Cafe Italiano - Spokane, Wa

Greek Street Special Pizza

Hummus

Ambience
Cafe Italiano is a small, unassuming restaurant in northern Spokane, having a small number of dine-in tables. Food is also available for carry-out, which is a nice option, should the tables all happen to be occupied. The night we went for dinner, only two other tables were being utilized. Walking in, you are face-to-face with a pass-through to the kitchen, which, appeared to be very clean and organized. In fact, when a fellow diner stated that he is a chef, he was immediately invited to explore the kitchen, and he took the opportunity to do so. The dine-in ambience of the restaurant was lacking in appeal. The windows and floors could have used a cleaning, the window treatments were rather sorry, and the overall effect was one that screamed, "we put as little effort into our decor as possible." A simple cleaning, some updated table dressings, and some simple decorative accents could make all the difference.
GRADE - C-

Service
Our server immediately greeted us and was very friendly, and it appeared that he was also one of the chefs. He freely offered recommendations and genuinely seemed interested in our opinions of the food. He was prompt, attentive, and courteous.
GRADE - A

Food & Drink
If you are going to Cafe Italiano, you are not going for the wine selection. We each ordered a glass of unremarkable, though not bad, red. The pours were large. To go with our wine, we opted for the hummas as an appetizer to share. It was a large portion, and really quite good. Served with pita triangles, the hummus was not short on flavor, and could have been shared by a party of four. For our dinner, we highly debated pizza and pasta, eventually opting to share the Greek Street Special pizza, which was topped with pepperoncini, pepperoni, feta, black olives, and garlic. The crust was far from thin-crust, but was not overly thick either. It was a true classic-style crust that could be appreciated by thin and thick crust lovers alike. The sauce was flavorful and tasted homemade, and the toppings tasted fresh. All in all, a good pizza. Our server recommended that we try their pasta on our next visit, as he views the pasta dishes as their specialty, and we agreed that we will have to make a second trip. For dessert, we shared the zeppole, or Italian-style donuts. They were good, but not earth-shattering.
GRADE - B

Value
Cafe Italiano is a good value, serving good-sized portions at very fair prices. Appetizers range from $6 for soup to $13 for an antipasto platter. Pizzas come in three sizes, ranging from $16 for a small to $20 for a large, while pastas are $13 to $16. Many menu items are large enough to share or to take leftovers home.
GRADE - A-

Overall
Overall, Cafe Italiano has pretty good food for reasonable prices. With its less-than-stellar ambience, opting for carry-out may be the best option. For decent pasta and pizza, this is a place worth visiting.
GRADE - B

The Flying Goat - Spokane, Washington

Riverside Focaccia

Euclid Pizza

The Flying Goat in Spokane, Washington is a neigborhood pizza place/bar. It so happens that we live within a few blocks of The Goat, making it our favorite local haunt. It only seems appropriate, therefore, that it should be the subject of my first restaurant review.

Ambience
The Flying Goat is a relatively small restaurant, with maybe 10-12 tables in the general restaurant. There are also four or 5 tables within the bar, as well as typical seating at the bar itself. During the warmer months, the outside patio is opened for additional seating. It is adorned with a central fireplace, which is a nice feature, especially in the evening. The restaurant can get a little loud, though not terrible, and families with children are often present. For these reasons, I prefer to sit in the bar, which is also less brightly lit than the dining room. Music is always playing at The Goat, with the bartender determining song selection, so selection varies greatly from day to day.
GRADE - B

Service
Service at The Flying Goat is typically very good. We do happen to be "regulars" here, so we may be attended to better than most, but I have rarely heard complaints about the service. Reservations are not accepted here, and it can get crowded, especially on weekends. But, you can always grab a beer from the bar while you wait for a table to open up.
GRADE - A

Food & Drink
Food at The Flying Goat is primarily pizza and sandwiches. The pizza is cooked in a Woodstone oven, giving it a very thin, somewhat charred crust. If you do not care for that charred flavor, this pizza is probably not for you. Overall, the crust is very good, though it can vary in crispness. Topping combinations range from very standard (cheese and tomato sauce) to very unique (truffle oil and an egg). The Fairview (pears, salty ham, balsamic reduction, blue cheese) is one of my personal favorites. Always remember to check the chalkboard near the hostess stand for the special pizza of the week. Appetizers here are large enough to share. If you are a wing person, which I am not, their wings are supposed to be stellar. They are on the spicy side, so be conservative with how spicy you choose to go. The Plese Flats Chips and Salsa is a great appetizer to share, consisting of crunchy pita-type chips and a very flavorful Mediterranean-style salsa. Sandwiches are also good here, though we typically go with the pizza. For two people, splitting an appetizer and a pizza seems to be the perfect amount of food. Desserts here are nothing special, but the beer selection is great and rotates weekly.
GRADE - A

Value
The value here is very good. Appetizers range from $4 for a healthy portion of potato chips to $11 for the dumplings. Pizzas are $10 to $15.
GRADE - A

Overall
For what it is - a neighborhood pizza and beer place - The Flying Goat is worth checking out. Servers are friendly, appetizers are hearty, and pizzas are unique.
GRADE - A