Molly's Family Restaurant

Well, here is story for you...

We have driven past Molly's for years, often remarking about how strange it is to have a restaurant named with a picture of a dog on the sign. I mean, it unusual. Okay, more than unusual it's a little scary. For one, the dog is a little scary looking. It's a shih tzu, ( the kind of dog who's bottom teeth kind of stick out.) These people obviously forget that not everyone likes dogs nor likes to associate dogs with their food or even eat with dogs in mind... do you know what I mean? And for all we knew it could have been a estaurant for dogs to eat at! All I can tell you is that it has always just seemed a little strange to me, and I happen to like four legged creatures that bark and growl; I have even been known to share my food with them from time to time.

I hate to admit it, but we can rarely even drive past without commenting on it and quite frankly it issimply a novel concept... one of those things that has just always made us laugh. Even tonight as we verbally shot down several ideas of places to eat because they were just... well... unappealing-- for one reason or another, this was no exception. There we were, roaming downtown on a rainy Monday night, looking for somewhere we have not been and we drove past Molly's never imagining that WE would really eat there.

Hoever we ended up driving past a second time and this time we were debating the issue as it was one place we had not yet been. As we were debating, we couldn't help but notice that the parking lot was full. On second look it became obvious that they were not ALL patronizing Molly's but it sure got our attention, and when we looked inside, sure enough, there were people inside. Figureing that if that many people were inside it couldn't be THAT bad, we decided to be brave and give it a try.

When we sat down three guys were leaving the restaurant... "Dinner was fabulous!" they shouted to the waitress as they exited.

Well, all my fears vanished right then and there. I was immediately impressed and eating at Molly's was really kind of fun. The waitress was friendly and helpful and she reminded us of all sorts of people we know. They had good coffee too and served it by the pot. A whole pot of java was $2.00. Cream and sugar is even included. What a deal!

The menu was extensive, so extensive that it took a long time for us to decide what we would try. They sort of specialize in this Mexican hot chocolate beverage that you can flavor with all sorts of flavors... cinnamon, marshmallow.... that kind of thing. "Spanish Horchatta," they call it. Well, at least that is what the front of the Menu said. We opted for coffee upon our arrival so we sort of missed the horchatta boat... but "maybe next time."

There are some great sounding breakfast items, desserts and sandwhiches here too, so many things to choose from that I really didn't know what to order, mostly because I was reading the menu and laughing about the dog theme throughout and items such as the Molly Monster... (a hamburger) Dog Pound Nachos, and "Solly's" Mess. (Solly, as I understand, is Molly's brother.) The thing that really got my attention though was the Waffle sandwich. I do not think I have ever seen that on a menu before; but then I usually do not go out to breakfast either.

As it turned out, I ordered the Nachos and Geo ordered Solly's Mess. Strange.. I know, and getting stranger.... I told you you were in for a story. Not only am I eating, somewhere I never thought I would, but I am eating, of all things, "nachos."

What is with that?

First of all, my unwritten principal number one in eating at a restaurant instead of home is that I order things I do not make at home... and you know what? I make nachos. Second.. well, there we were eating at this dog themed place and George orders something called...

Go figure. Who would ever think of eating something by that name? It was all a little unusual to say the least, but I tell you, the Solly's dish was really very good. I have no idea why I ordered nachos, I even remember thinking to myself when I saw them on the menu that I did ot want nachos... but then that is what I ordered. The nachos... well, they were nachos... and there were a lot of them.

There is a sign on the restaurant window seen from the street reads, "You will not go away hungry!" They mean it. The food was both plentiful and good.

Here is an example of what I mean by plentiful: When we were ordering our food, the waitress told Geo that his dish came with a small salad and asked what kind of dressing he wanted with it. The salad arrived and I tell you... the plate it was on was the size of a Pizza Hut all-you-can-eat-salad plate, and it was full. The both of us ate it and it was really good salad too. This amount of food served at this place is so plentiful that the menu says, "Doggie bags available upon request." Its goes along with the dog theme you know, but I think that they anticipate that you will need one, and want you to know you can take your leftovers home for your "best friend." Certainly they do not expect people to waste the food and throw it away. I bet a lot of frugal folks and single people eat here and maybe even make their dnners last a little while.

So, I guess you can say I was pleasantly surprised by this impromptu experience at Molly's.

This place also sells ice cream cones, cake and pie, so it might be a good stop for coffee and dessert if you are ever in town and are looking for a coffee shop or maybe just walking downtown on a hot summer day. It's located at 224 S Lincoln St, and you cannot miss it. It's an old IHOP building on the corner of Lincoln and Third. It's painted green and white and it has a picture of a black and white shih tsu on the sign that reads, Molly's Family Restaurant.

The Davenport Hotel

Here in Spokane there is no more historic nor elegant a place than the Davenport Hotel, located at 10 South Post Street downtown. The hotel, first opened in 1914 has lived a full life and been the stopping point for many famous people including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Clark Gable, John Philip Sousa, Lawrence Welk, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Benny Goodman. It has quite a history, and seen changes over the years. What used to handle horse drawn carriages and horses now valet parks the little hybrid Prius and Mercedes Benz.


The Davenport (<--be sure to click there) boasts that it was the first hotel to have air conditioning and that it is famous for that salad called Crab Louis; named after the hotel's owner, Louis Davenport. But Mr. Davenport and his family sold the hotel in 1945 and until 1985 it exchanged hands of ownership many times. Finally, due to the fact it had been run down over the years, it was closed down and the world famous Davenport Hotel was destined to demolition. Like most old buildings it had seen finer days, but when the plan were made to demolish it were made it was determined that turning it into rubble over the city of Spokane would release asbestos everywhere and no one wanted that, so it remained abandoned, that is until Walt & Karen Worthy purchased the entire city block for $6.5 million and made plans to reopen the landmark hotel. They dropped about $40 million in the bucket in order to refurbish and restore the city's most elegant "Davenport Hotel."

Here it is today. As you can see, it is elegant and it has a history... therefore, it seemed only appropriate that a group of us get together at the Davenport, to celebrate the 90th birthday of a dear friend, Lila last weekend, and that is just what we did!

I must say, valet parking is the way to go and the staff here was increidbly curteous and helpful. The food was awesome and for lunch the prices were between 12.00 and 14.00. and of course all the elegance of the hotel came with it. Our parking was validated because we dined at the hotel too.

There were a lot of great things on our lunch menu, which by the way had been specially prepared for our party. I ordered the Asian Chicken Salad, which was not, (in my AMerican mind)a "salad" by any means. I even embarrassed myself telling the waitress, "Excuse me, but I thought I ordered a salad," when she brought me a ploate of what looked like noodles with chicken on the side. She assured me that it was the "Asian Salad" I had ordered and so I gave it a try...

I liked it a lot. I even ate it all. It was a sort of cabbage/crunchy noodle thing with teriaki chicken on the side. I was mostly disappointed by the fact that I had ordered a "salad" hoping to forgo some carbs that day and instead ended up with a plat of noodle, but I love cabbage and it was yummy so it made me happy after all.

Other items on the menu included breakfast options, like a Crab and Avocado Omlette, or if you prefer, Asparagus and Forrest Mushroom. That is unless you prefer the Scottish King Smoked Salmon Benedict. There were also options like Grilled Cheese and Tomatoe Bisque, Ruben Dips, and Salmon served with berry sauce. Here in the Pacific Northwest you see, salmon is a favorite indeed!

Our little party at the Davenport was also a "surprise" and we even did a little presentation for our group and took pictures too. The staff did a fantastic job of making all these things happen and worked to make it a special time for us all. I have to say that it was a very nice display of Pacific Northwestern hospitality. Unfortunately Geo did not get to come for it was a girls b-day party and we were simply a group of girls.

Maybe someday we will venture out here together, you know if we ever go somewhere special to get away... get away for a weekend or something. This might very well be it. It has a great location right in the heart of the city where a lot of things like movies theater and concerts are going on in town, but they also most certainly have that special knack in making make one feel quite welcome. As for dining out... this is one place I would be happy to experience again, especially with someone special like him.

I heard the "Tower" across the street, is a fantastic place to eat too, in particular someplace called the Safari Room. I have never been there but plan to try that one sometime. Rumor has it that at "Happy Hour" (4-6 PM) they have some great half price flatbread pizzas. I am told that you do not even need to sit at the bar to get the special pizza price and that they are really, really, really good!

I love adventures in Spokane. Once you get out and about around town meeting the people who live and work here, you find it really is a gem of a city and the people... they are amazing. I guess this is one reason we have decided to call Spokane our "home."

Jerry's (Phoenix, Az)

"Jerry's... Jerry's... Jerry's" they yell as they drive by.... the groupies that is... (those who love to eat at Jerry's.) You never hear them because they are in their cars... and you are probably eating waffles and eggs or fish inside the place. In business since 1966... this restaurant is nothing fancy but still draws a crowd.

This restaurant is not in Spokane. It's located at: 2323 E Thomas Road in Phoenix, AZ., and I had the pleasure of having a bite to eat there with a couple of guys I know who wear baseball caps and eat there from time to time. I think they like the place because the waitresses are friendly and because they do not like to cook too much, especially in the heat. They tell me that this place serves great fish on Fridays and they have senior specials too! It's a casual twenty-four hour restaurant with a sort of 60's flair...

In the minds of most folks, I think that means shakes and burgers. I am not much into shakes and burgers I guess. However, I thought they had an interesting menu.



Geo and I ordered a BLT and salads with ranch and blue cheese respectively. Our food was fine, except for my cole slaw that I didn't think was very good, but I ate it anyhow. I really was there more for the company than the food, and I love BLT's... so all was good with me.

"Jerry's ...Jerry's... Jerry's..."
I heard they do it on some TV show too.