Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sometimes you simply stumble upon something so delicious and life-giving that it takes your breath and leaves you giddy. My happening upon Sante was one of those instances. My mother had read about the new restaurant in the Spokesman and wanted to visit. I was hesitant. My food budget of late has been stretched nearly to the breaking point. Still, if mother was intrigued and was buying, I was up to the meal.
We pulled up and parked on the street, dropping a quarter for every 13 minutes of time. The restaurant at mid-day was sparsely populated, so we were given a happy table adjacent to the lovely long bank of windows at the restaurant's front. The lower halves of the panes are frosted so you don't have to gaze upon the grimy sidewalk and can instead focus on passersby and the buildings clustered on Main across from Auntie's. It is an interesting view even if it is a bit commercial and gritty.
The interior decor is simply and artsy, with an array of paintings livening up one wall. The high ceiling is fascinating with its beige-painted array of undisguised pipes and utilitarian tubing. The lighting is more than adequate as an accompaniment to the sunshine spilling through the generous windows. In the background, a Gonzaga classical station provides soothing music for your meal. The tables and floor are (seemingly matching) dark polished wood. The thick water glasses are intriguingly curvaceous at the top; and Sante kindly leaves a chilled water flask at your table in case your thirst remains unquenced.
The single page parchment menu was simple and brief. I would happily have ordered the Kobe burger, but the waitress planted the idea of the day's special--steak and eggs--and both my mother and I were sold. She ordered an apple cider to accompany her breakfast while I requested mint tea.
The tea arrived in a charmingly wide white mug, a silken pyramid of leaves steeping in its depths. It was fragrant and lovely and tasted of peppermint heaven. (An aside: the brand was Tea Forte. I was so enraptured by it I actually bought the remainder of the box to take home.) This should have prepared me for my meal, but I was still a little wary. It was difficult for me to believe true gourmet delights could be found so close to my favorite bookstore. Life is never that perfect.
But sometimes it is. The steak and eggs arrived with a blessedly sharp knife. I tucked into them with quivering hope. Ohhh, the eggs were perfect: golden liquid yolks and perfectly scrumptious whites. Even better was Sante's tenderloin steak. Frankly, I rarely enjoy steak. It was a big gamble for me to order it. I am so very glad I did. This was the best steak I've had in decades, surpassing even the delicious meat I enjoyed at Wild Safe. Pink inside and wonderfully brown without, it was tender and juicy. Every luscious bite was luscious satisfied. If this is an example of its meat preparation skills, Sante absolutely deserves its designation as a charcuterie.
Can I sigh in melodramatic delirium yet? This restaurant is dedicated to local and organic fare whenever possible, it cooks these delectables beautifully and it is twinned with Spokane's finest bookstore and game market. I am overcome with joy. My foodie heart could just burst.
Sante Restaurant and Charcuterie is splendid. My only regret is that my sister was not there to partake of the magnificent steak. This, however, will soon be rectified. I plan to get her up there asap. This foodie destination is absolutely not to be missed.
So Jazzed,
~L
(Notes: Sante means health in French. A charcuterie specializes in the preparation of meat.)
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