Smoky Mountain Pizzeria

Atmosphere: Trendy
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: Depends what you order
Service: Was not impressed
Kid Friendliness: high chairs provided. Coloring books, crayons.
Overall: Might try it again sometime
Cost: $35 - $40 for a family of four. A little on the high end of family dining.
Favorite: Not sure yet

Since this is a new restaurant, we wanted to try it out but like all new restaurants in this area, there was a line out the door for several weeks. We finally got to try it out on a Tuesday night and it was okay for a new place. I felt like the wait staff were pretty green since the dish we ordered, the Curry Chicken Pizza had never been done by the chefs before (so the waitress explained when we had waited 20 minutes for our meal) but when we finally got it, it was absolutely mouthwatering.

The kids got their cheese pizza served in frisbees and they also got a balloon at the end of the meal.

Nectar

Atmosphere: Intimate and Sophisticated
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: Excellent
Service: Waiter was friendly but very professional
Kid Friendliness: No kids
Overall: Very cool.
Cost: $50 per person
Favorite: Creme Brulee!

Nectar's Wine Bar is a trendy little place right in downtown Moscow. It's designed to attract the high-end crowd with limited menu and a nice wine selection. I happened to go with a group of friends and only had a small salad. I'm sure if I had the cash I'd be a frequent patron; as it is I think it will be a special occasion favorite.

New Garden - Pullman

Atmosphere: plain. feels like a dining room or cafeteria.
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: Excellent
Service: always very good. Food arrives quickly.
Kid Friendliness: They welcome kids. No crayons.
Overall: This is one of our favorite places to eat in Pullman.
Cost: $25 for the family if the kids share
Favorite: Beef and Broccoli. I love it!


This unpretentious little place on Grand Avenue is one of the most popular places in Pullman. The food always comes quickly, the service is terrific and the taste is the best Chinese food I have had on the Palouse.

We had our rehearsal dinner here for our wedding and the family-style feast suited us just right.

Moscow Food Co-Op

Atmosphere: Coffee corner of a grocery store
Food Quality: Very Good
Food Taste: Love what I had!
Service: Self Serve
Kid Friendliness: Everyone welcome
Overall: Fun lunch location
Cost: a la carte
Favorite: Kale Slaw. Yum!

We ate here the other night when the Potato Heads (Celtic Band) were playing. They have a lot of unusual and vegetarian foods and everything I have had is really good!

San Miguel's Family Mexican

Atmosphere: converted bar
Food Quality: good
Food Taste: so-so
Service: Not outstanding
Kid-friendliness: yes highchairs, no crayons
Overall: not impressed
Cost: $20 for lunch of two entrees

We went to try out this place for Matt's birthday lunch. We'd heard really good things from his co-workers but alas, we found the food bland instead of "authentic" as we'd heard. It was basically a similar Americanized Mexican menu with a few additions. The waitress was friendly but lacked finesse--typical Moscow fare.

I doubt we'll go back; we like Casa (atmosphere) or Patty's (food) much better.

Shari's Family Restaurant

Atmosphere: Your typical family breakfast-for-dinner joint
Food Quality: Good
Food Taste: Acceptable
Service: So far has always been bad
Kid Friendliness: Good. They provide crayons but cannot seem to get a high chair until we have stood awkwardly for several minutes waiting.
Overall: We eat there fairly often just for the pie
Cost: $30 for the four of us to eat dinner if we split
Favorite: Marionberry pie

We go to Shari's from time to time although we always cringe at the terrible service. The waiters and waitresses usually forget something or stand around asking us if we need anything (one of my pet peeves). But the food is usually edible and the kids love the coloring place mats. Also their marionberry pie makes up for a lot.

West of Paris

Atmosphere: Sophisticated and Intimate
Food Quality: Excellent
Food Taste: To die for
Service: Our waiter really knew his stuff. Big city quality.
Kid Friendliness: Not appropriate for kids. Get a sitter.
Overall: We LOVE it here. If we were millionaires we'd eat here all the time.
Cost: $150 for two full-course dinners and wine
Favorite: The cognac quail. Wow.

Matt took me here a few weeks ago to celebrate his new job. We engaged a sitter and had an evening out. The waiters take their time; even the menu likens the meal to a multi-movement symphony. The amazing food and atmosphere make you want to spend not only the evening but the rest of your life there.

Of course it is spendy, but our friends mentioned that they will go there for an appetizer or a dessert and it doesn't break the bank. We just go there on extra special occasions.