By Taste Budz, (Brooklyn & Zach Bolin) @tastebudz
STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND GO TO THE LAKEHOUSE BAR AND GRILL IN LOON LAKE. The food, staff, service, and ambience was impeccable. We could not believe that this restaurant is in Loon Lake. Their goal was to bring Spokane-style dining into our backyard, and they have gone above and beyond.
What we enjoyed
~ Caesar Salad
~ House Salad with Ranch
~ Thai Curry Soup
~ Meatloaf
~ Fall Harvest Pesto Pasta
~ Roast Chicken Hind Quarter
~ Bread Pudding
~ Chocolate Mousse
I had the Caesar salad and Zack had the house salad. EVERYTHING is made from scratch (they even roast their own pig when they serve pork!). The ranch dressing on Zack’s salad was the best ranch either of us have had. The fresh dill added the perfect amount of citrus and zest without being overpowering. The Caesar salad was perfection. I love a good Caesar dressing and they are far and few between. Jonathan (the chef) did an amazing job of balancing the flavors of the garlic, lemon, and anchovy. We even got to try the soup which was a Thai curry with yams, purple carrots, mushrooms, and caramelized onions.
The pesto pasta had a luscious creamy, nutty and basil flavor. Jonathan uses a basil pecan pesto with white wine olive oil for the sauce, and the vegetables are all sourced from local farms. He used zucchini, carrots, and grape tomatoes. The tomatoes added the perfect pop of acidity.
Zack doesn’t typically like meatloaf, but this was his favorite dish of the night. The meatloaf was served atop of creamy mash potatoes with a mouthwatering demi glaze, and to top it all off, a French herb sauce with capers and parsley. Each layer was perfectly assembled. The demi glaze sauce was immensely savory, but it wasn’t too thick or rich, the potatoes were so soft and creamy, the meatloaf itself was a beautiful combination of flavors, and the French herb sauce added that salty citrus pop at the end that tied it all together.
The roast chicken was divine. The chicken just melted in your mouth. It was filled with a succulent mushroom and sausage stuffing that paired perfectly with the fatty, juicy flavors from the chicken. There was a crispy layer of skin around all of it. It was served with a pan-seared polenta cake that was flawlessly done. The outside had a gorgeous golden crisp, and when you cut into it, the inside was soft and fluffy.
For dessert we had the chocolate mousse and bread pudding. The chocolate mousse itself had a mild cocoa flavor which went superbly with the house-made decadent caramel that was layered on top of it. The dish was topped with whip cream and crumble. The bread pudding reminded me of French toast. Spiced and full of fruit, the drizzle of sweet cream on top finished the dish off marvelously.
The staff were all so kind and made us feel at home. The general manager, Ku’ulei, is incredibly knowledgeable about all their dishes and has a beautiful passion for the restaurant. Cory, our server, was kind and attentive, but also incredibly professional. You can tell everyone is proud to be there and they want to create an amazing, yet affordable experience for their guests. They actually run a special from 4-5:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday) where you can have a 3-course meal for $33.All of the menu items we tried were off of that menu.
The restaurant itself is spacious. There is a downstairs bar area with pool tables and TVs, if you are looking to have a fun, casual night out, and upstairs is a wonderful, romantic setting if you are out to have a date night. During the summer months they have a dog-friendly outdoor patio and they even plan on having live music on Fridays, starting next year.
All their ingredients are sourced from local farms, so their menu changes seasonally. Their business is based on small businesses supporting other small businesses. They get their beef from Lone Crow Ranch out of Loon Lake. They also use Gardenspot Farms, Wade Farms, and New Heritage Farms, just to name a few.
They have take out available, as well as frozen soups that you can take home. Jonathan sent us home with some and I can’t wait to try them out!
There is truly something for everyone at this restaurant. I promise you, they will knock your socks off, so get out there and check them out!
www.theloonlakehouse.com
3398 WA-292,
Loon Lake, WA 99148
What The Heck Is Taste Budz?
I’m sure this is a question you’ve asked yourself as you see us in the Huckleberry Press, online, and on social media so let us introduce ourselves. Our names are Zack & Brooklyn, we are a married couple that love showcasing all the fun places to play and eat in the Inland Northwest. We created Taste Budz to promote local businesses and expose people to the great places all around them. Keep up with us to find your next activity.
