There's a lot Kadra Rose Evans can't say yet about her long-awaited appearance on the Food Network's competitive cooking series Supermarket Stakeout.
What the chef-owner of Little Noodle restaurant and Itty Bitty Buddha bar in the Garland District can say is how excited she is for friends and family to finally see how she fares. The Supermarket Stakeout episode in which Evans competes premieres April 25 as part of the series' fifth season. To celebrate, the Garland Theater is hosting a public watch party (doors open at 8 pm, show at 8:45 pm), admission to which is a donation of nonperishable food for a local food bank.
"Basically, you're given a $500 budget, and you have to buy groceries from people coming out of the grocery store, and you don't get to see what's in them," Evans says. "Then, the first round, you're competing against three other chefs."
Not only do competitors have no idea what ingredients they'll end up with, but each round has a culinary theme and chefs only get 30 minutes to convince a stranger to sell them the groceries they've just purchased and cook in a makeshift kitchen in the parking lot, no less.
"They said ours was one of the toughest episodes, because we got geographical spots," Evans says, adding that the first challenge was a cuisine — Italian — she'd never professionally cooked before.
Supermarket Stakeout is hosted by chef Alex Guarnaschelli, who's also appeared on Food Network's Iron Chef, Chopped and The Kitchen, and owns Butter, a high-end American restaurant in Manhattan. Ultimately, the winning chef on Supermarket Stakeout gets a year's worth of groceries for their restaurant.
Evans was initially courted by Food Network back in 2019 when she was interviewed as a potential competitor for either Chopped or Guy's Grocery Games.
"They booked my flights, and then COVID hit," Evans says. "I was supposed to fly out in April 2020, and so then I didn't hear from them until this [past] September, and they were like, 'We're still really interested in you.'"
Evans flew down to Los Angeles for filming in January.
"I loved it, it was exciting," she says. "The biggest part I think was that I was just so, so proud of myself for even being asked to be on the show. I went down there thinking, even if I get voted off, but I don't cut off a finger or fall in the parking lot, I'll be happy." (CHEY SCOTT)
OPENINGS
All the way from Seattle, DRUNKY'S TWO SHOE BBQ (6412. E. Trent Ave.) is slinging some serious barbecue in Spokane Valley in a spot that long housed Daley's Cheap Shots bar and, more recently but briefly, Haymaker Kitchen & Tavern. Other than collard greens and a few salads, it's mostly meat here, from pulled pork and ribs to beef brisket and smoked salmon. With its industrial vibe, funky outdoor space and meat-centric menu, this looks to be an especially fun place to hang out in warmer weather. Visit twoshoebbq.net.
North Spokane's new CAFÈ BOKU COFFEE & CREPES (915 E. Hawthorne Rd.) specializes in tapioca flour crepes, served rolled into cones and filled with sweet treats like Nutella, as well as savory foods like chipotle chicken and cheese. Tapioca flour is popular as a gluten-free alternative, and has a light texture and neutral flavor similar to rice flour. At Cafe Boku, another popular item is "croffles," or croissant-waffles, topped with flavored whipped cream and sweet toppings. Follow this cafe on Facebook by searching for Café Boku Coffee & Crepes.
Downtown Coeur d'Alene has a new wine bar. RIVAURA (505 E. Sherman Ave.) recently replaced the former Liveforblue gallery and wine bar, featuring wines from the Hewett family's Lewiston-area Rivaura Estate Winery. The Coeur d'Alene tasting room is a long, narrow space flooded with light, and filled with assorted tables and seating areas ideal for sampling wine, nibbling on a modest menu of light bites, and listening to live music. Visit rivaura.com. (CARRIE SCOZZARO) ♦
