#SpoCOOL: The Latah Bistro vegetarian feast Click it!
By Remi | Apr 23, 2009 | 7 ResponsesAnd yes, feast is the only way to describe it, and if you missed it, you certainly missed out on quite the event. Not that SFB was represented during the actual event, but we did get to check out the menu the next day.
There are, at least as far as I am concerned, two important points to take home after the dinner. First, not once did I think I was eating a vegetarian meal. This is important, as so many vegetarian options in town is the standard replace-meat-with-portobello. Or tofu. Or… Well, you know the deal. Eating the borscht with a beet bread pudding, the torta, and the lentil mole, I did not once feel like anything was missing. The same went with the rest of the dishes in the six course dinner. The food, in other words, was a runaway success.
One thing we lucked out with over the actual event was that we could choose wine from the actual wine list. The previous day’s festivities had included only organic wines, which… Well… I can see the thought behind it, but I think it was more of a well intention than something which would perfectly compliment the meal. How many times have you had an organic wine that really blew your mind? I’m not saying that it’s impossible to find good organic wines, but when it comes to having three glasses with a $60 meal. Seems that non-organic wines would have made more sense.
More importantly is that events like this give chefs a chance to do something more creative than what is usually on the menu. Six course meals like this — vegetarian or otherwise — is a great way to have menu items perfectly paired with eachother, something we don’t see much of around town. With all respect to those who like lots of choices, I do believe a chef is better at picking out these kind of things than the customer. Why don’t we see more events like this? I suppose it could be something as simple as owners not thinking it’ll be profitable with Spokane’s customer base. And honestly, it would probably take a bit of time to get something like this penetrated into the market.
Still, good on Latah Bistro for taking a chance, and dishing up a very successful dinner.
Leio Comment 1 of 7
Apr 23 2009 1:31 pmActually, organic and biodynamic wines are becoming all the rage now in the wine industry. Many of the world’s best producers create wine this way, and these methods are often indicative of a quality producer. You may be drinking a lot more organic/biodynamic wines than you know. Many producers follow these methods (especially in Europe) but simply cannot afford or do not want to spend the money to be certified by the government.
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Remi Comment 2 of 7
Apr 23 2009 1:44 pmRage, sure. “Organic” is the rage within pretty much any food or beverage industry. That, however, does not automatically make the product a good thing. I’m not saying good organic wines don’t exist, but with a $60 6-course meal the odds of getting a good one (or, as it stood, three) are less than stellar.
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Leio Comment 3 of 7
Apr 23 2009 2:02 pmI would agree, if the restaurant is trying to make a typical 100% markup from retail for a $60 dinner. However, plenty of good organic wine can be found in the $15 to $20 range.
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Dave Comment 4 of 7
Apr 23 2009 10:34 pmRemi, Thanks for the post. I’m glad you had the opportunity to taste the meal that DB, Don and Lisa worked hard to create. Ben Tobin took some shots and I will post them soon.
I also got to taste the courses with our regular wine list and agree with you, certified organics still have a long way to go before the quality matches the price points of non-certifieds.
Leio is right about the amount of organics that choose to avoid the cost of certification especially from CA and Italy. They also do this to avoid the poor quality market perception currently associated with organics. I forced the issue to not only see what was out there but also for curiosity.
We are planning some upcoming dinners that might interest you and we will be sure to give you more of a heads up.
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Remi Comment 5 of 7
Apr 24 2009 8:29 amWell, I definitely look forward to see what events you guys will come up with next time. Anything that can kick up the Spokane food scene a bit is a very good thing.
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Unknown Neva Comment 6 of 7
Apr 24 2009 11:45 amThe food was wonderful. I hope all of the items are regulars on the menu. I like a change of pace. I know many come in for their restaurant favorite but, if you already have them hooked, they can find a new favorite. Latah Bistro definitely has the creativity and skill to create a unique veg/vegan menu, if they wanted to.
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Our best of 2009 « Spokane Food Blog Comment 7 of 7
Dec 31 2009 9:46 am[...] meal: The Latah Bistro vegetarian feast. We’re not vegetarians here (anymore, for some) but Latah Bistro hit a home run with their [...]
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