Where: 404 W Main Ave, Spokane, WA Population: 200K+
Distance: About 75 miles from Pullman
Kid Friendly. Kids can eat here, but it is a slow dining experience similar in that sense to Whoopemup Cafe.
Sante, Sante, Sante I have been hearing about Sante non-stop from some of my friends over at the Spokane Food Blog and finally made it to Sante this past weekend. Four of us were fortunate enough to be able to eat dinner at Sante and I must say I am already looking forward to going to it again. The dinner menu is divided into Separates, Garde Manger (Cold Food) and Plats De Resistance (Entree. Separates run in the $7-$12 range, Garde manger in the $8-$13 range and Entree's in the $12-31 range with most being above $20. Overall the ambiance is very nice and the service is excellent although do be prepared to spend 1-2 hours eating as this is a traditional slow food style setting. The food is farm fresh, mostly from the Northwest and the farms are listed on the menu, which was a nice touch to a beautiful meal. Below are some photos from the trip with captions, just remember Sante is worth checking out and the food will keep you coming back!
The Separates: We also had a goat cheese and leek dish which I forgot to photograph, it was excellent tho.
The Tofu: separate very tasty served with feta, ginger honey, and sauce anise
Sea Scallop separate: The best scallop I have had in years, a must try if you like seafood
Salade Melangee: Prosciutto, Greens, Peppers, Hazelnuts, and a Red Wine Vinaigrette
The Main Courses: The portions are just right and the food is so delectable you feel almost remorseful at being content and full at the end of the meal.
Spinach Salad: Soft Boiled Egg, Fennel, Pecorino Romano, Warm Pancetta, and Vinaigrette. Not a main course, but it was a delicious salad that one in the group got.
Chitarra Pasta with Kielbasa: Marjoram, Fennel, Bread Crumbs, Shaved Pecorino Romano, and Kielbasa. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the kielbasa wasn't too shabby either =p.
Berkshire Pork Chop: Spring Onion, Rissole Potatoes, Pepper Confiture, and Berkshire Demi.
Wild Boar: Smoked Belly Roulade, Smashed Baby Reds, Pecorino, Fine Herbs, and Creamed Demi. This was my main course and it was amazing the Reds were perfect and the wild boar was cooked just right!
After Dinner
We split a cherry chocolate cake as a group and it was good. I would say it was a mild disappointment after the excellence of everything that came before it, but it was still very tasty.
Of course the best thing after a great meal is a perfectly done Americano, which you guessed it Sante had.
All in all, Sante is an amazing, albeit potentially spendy dinner dining experience. They have indoor and outdoor seating and are located right in the heart of old downtown Spokane (next to Auntie’s Bookstore). If you are in the area, you must check it out and if you want to spend a bit less on the meal, I recommend going for a brunch or perhaps taking the approach some at Spokane Food Blog have as blogged here. For more information on Sante you can check out their website at http://www.santespokane.com/
Thanks for the post. I have dined at Sante often since they opened last October and have never had a bad meal. As you say, plan on spending a little time here as the chef and staff believe that the French have it right, that you need to relax and enjoy your meal. You forgot to mention that many of the meats you mentioned in your post (Kielbasa, pancetta, bacon, and others) are made in house. They also make all their own sauces (including mustards, catsup, and salad dressings) in house. This is the only restaurant I can think of that does not even own a can-opener. There is also a small but nice selection of wines and beers available for your pleasure.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, the book store they are located next to is actually Auntie's which is a Spokane institution.