Alpine Bistro and Bakery

The Alpine Bistro is located 810 N. Monroe Street in the "courthouse area" of Spokane.  It's a little storefront I pass by often and I have heard good things about it from others who stop here for lunch. 

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The day I stopped here with a friend, the special advertised was Ratatouille, a strange sort of dish to find at a bakery, but I admit, it caught my curiosity.

They did have on display various items like quiches and Chicken Pot Pies.  there were also loaves of bread.

As I contemplated the menu before me, I just kept wondering about the Ratatouille.


I have seen the movie by that name but I had never eaten Ratatouille.


Ratatouille, as the waitress told me,  is a type of Italian stew, made with eggplant, zucchini, onions, tomatoes... garlic and spices.  My friend ordered a sandwich... vegetarian style.. and I, who like eggplant and zucchini, onions, tomatoes and garlic with spices, was feeling curious, and decided to try the Ratatouille.




My friend was curious too...  so we opted to share the Ratatouille experience... and the sandwich.   Our waitress was kind enough to split it up for us individually in the kitchen. 


 The Ratatouille was served on couscous.

It was a rather eclectic sort of meal.






  Potato chips came with the sandwich and a salad with the Ratatouille.







Not being a Ratatouille expert, I cannot tell you if it was great Ratatouille or not....  I can only tell you I like to try different things once in a while, and I was in the mood for something besides a sandwich. I didn't care for it enough to order it again.  I am reminded too, that Ratatouille  is not  their normal fare at the Alpine Bistro,
Nnext time, should I find myself in this area of town, I will try the quiche!  It is their specialty!


I know this because while I was here, I asked.  Besides,  while I was here, I also found a book they had for sale called Signature Tastes of Spokane.  It's a recipe book, and the Alpine Bistro and Bakery is one of the restaurants featured in the book. Ttheir featured recipe is Quiche Lorraine.


Each featured restaurant offers a recipe for an item on their menu.  I am very excited about using the book for Tasty Trekking around Spokane.... and maybe even making some delicacies in my own kitchen!  

Blu Berry

Popular in Spokane right now is going out on the town for a dessert treat of frozen yogurt, at least it must be.  There are frozen yogurt shops popping up everywhere.  The most recent I have personally seen is Blu Berry Frozen Yogurt.  This one is located on Division and Francis in the Northtown Square Shopping Center, and is easy to find because of the Red Lobster restaurant on the corner.

Blue Berry is an attractive spot, decorated in a lovely hue of mostly blue... but raspberry too.  It's surprisingly very much like the other frozen yogurt places around town that we like to visit, and yet it is different.  I would have thought they were all owned by the same entity because of the similarities, (I am getting used to the look of small squares of tile, ) but they are not.  I asked.  One nice feature here at the Blu Berry is a lovely fireplace to warm yourself when you come in from the cold... to eat your cold Yo Cream treat!

They have a wall of frozen yogurt spouts from which to try their flavors and serve yourself you favorite flavors.

 In order to really enjoy places like this, one must overcome fears of sticky fingers.....

We have some fears of sticky fingers...so we appreciate attentive attendants and watchful parents who read and acknowledge signs like this one here.  We also love frozen yogurt and love the freedom to try all the new flavors too, so we kinda love all the FROYO options we see around town.



They had a lot of toppings to choose from but I am a bit of a "purist, " no toppings for me on my selection of  chocolate, peanut butter and coffee flavored Yo Cream.  Geo makes up for a lack of toppings on mine by putting a lot of toppings on his.










I have to say too, that he was a little disappointed.  With all the toppings they did offer, they didn't have almonds. Specifically, he likes it when places offer the  chocolate covered almonds, but here he found no almonds at all.

there were lots of other things though, and he did find some things he likes.























He seemed to enjoy his Fro Yo.

 We both did.

Dos Amigos

In the mood for Mexican food, we headed over to Dos Amigos on  Trent, (12119 E. Trent to be exact.)  This sign was great.  I felt like it really told Mexican food the way it is is mean to be... maybe a little bit like, everything you ever wanted to know about Mexican food, but were afraid to ask.. kinda thing.... or you could say, "Burritos, Tacos, and Enchiladas..."Oh My"  like you were traveling down the Yellow Brick Road or something.... IIt really says it all as far as Mexican food is concerned, so we knew this place was worth a try.  Geo was, however, hoping for his favorite... a Chile Relleno, (a stuffed chili pepper,) and was glad to find them both first thing on the menu!

.Geo used to come here for lunch sometimes when he worked in the Valley, but it had been a very long time since then.  He liked the changes.  It is a pretty little place inside and the service was great!




Geo ordered an Enchilada, Chile Rellenos and a Taco.  I ordered a Fajita.

Typically, a Mexican style dinner begins with the traditional chips and salsa....

While we waited for our rellenos and fajitas to arrive we took in the views.

 There are some beautiful wall paintings here!

They also have a jukebox, loaded with all sorts of great and contemporary music from south of the border.  Seems to me, one could easily move a few tables and chairs and dance to the mariachis in this place.

Then came the food....

This is the guacamole and sour cream with tortillas for the fajitas

Yum!
Great food!

When you are done, they bring you these wonderful fried pastries called sopaipillas.

Pita Pit

Pita Pit.. (and I didn't know this before eating here,) is a lot like a Subway sub shop, only instead of small loafs of bread made into sandwiches where you pick all your own fresh ingredients, you get pita flatbread pockets filled with the veggies and meats you choose.. It's also one of those places I have seen around, but never really pita Party, and apparently the place for that is Pita Pit.  We went to the Five Mile location, 6314 N Ash St, but I understand there are about four Pita Pits around Spokane.... and the sign says... "We deliver!'

What do they deliver?

Pita Sandwiches... that look like this:

.... and it is made of ingredients like this:

 I couldn't help but order the falafel for myself.... the others had a variety and there is a variety of choices too.

 Here it is .... ready to roll up

 and eat!

Just add friends... and it's a pita party!