Restaurant Reviews

Taste Budz Review: Italia Trattoria

By Gabriel Cruden / November 4, 2026 /

If you read this column often, then you know my favorite cuisine is Italian. Well, Zack decided to surprise me and take me to a spot I’d never been to…

Taste Budz Review: Gordo’s Cantina Mexican Restaurant

By Gabriel Cruden / October 2, 2026 /

Chewelah keeps on growing, and there is now an awesome new Mexican restaurant, Gordo’s Cantina. What we enjoyed: Tacos Placeros Carne Asada Burrito Vampiro Cocktail House Margarita ​Zack and I…

Taste Budz Review: Tavolàta

By Gabriel Cruden / September 4, 2026 /

Zack and I are soaking up the last bit of summer now that the smoke has cleared out. We decided to have a wonderful dinner on Tavolàta’s patio in downtown…

Taste Budz Review: Nina’s Thai

By Gabriel Cruden / July 31, 2026 /

Chewelah recently hit the jackpot when Nina’s Thai opened up in the General Store.  What we enjoyed:  Egg Roles Drunken Noodles with Beef Chow Mein with Beef Pork Kra Pao …

Taste Budz Review: Temple Tavern

By Gabriel Cruden / July 3, 2026 /

Temple Tavern is a new restaurant in the Garland District that opened in February of this year. It was formerly North Hill on Garland. We never made it in prior,…

Taste Budz Review: Baba Spokane

By Gabriel Cruden / June 5, 2026 /

I absolutely love Mediterranean and middle-eastern cuisine but finding restaurants in this category where Zack will like the food was impossible until we discovered Baba.  What we enjoyed:  – Lamb…

Taste Budz Review: Bistango Martini Lounge

By Gabriel Cruden / May 1, 2026 /

Zack and I try to do one date night a week. In April, we drove to Spokane but had not picked a destination. We walked by Bistango and decided to…

Taste Budz Review: Sorella

By Gabriel Cruden / April 3, 2026 /

Zack was craving pasta for his birthday dinner, and I have been dying to try Sorella in Kendall Yards, so we decided to combine the two. What we enjoyed: ~Arancini…

Taste Budz Review: Luna Spokane

By Gabriel Cruden / February 27, 2026 /

For Valentine’s Day, Zack and I decided to check out Luna on the South Hill in Spokane; we were drawn to the name, as that’s what we’d like to name…

Taste Budz Review: For the Love of God Brewing and Pizzeria

By Gabriel Cruden / January 30, 2026 /

Perhaps the best combination on the planet is pizza and beer. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, For the Love of God Brewing made the combo even…