Cafe Carambola Tucked in a blue strip mall on Northwest Boulevard, Cafe Carambola features some of the freshest authentic Latin food in the Inland Northwest. The menu emphasizes local produce, with an assortment of salads, soups, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), quesadillas and wraps. 610 W. Hubbard St., Coeur d'Alene • Idaho • 208-676-8784
Ding How A favorite among diners in Liberty Lake and the Valley, Ding How features a veritable tour of Asia, featuring Chinese, Korean, Thai and Japanese selections on its menu. Check out the sushi that they make right in front of you, or for a night in, get some takeout for two. 1332 N. Liberty Lake Rd., Liberty Lake • Wash. • 921-1901
King of Ramen The savory smell that hits you when first you walk into King of Ramen quickly makes you forget you're in a Division Street strip mall. A long bar lets diners hunker down over the large, steaming bowls as they watch the cooks, while tables sit underneath walls decorated with Japanese art. But back to that smell. It comes from the delicious pork and chicken broth that is made daily and boiled for hours with all-natural ingredients and seasonings. This is Hakata-style ramen, where the noodles tend to be thinner and each bowl comes with chashu, a Japanese-style pork. 1601 N. Division St., Spokane • Wash. • 321-7050
Queen of Sheba The menu at Queen of Sheba is full of dishes both traditional and exotic — traditional to chef and owner Almaz Ainuu's homeland, and exotic for American customers who perhaps have never eaten Ethiopian food before she opened in the Flour Mill building more than five years ago. Those years introduced Inland Northwest food lovers to an array of dishes perfected by the former preschool teacher, a mix of vegetarian and meat entrées layered with spices and rich flavors. The Flour Mill, 621 W. Mallon Ave., Spokane • Wash. • 328-3958
Taste of India Really, really hungry? Come here for a buffet that will blow your mind. It runs you about 10 bucks. Otherwise, stop in for dinner and pick up takeout from this Spokane institution. 3110 N. Division St., Spokane • Wash. • 327-7313
Top of India Top of India's dinner menu offers a little something for everyone, including lamb, chicken, beef, seafood, and of course veggies. The restaurant also specializes in tandoori cooking. Consider the Chicken Tikka or Tandoori Prawn. 11114 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley • Wash. • 927-0500
