoop up the sauce that remained after my pasta was gone.

The service during my visit was top notch. The children in the party were given balls of Play-Doh and a dried pasta necklace kit to entain themselves during the meal. Both were a big hit with Munchkin and his six-year-old cousin. The children's menu offers such things as pizza, macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers. All are nicer, homemade versions of the kid offerings at most restaurants. Kid's meals include beverages and ice cream for $5.29.

Our server was friendly and prompt in taking care of our needs. She even treated Munchkin to his own soda and ice cream, even though we didn't order a child's meal for him. She didn't want him to feel left out among his cousins. When one member of our party received the wrong meal, a new one was made in record time and a sincere apology was given.

Other items in the Tomato Street repertoire include smashed sandwiches, calzones, pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven and every type of pasta and sauce combination you could imagine. They also have many specialty drink offerings, including Italian Sodas and a lounge with a full bar.

If you hit Tomato Street on a weekend night, I'm sure the place will be packed. The long time Coeur d'Alene restaurant is not a well-kept secret.

Review: Toro Viejo (Coeur d'Alene)

Toro Viejo, 117 N. 2nd Street, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 (208) 667-7676

The bright new sign along Seltice Way advertising the new businesses in Riverstone keeps taunting me. When I'm driving to or from Coeur d'Alene, I see just a flash of "All you can eat tacos." It's a taco addicts dream come true and I know what it's referring to: the all you can eat taco deal at Azteca on Tuesdays. It's only $5 and comes with all the tacos, rice, beans and salsa you can eat. However, I've indulged in the feast at the Spokane locations and know that even though it's a good price and decent food, I'd rather spend five dollars on one limited size, high quality meal at Toro Viejo.

Like any other restaurant with multiple locations, I believe that there are variations between Toro Viejo outlets in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Post Falls. The Coeur d'Alene always has been the best, in my opinion. I was reminded of why when I visited for lunch today.

Although parking has very little to do with the restaurant, I knew things were off to a good start when I snagged a parking spot right outside the front door. Upon entering, I had just enough time to read the specials on the board before we were greeted by the host. He laughed and joked with us while he showed us to our table. As usual, a basket of warm tortilla chips, salsa and water were brought immediately.

Our server seemed to be the only one working. She had a helper dishing out the chips and water, but other than that was on her own. Her tone and mannerisms reflected the stress she must have felt with such a job. It was noon and even on a weekday the tables were filling up. My order was straight up, the special, one taco (shredded beef) and an enchilada (cheese) with rice and beans. My grandma's order threw the server a bit and she became confused and flustered. My grandma is almost 90 years old, but she knew exactly what she wanted and I thought was clear in her order - a green chile enchilada with no rice on the side, just beans. However, the server clarified and went through the order again before she left the table.

Munchkin entertained himself with chips while we waited for our food. Toro Viejo is one of his favorite restaurants because of the self serve basket on the table. I held off on the chips, waiting for the mild salsa I had request from the server (yes, I'm a wimp). The mild didn't arrive, but our food came out so fast, I didn't have much to complain about. The server did remember when she delivered our food that I had asked for mild and promptly brought it. My grandma felt she was bothering the server when requesting guacamole, then a spoon on the return trip.

I dove into my meal with excitement. It had been over a month since I'd eaten Mexican food, and with that sign always taunting me, I was hungry for it. The enchilada was hot with creamy, melted cheese and just the right amount of sauce. I gave the taco to Munchkin, but not before have a sample. It was your regular taco with shredded beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Good, but nothing great. I savored my enchilada, thoroughly enjoying each bite. Grandma couldn't stop talking about how good her meal was.

Even though the server got flustered and seemed a little stressed, she made a point of coming back by the table at the end of the meal to offer an apology. She told my grandma she was sorry about the confusion, but just wanted to be sure the order was correct. I thought it was a very thoughtful and unusual thing for a server to do. Grandma really appreciated the gesture. It changed ok service to excellent service.

As I'm writing this, only five hours after eating at Toro Viejo, I'm getting hungry for another enchilada. The food was just so fresh, fast and good. Plus, you really couldn't beat the price. My "special" was $4.75 and Grandma's single enchilada (which, with the beans consumed a whole plate) was $4.50. Blows the $5 taco bar out of the water.

Review: Perkins Restaurant (Spokane Valley)

East 9019 Mission Avenue, Spokane, WA 99212 (509) 927-2640

I will admit upfront that I had a preconceived notion that Perkins has bad service and mediocre food. Before this visit, it had been about 10 years since I dined at Perkins. However, I was dining with a group and did not choose the location. I also thought I would give Perkins the benefit of the doubt and try them again. Unfortunately, no improvements have been made in the service or food at local Perkins during the last decade.

I thought the visit was off to a good start when I approached the front door and an employee standing outside greeted me with a smile and opened the door for me. I was feeling optimistic as I joined my group, which was already seated. When it took about 20 minutes and someone beckoning a server to place an order, my hope was diminishing. I ordered the Heartland Omelette. The menu boasted diced ham, applewood smoked bacon, sausage, American cheese and diced fresh tomatoes in the omelette. It included hashbrowns and toast on the side. The server was friendly and able to answer questions during the ordering process.

My order arrived in a reasonable amount of time. The omelette was hot, but the cheese was only partially melted. The sausage was more plentiful than the other meats and it over powered any other flavors. It might have been balanced by the fresh tomatoes, if they had been included. The hashbrowns were a greasy, undercooked pile of what tasted like the frozen variety of potato. Even something as simple as the toast wasn't done well. It was under toasted and over buttered. I might have pointed out some of these inadequicies or at least requested the missing tomatoes, if our server hadn't abandanded our table after delivering the food. We didn't see her for about an hour and at that time she only made an appearance to drop of the check.

Just when things didn't look like they could get any worse, two employees began vacuuming and cleaning next to our table. Concerned that our group was delaying their closure, we inquired if that was the case. The employees told us they don't officially close until 10 p.m. (the time post on the door), but if it's not busy they close early. Apparently "not busy" and "early" qualifies as 9:15 p.m. when there are still customers in the restaurant.

When it came time to pay the bill, the hostess at the front dished out a lecture about using a coupon. I had clearly stated to the server that I had the coupon and would be using. The server had no problem with it, but the hostess had other ideas. She claimed because we had a group, we had to have a minimum order and coupons don't qualify. The problem is, no one in our group was ever told about those requirements when reservations were made or during the meal.

I left Perkins reminded why it's been so long since I've set foot in one of their restaurants. It also made me wonder how they have stayed in business for so long. I can't imagine they have a large following of repeat diners with such poor customer service and frankly, unappetizing food.

Review: Pizza Schmizza

Apparently the hot spot to eat before catching a Saturday night flick at the Riverstone theater is Pizza Schmizza. Located just steps away from the box office, Pizza Schmizza attracts movie goers and hungry diners alike.

A visit to the New York style eatery last weekend was my first taste of the chain's "gourmet" pizza. The restaurant cooks to order more than 20 varieties of whole pies, such as Ol’ Hickory (hickory smoked bacon, baby red potatoes, Roma tomatoes & a dollop of sour cream) and Green Chicken Pie (pesto chicken, fresh spinach, marinated artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes & feta cheese) along with the standard fare. They also offer fresh slices of classics and special pizzas that change daily. Pasta dishes and side items round out the menu.

On this trip to Pizza Schmizza, we ordered up a "ginormous" 18" pizza. Off the menu I chose Foo Foo (marinated artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, garlic & feta cheese) for my half and DD picked pepperoni, salami and jalapenos for the second half. In just the time it took for us to read the menu and decide on toppings, a line formed that nearly reached the door. We got our order placed just in time, as the line was constant and just as long during our whole meal.

Our dinner started with Dipsticks, Schmizza's version of breadsticks. The pillowy sticks of pizza dough arrived hot with a side of marinara sauce (you can also choose Alfredo or ranch). The Dipsticks were like the best part of a pizza - the crust. The outside was chewy and the inside soft with a flavor reminiscent of being baked in a brick oven. Unfortunately, the sauce had a canned taste and detracted from the Dipstick experience.

Our meal deal came with side salads, so we tried one each of the Greek and Caesar. The Greek salad consisted of baby spinach and feta cheese, topped with vinaigrette and a skewer of red onion, tomato, kalamata olives and cucumber. The skewer was a nice touch and made for a good presentation. The dressing was light and flavorful. The Caesar salad didn't fare as well. The romaine lettuce was dripping with a dressing that was so thick it was almost inedible.

After the Dipsticks, I was really looking forward to pizza with an excellent crust. What arrived was only sub-par. The giant pizza had just the right amount of toppings and sauce, but the crust came out flimsy and slightly soggy under the toppings. It gave me the impression that the pie needed a couple more minutes in the oven. Unlike the Dipsticks, there was no hint of brick oven in this pizza crust.

The Foo Foo toppings almost made up for the crust with an excellent combination of flavors. The sweetness of the sun dried tomatoes cut the bite of the feta cheese. Baby artichoke hearts dotted the surface and the mozzarella held it all together. The sauce on the pizza complimented the mix of toppings. DD loved his combination of pepperoni, salami and jalapenos and didn't mind the soft crust. He declared it the best pizza he's had in some time.

I have to admit, the lackluster pizza crust and over dressed Caesar made me think I wouldn't return to Pizza Schmizza. The interior of the restaurant sealed the fate. Each wall is a different color from the obnoxious palette. Neon green. Purple. Silver metallic. Brown. Mustard. Old movie posters decorate the wall in cheap looking plastic displays. A TV played the Shock game in one corner while patrons crowded around the counter in the other. A mix of 80's and 50's music played as a odd combination in the background. Combine the above with little space to maneuver, and I was ready to leave almost as soon as we arrived.

The one saving grace of Pizza Schmizza was the service. Each employee I spoke with was friendly, smiling and helpful. The dinner rush didn't diminish the welcoming attitude of the staff and the cashier made a point of thanking us as we left.

Considering mine and DD's differing opinions of the pizza and decor, we might end up at Pizza Schmizza again, but only because of it's convenient location next to the movie theater. And if we do, I'll just stick to Dipsticks.

Prices: From $11.99 for a medium pepperoni to $27.99 for an 18" alligator sausage pie. Slices start at $2.99

Night Out

I met up with the Mommy and Me group for a night out at Color Me Mine in Spokane. I tried out my painting skills on a ceramic pasta serving dish. It's something I've always wanted to try and had a blast doing. I get my fired piece back next week and can't wait to see it.

Being in downtown Spokane on a summer night brought back a lot of memories. Growing up, Spokane was the special outing destination. It was the place we went to go Christmas shopping, play miniature golf or go out for a special dinner. We had to drive to Spokane just to go to the mall or Costco. When DD and I were first dating (13 years ago), we celebrated our six month "anniversary" with an dinner date in Spokane. It was a big deal for us, since we were still high schoolers and DD had just gotten his driver's license. We got our parents' permission to drive as far as the Pines exit for a romantic dinner at the Old Country Buffet. It was a fun, exciting adventure for us to go to Spokane by ourselves.

Later we would hit River Park Square for movies at the AMC theater. It was the first theater we went to that had stadium seating. We would wait for an hour to eat at Olive Garden. It seemed like such a treat.

Now that Coeur d'Alene has the restaurants and stores we frequent, we don't find reasons to make the drive to Spokane very often. I realized tonight that I miss it and it's worth the extra time and distance to make everyday events seem special again.

Review: Donut House II

True to it's name, the Donut House occupies a former house on a Post Falls side street. The house has been renovated to include a sitting area, counter display and kitchen. Conveniently located behind the White House, off of Spokane Street, the Donut House is worth a stop.

The glass front donut display featured about ten types of glazed, sugar coated, frosted or plain donuts. A sign stated there were too many offerings to put everyone in the case. Unseen varieties were more than likely available by request. We sampled maple bars and a cinnamon sugar twist. The fried donuts were much lighter and the dough softer than your typical grocery store variety. The toppings are what really set these donuts apart. The maple glaze was well set, not dripping off the sides. The maple flavor good and not overly sugary. The cinnamon twist had a strong cinnamon flavor, again not too much sugar. The donuts were truly delicious without being sickeningly sweet. Prices started at $.50 for an unglazed plain donut.

Coffee is self serve with real cream and sugar. Bagels and bagel breakfast sandwiches are also on the menu.

Cost: Three donuts and two cups of coffee, $4.07 with tax.