Around the World in 80 Plates: The Final Chapter

This is the final installment of the Inlander's yearlong project "Around the World in 80 Plates," a quest to find 80 foods and drinks in the Spokane area representing 80 different places. Read the introduction to the project here.

Dear fellow foodie travelers,

In January, I started this project with certain expectations: I would search menus and shelves for hidden stories, I would update "Around the World in 80 Plates" weekly, and this would supplement my food reporting for the weekly print paper. All of this hinged on one main expectation: I would be the Inlander food reporter.

That was well and good until October, when I became the paper's City Hall reporter.

It's been a major shift from my previous world. Instead of shadowing chefs and bartenders, I've been spending a lot of time with municipal code and meeting agendas.

It's been challenging, at times stressful, and always rewarding. But it's also been incredibly distracting from this Around the World project, because now I only think about food at meal times, like a normal person. (Well, maybe a little more often than meal times—my Instagram algorithm is still showing me mostly cooking videos.)

BUT. I am still completely convinced that it's perfectly doable to find 80 plates representing 80 places across the globe, all right here in home sweet Spo. We reached 56 dishes by October, and had I kept the pace I was at for nine months, we'd have easily reached 80 before Dec. 31.

To prove it, here's a list of the remaining 24 things I planned to write about before New Year's Eve. In the interest of everyone's time, I'll leave most of the background research to fellow travelers.

1. Pakhlava from Armenia (Skewers)
The origins of pakhlava/baklava are hotly debated, but I recommend directing your questions to Mirak Kazanjian, owner of Skewers and something of an expert in Armenian history. Also, just as a personal shout out, the Armenian red table wine at Skewers is my favorite red wine I've ever had.

2. Muhammara from Aleppo, Syria (Skewers)
This roasted red pepper dip with walnuts and pomegranate molasses is to die for.

3. Garlic soup and Hushpuppies from New Orleans, Louisiana (Vieux Carre NOLA Kitchen)
I'm not sure garlic soup is always on the menu, but it was available when I went in February. If you see it, get it. It was originally dreamed up at world famous restaurant Bayona by Susan Spicer, a James Beard Award winning chef.

4. Garri from Nigeria (African Market & Beauty Supply)
Garri is granulated cassava root that can be served as a porridge or cake. Rich in fiber and important minerals, it's a staple in many West African homes.

5. Fufu flour from Ghana (African Market & Beauty Supply)
Turn this flour into a classic West African starchy side dish perfect for soaking up soups and stews.

6. Jaffa Cake from England (Walmart)
There was one episode of Off Menu, a food podcast hosted by U.K. comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster, where they would not shut up about Jaffa cakes. I've been craving the classic British treat, named for the orange groves in the Palestinian town Jaffa, ever since. Despite scouring lots of import shops, the only place I've been able to find them is Walmart, of all places.

7. Uludag Gazoz from Uludag, Turkey (Damas Middle Eastern Grocery)
Uludag is a mountain in Turkey, and this fruit-flavored soft drink is made from Uludag water and sugar derived from sugar beets.

8. Picanha from Brazil (Boiada Brazilian Grill)
An excellent cut of beef from one of the beef capitals of the world.

9. Poutine from Canada (Backyard Public House)
Fries and gravy, dOn'tcha knOw?

10. Dim Sum from Hong Kong (Chef Michelle Ho at Feast World Kitchen)
The specific menu changes every month, but if you ever get the chance to eat a meal chef Michelle Ho makes, definitely take full advantage.

11. Cheesy birria from Los Angeles, California (Birrieria Tijuana)
Birria is an ancient dish, but the cheese factor was totally added in Instagram-influencer land.

12. Jollof rice from Senegal (African Cuisine Spokane catering company)
Lots of West African countries have their own versions of jollof rice, but it probably first originated in Senegal and The Gambia before modern political lines were drawn.

13. Colombian tamales from Colombia (Que Sabroso)
These tamales are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Que Sabroso was a staple at the Liberty Lake Farmer's Market, serving special foods from the Caribbean region of Colombia.

14. Detroit-style pizza from Detroit, Michigan (Sauced!)
Yes, it's completely different from Chicago deep dish. If we had deep dish here, you KNOW this Chicagoland native would put it on the list.

15. Pelmeni from Russia (Hangry Andy's)
Russian-style meat dumplings that keep even the Siberians warm.

16. Zaban from the Qazvin region of Iran (Damas Middle Eastern Grocery)
Zaban means tongue, and these sweet, oblong pastries will definitely delight yours.

17. Sardines from Morocco (Damas Middle Eastern Grocery)
These tiny fish are one of Morocco's largest exports — in 2022, they exported over 150,000 tons of canned sardines, or about $581 million worth.

18. Sausage rolls from Scotland (Torra Tea)
This menu also changes seasonally, but is sure to include a Scottish classic or two.

19. Lechon Kawali from the Philippines (Island Style Food)
Crispy fried pork belly served Filipino style, borrowing from Spanish lechón, which refers to a roasted piglet.

20. Fried Spam from Hawaii (Aloha Island Grill)
The BEST type of spam you'll ever get.

21. Yum Yum Sauce from Albany, Georgia (wherever you buy groceries)
I'm including this because it's such a funny story. This staple at Japanese hibachi grills is a classic story of American bastardization and entrepreneurship. I won't rewrite it, but check out the NPR story here.

22. Pierogi from Poland (Hangry Andy's)
Almost every country has their own type of dumpling, but Polish pierogi seem to have a special place in many of our hearts.

23. Gira Kvass from Lithuania (Hangry Andy's)
A sweet, rich drink made from rye and yeast that's surprisingly low in alcohol.

24. Fir-fir from Ethiopia (Queen of Sheba)
Also sometimes called fit-fit. A traditional Ethiopian breakfast made from torn injera bread mixed with berbere (a traditional spice blend), aromatics and beef.

...and that's 80, folks!!! 🥳



But the craziest thing is, I've left out so much.

I barely investigated the different types of Indian cuisine offered at places like Karma Indian Cuisine, Taste of India, India House, and the new Indicana—which offers Indian-Mexican fusion dishes that represent TWO places for the price of one, which would have been perfect for this project.

Plus, Skewers, Island Style Food and Queen of Sheba, for example, have plenty more unique and authentic dishes on their menus that deserve more detailed attention.

Not to mention that I probably could have done this whole project just by interviewing chefs at Feast World Kitchen, Spokane's one-stop-restaurant for authentic, globally-inspired, ever changing dishes made by the city's growing immigrant population.

And for those of you really paying attention, there are gaps in the import shops that I've visited. Those gaps are purely coincidental, I promise.

I fully intended to explore Lebanon Deli & Grocery, Emran Restaurant and Market, and Karar Market for more Middle Eastern flavors.

Kiev Market, Matreshka European Market, and Magnolia Euro Food & Deli definitely have even more Eastern European and Central Asian specialties. 

Plus, Spokane has a slew of exciting Asian markets like Asian World Food Market, Oriental Market, Best Asian Market, and Lieng & Phane Oriental Market.

So, this can only mean one thing — it's your turn to go out and explore! This is the final chapter of our journey together, but it doesn't mean the road stops here. Go to a store that has labels in an alphabet or language you can't understand, buy something you have no idea how to cook, or expand your snack repertoire with some crunchy, crispy globetrotting.

Remember, you live in a growing, exciting culinary scene —go follow your curiosity AND your tastebuds! ♦