This is my third review of the Latah Bistro.

Some might call me a sucker for punishment; repeating the same action (going back to the Bistro) and expecting a different result (food I actually like) is, of course, the definition of being insane. Or stupid. Either way, I apparently am both, as my recent lunch there nailed what I was hoping to be served there.

I always felt the Latah Bistro had a lot of potential, and my only real issue was that any given meal had way too many strange flavor combinations. It looks like the right balance has finally been found, as my trout was very very good. Served with a nice pesto (which had a very fresh flavor to it) and crimini mushrooms, the meal literally tasted like fall. (And I eat fall a lot.) Add some perfectly cooked purple potatoes, and heck… I really liked this meal.

My dining companion was a big fan of his prawn BLT too, so it was obvious that the change for the better was not a fluke.

Latah Bistro, then, has finally reached the point a lot of us had hoped it’d reach. And that’s good for all of us.

Latah Bistro, fine dining establishment, a few weeks ago: the place was about 70% occupied, so OK they’re a little busy. We were seated and waited at least 15 minutes for someone, anyone to take a drink order. Our waitress was also the bartender (ditch the martinis or get a bartender). So we get drinks and appetizers which come fairly quickly. As I’m chewing through the salad like some deranged rabbit, I finally noticed how green it all tasted, they forgot the dressing. This is easily remedied, except NO ONE is available for service. At this point it’s time to bail; I leave my dining partner with the credit card and go to the store to p/u a few items. I come back 15-20 minutes later and she’s still sitting there with no check in sight. We finally get the check, the waitress graciously comps the salad, but I’ll probably avoid the place in the future. I’ve have had many good (not great) meals at the Latah and service is usually pretty good, perhaps this was an exception. It is always expensive though and so if they’re going to take my money, I’d better be happy every time. It’s really easy to spend $100 on dinner in an alleged fine dining establishment, but in this area it’s seems as if the fine dining experience is too often the exception. It also seems funny that the chef never seems to be in residence at this place.

We had a fabulous meal at Latah Bistro. The tuna was seared perfectly, and the curry chicken was seasoned exactly right. The waiter was incredible. He didn’t hover, but was attentive. We definitely will go back.

Dining can be a very subjective thing. Appetite, company, the occasion can all serve to distract or enhance the dining experience. Both meals I’ve had at the Latah Bistro have been shared with good friends, and so that may help, but in my opinion, both were incredible meals.

Focusing on the most recent foray, our entire party was delighted. Service was helpful and attentive, the selected wine was great, the entrees fabulous. My tuna was seared perfectly, the trout was delicious, and the fresh sheet scallops were large, meaty, and delicious.

Dessert was a big hit as well. No complaints here – we’ll be back.

This was the best meal we had in well… pretty much ever. I had the Scallops with arugula and blood oranges in a ginger sauce. It was light and fresh, but incredibly flavorful. My boyfriend got the Pork marinated in kalamata olives with risotto and Brussels sprouts. The flavors were amazing. They have an open kitchen, and so if you want a little entertainment with your meal and like to try lots of different foods, I would recommend sitting in the Zoo. They call it that because you sit behind a pane of glass and watch the chefs cook and every so often the throw you some food. We had a table reserved but arrived early before it was ready. We decided to wait in the Zoo until it opened up, but after about 10 minutes we told the waiter to give our table to someone else. The head chef and soux chef were fun and so nice. They were constantly giving us samples of other dishes. They were able to help pick out a suitable dish for me (I have celiacs, so no gluten). After out appetizers I was surprised with a small treat.. a flour-less, gluten free tiny chocolate cupcake. It was so delicious with a hint of cinnamon and chile. This was a sample of their dessert the “Bucket of Love”. So yeah, they pretty much hands down won my heart. Oh, and also the fact that they try to get everything as local as possible, and work with everyones dietary needs. It was expensive, but SO worth it- we will be back.

Loved it!

They make fantastic martinis and their signature salad was the best salad I have ever had. The mushroom ravioli was to die for and we didn’t find the meal expensive. This is by far the best restaurant in Spokane.

Excellent Restaurant!

I dine at Latah Bistro often. The reason I keep going back is because they continue to provide consistent friendly service with fantastic food and wine. I have not found better in Spokane.

My wife and I really had a great time here, the food was great, the atmosphere, but what really set it apart was our server. He had great suggestions the whole night, very friendly and funny. If you want a great dining experience go here and ask for John. You won’t regret it!

Keller you were right on about your review, a few of us went there for a few drinks, but ended up staying for dinner! John was also our server and as you mentioned he did a great job. This place is truly worth several visits in the near future!

I don’t understand why people rave so much about this place. It’s a restaurant in a strip mall that thinks far too much of itself. I cannot justify spending around $20/person (just for the ENTREE) while staring at the front of a Trading Company store. The place tries to be fancy and tries to be upscale, but that’s just impossible in the setting. If they were in a better location I could justify their prices more. I am so glad we didn’t end up here for Valentine’s Day. My cheese pizza was pretty good but nothing special, and bf’s mushroom ravioli should have come with some sides for the $18 price tag. The Bucket of Love is good, but again, way overpriced. You’ll think I’m cheap but that’s not the case at all. I don’t mind spending the money for a nice night out, but if that’s what I want I will go somewhere else. Latah reminded me of CI Shenanigan’s price-wise, but the quality and setting were lacking.

I visited for Valentine’s Day.

I had ALMOST perfect things to say about this place. Let me break it down.

Atmosphere
I do have to agree that the food, wine, service and inside decor does not match the rather awkward location of being in a strip mall next to a tanning salon. But it is not a big deal whatsoever and to be honest the large parking lot was really nice! No circling for parking. The place itself was wonderfully decorated and having the kitchen open in full view was very welcoming. Nice big and clean restrooms is always a plus!

Service
I have to say, this was not a slam dunk. It was weird, when our waitress was serving us she was beyond wonderful! Funny, knowledgeable, etc … but she was very busy and we had to wait longer than we would have liked to place our drink order. So it was a balance of wonderful service when she was there but was a little hard to flag down sometimes. So it was a wash :)

Food
Starter:
We started with the cheese plate, rosemary cashews and the olive bruschetta. They were all three wonderful, the cheese came with three different kinds of cheese, apples, bread and some raw nuts. They were all so fresh and full of flavor, it was a fantastic combination. The olive bruschetta had that wonderful kalamata olive kick to it. Plus we got five pieces which was great for the price. Finally the nuts, delicious and very reasonably priced! They were large and the seasoning was perfect.
Salad:
I then had their warm spinach salad which was a slam dunk in my book!! It was large and hearty with baby spinach and the warm bacon dressing was delicious. It was a little fatty/greasy but that is a compliment in my world. Some may find that that turns them off, but not to me, it was great. Plus pine nuts and an AWESOME soft goat cheese. It was heaven! I’ll go back just for that.
Entre:
I had the Pork Shank with risotto. I would give this a B to B+. It was very good, don’t get me wrong. The Risotto was perfection! Not sloppy and overcooked and had just great flavor. The only only only complaint was that the Pork was a little much. In the sense that it was a huge ass piece of meat. So it was just a lot of meat and after you get past the deliciously seasoned outer portions, the meat towards the bone was a little..well..boring. I would have hoped for a little less meat and a little more seasoning. But don’t get me wrong, it was delicious and I ate nearly the whole thing. Leaving the big bone :)
Dessert:
Caramel cake sundae was a fantastic surprise. It was just perfect and large enough to share one of them. It was a last minute, not-thought out decision and it paid off.
Wine:
I did not have any wine but one of the guests with me did and she was VERY happy with the red wine that was suggested by our waitress.
Cocktail:
I had a delicious “peartini”. It is sweet and fruity, so be ready for that .. but it was very delicious and presented very nicely.

Price
I was very happy with the price of the food. I was expecting to easily drop 100 dollars on a nice dinner with starters, salads, main course, dessert and multiple cocktails. But my bill was just a hair over $50. Beyond reasonable for such a great experience!

I HIGHLY recommend Latah and I am excited to visit again very shortly.

My husband and I had a great dinner there last Friday (day before V-day). The food, service and atmosphere was great. Yes it is in a small strip mall, but the inside makes you forget all that, plus you never have to worry about parking (downtown on the other hand…). There are really only three places in Spokane with a view and you don’t get great food or service with any of them. If all you care about is your wallet and not what is going into your body try Twigs or The Olive Garden, they take all kinds of short cuts with their food, (along with many others in Spokane). However if you want something tasty and quality try Latah, you won’t regret it!

I visited there a week or so ago.
The atmosphere was nice. The service great. I was a little disappointed in a couple of things. First my waitperson was really nice, but didn’t know wine. Thought Bordeaux was a varietal and served a sauvginion blanc that was clearly second rate. I ordered the giant scallop appetizer and thought it was good but the sauce was a little crude. Lots of crab but needed a better finish. My main course was a special. Lobster pasta. The lobster meat lacked flavor and texture (under done) It was a shame because the tomatoes and asparagus set off what could have been a spectacular meal instead of an ok one. Later I had an after dinner drink at the bar and discovered why you should never allow the employees to mix with customers. All in all I felt It was a good experience yet lacked the polish and attention to detail I was ready to rave about. With a little polishing though this could be a gem.

A friend and I went there recently, they were a little busy and we didn’t have a reservation (I’d recommend one). So we took a seat up at the bar, surprisingly we had a great time! The bartender was very friendly and got us drinks right away, he had great recommendations for wine and seemed to know his profession well. I always enjoy service that is friendly and genuine, rather than a cold robot taking my order. This place has more of neighborhood feel and the staff makes you feel like a friend, rather than just a customer with money. I am assuming some people don’t appreciate those things in service and would rather be treated more like a superior waited on by their lowly staff.

Everything is always just perfect lately here. This has become one of my favorite stops in town. Their hard work is paying off for sure! Food the past two times has been cooked and seasoned just right, great service and atmosphere.