Azar's

A friend and I decided to have lunch out and made our destination: 2501 N Monroe St.... AZAR'S  Greek and Middle Eastern Cuisine restaurant.  I am wondering now though if it is a "Greek and Middle Eastern,"  or a "Middle Eastern and Greek" Cuisine.  There seems to be different ways that it is advertised. 

 (Is it Greek or Middle Eastern...or has the presentation simply changed sine they first began?)

Our lunch, and the tamosphere seemed much more Middle Eastern to me.  Not only that the original owners are said to be from Jordan.  So, "Greek?"  Maybe someone can enlighten me on that aspect.  It doesn't really matter to me.   I loved the ethnic aspect just the same.   Spokane must love it, for despite it's size, and it;s simplicity... if you want to call it that, this was a very busy place.   I even saw someone else I knew while I was there!

Poor Geo, he missed out on this one.  I do not think he minded too much as he has passed up the opportunity to eat here with me several times.  I had been wanting to go here for a while, but he is always thinking to eat Asian food.  Well, needless to say, I was more-than-happy to try this place with my friend, who tells me it is one of her favorite spots. 


But, Azar's is well-known in Spokane.  I have often seen their booths at city events like pic out in the park Art on the Green Etc.  I even visited the restaurant on the Northside, on Hwy 2, before it became Pauline's.  They have a history here; been in business since 1980.  The story, (see their webpage if you want to know more,)  is that it was started by Najeeb and Najla Azar and their son Victor Azar

If you like hummus, gyros and baklava this place is for you! I didn't eat the baklava, my friend did though, and she said it was really good! We both had the buffet...


While dishing up a plate of food, I chatted with another customer, who looked like a friendly sort of chap.  I asked him how the food was.... to which he replied that he really liked the chicken and then gave me a mini tour of all the options offered on the buffet that day.  He really knew his stuff!

There were cinnamony flavored green beans, a simmering vegetable medley, lamb and flatbread, cucumber sauce, hummus, feta cheese, salad, tomatoes in a yogurt kind of sauce... rice and chicken and their usual lentil soup.


In addition to the buffet, you can order from their menu...

 Here is a sampling of the buffet.... You can see the lentil soup, flatbread, barbecued chicken, veggies, rice, and salad with tomatoes on the top.  I also made a mini gyros and had the green beans too.

Here is Turkish coffee....and baklava.  You can order walnut or pistachio.My friend actually ordered the walnut, but was brought pistachio instead..  She loves pistachio anyhow so it didn't matter.  

 She loved the coffee too and said that she wishes she knew how to make it for herself,  It is served in this little pitcher and you then pour the already sweetened liquid into your teeny little cup.

 I opted for the strawberry smoothie... though I am not sure why.  I just did.  I think I was feeling fruity.

The beer bottle is a flower vase on the table...but I think I found the Geeek in Azars... must be the Mythos beer!  


ON another note, as we were leaving I notices some tins in the display case and I asked our waiter what they were... he told me tobacco that they had for sale.   There were all kinds of flavors so I figured it was for the hookah.... I was right!  They host hookah lounge outdoors after five o'clock on weather permitting nights year round.  (And there is belly dancing evening too.)  


Greek or Middle Eastern?  You tell me.

And while you are there.... 
Do you Hookah?  If you do, this place might be for you,; if not, you can consult Wikipedia for more information on that... but let me tell you, Hookah is here!  There is also a Hookah Lounge.

A hookah lounge is a place to gather and partake in group smoking of some exotic and flavorful... and presumably legal... (not a NHT) substance.  

All this is going on in this little place!  

Frank's Diner

Wow! What a train ride!

We didn't really go anywhere, but we sure had a lot of fun and we ate well too.  Such was a recent  birthday outing with a friend to Frank's Diner on the north side of Spokane.

Here it was November 2010, and there we were,  having lunch aboard the Laketon, a twelve wheeled, 130,000 pounds Pullman car originally built in October of 1913.  She no longer rolls on any tracks, but she's still a beaut!  And I attest, it's just plain fun to be aboard a train, eating and laughing with a friend.

Each of the Frank's Diners are fashioned around Railroad cars and each is unique. You can read about 607, this car below...  (Click and zoom in.) or at  Frank's Diner's website.  

If you visit the website you can see all the things on their menu too.  as you can see, they do a lot of cooking!  They even serve breakfast all day!

I ordered the BLT on Rye with fries and a cup of soup. 

My friend ordered a hamburger and fries with salad

Here is my soup and her salad.

 BLT on rye....









Burger with fries....

 

and a spot of tea...

But before long, our trip ended..... and off we went to do some shopping together.
In the end, this was a fun and tasty place to eat.

ALL ABOARD!!!

Rancho Chico

Rancho Chico is Mexican food!  I love Mexican food, and upon moving to Spokane 17 years ago, we knew we would like living here if there was good Mexican food.  Fortunately we found this place AND it is as good today as it was back then.  They have even expanded into more locations over the years.  The Rancho Chico we went to is located at 9205 N Division St., Spokane.

It had been a really long time sine I had eaten here.  I forgot how pretty it was inside...

 It is so colorful!  I love it.


The food is colorful too.  
 I ordered chicken tacos








It came with rice and beans and I ordered a Shirley Temple too.  It was sweet.
 
My lunchtime friend ordered... hmmm, I forgot!  Here it is pictured.  I think it was Heuvos Rancheros, but I might be wrong.   Our lunch came with the traditional chips and salsa...

 After our lunch we were presented with the traditional sopaipilla too....  one each!  Yum!

The Onion

On a recent visit to downtown Spokane with a friend, lunch was in order.  It was a Monday, and our first destination was  closed, we took a little walk and after much deliberation, we decided on the Onion.

This is an original Spokane Restaurant, and it has quite a history.  The building itself, built in 1907, was originally a hotel, the St. Regis.   It became the Onion, in 1978.  It is filled with nostalgic things, like this 1937 Harley Davidson motorcycle, which, when it was new, cost $395.0o!  Times have changed, but the Onion is still one of Spokane's favorite places to eat.  We have two locations in town.  This one is at 302 W Riverside Ave.

 

 On to the food.....

Being as it was a chilly day, we ordered cider.  I ordered apple and she ordered huckleberry.  This was a nice treat on a chilly day!

Being as I was at the Onion, I figured the French Onion Soup was in order.  I ordered the soup with a wheat roll, and a side salad with Blue Cheese dressing.. 



The soup was very cheesy.





















My friend ordered  a Roast Beef Sandwich... with cole slaw and fries.  The fries were skimpy on the plate, but you could order more for free.