Going to a Spokane Indians game is as much about the sensory experience at the ballpark as it is rooting for your favorite team. The roar of the crowd when someone knocks one outta the park. The inter-inning activities, from kids' games on the infield to the shenanigans of the team's mascots: OTTO, Ribby the Redband Trout, and Doris the Spokanasaurus. Then there's the stadium food, which this year has been revamped to fill your tummy and make you smile.
New on the menu, for example, are the Tanker Nachos ($20) served in an 85-ounce batting helmet filled with corn chips, queso, ground beef, salsa and jalapeños.
A play on words — they'll really fuel you up! — the nachos honor the squadron of KC-135 refueling tankers at Fairchild Air Force Base. They're part of the ball club's support for veterans and veterans groups, says Otto Klein, the team's senior vice president.
"It amazes me how many people put those [helmets] on their heads," says Chayton Roberts, concessions and hospitality manager for the Indians.
That silliness is A-OK with them, Klein says. "Our job is to have the hot dogs hot and beer and Pepsi cold, and if we can put some fun in the experience, that's good, too."
Another new item is tied to the Spokane Indians' community involvement efforts. Beer "bats" ($22) are 25-ounce bat-shaped vessels filled with No-Li Redband Tangerine Wheat and available along the first-base line in the Redband concession area. One dollar from each sale helps promote awareness of native Redband trout and the need for maintaining the health of local rivers.
Some food menu items aren't so much new as they are newly revamped, such as the hot dogs which, next to peanuts, are probably the food item most identified with baseball games.
This year, Spokane Indians' concessions are giving you more dog for your dollar in two ways. First, the basic steamed hot dog ($4) is 17 percent larger than those served in 2021 but remains the same price, Roberts says.
"Instead of increasing the size and then increasing the price of it, we wanted to just give more value to fans," he adds.
Second, in the Champions seating section, three breeds of foot-long dogs ($13.50) are available: a Reuben-style dog with American cheese, Thousand Island dressing, sweet relish and sauerkraut; a Chicago-style dog with chopped white onions and tomatoes, sweet relish, a dill spear and celery salt; and a hot dog smothered in macaroni and cheese (which replaced a planned Hawaiian dog with zesty pineapple salsa).
Burgers have also gotten a makeover.
Instead of the frozen, 3-ounce burger the park used to serve, says Roberts, the burger ($11.50) is now a third of a pound of fresh beef cooked on site and served on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, cheese and a side of fries.
Those fries are larger, too. Instead of a quarter-inch-wide french fry, concessions has increased fries to three-eighths of an inch so that they stay hotter longer, says Josh Roys, vice president of concessions and hospitality.
"The fry was actually developed especially for takeout, to hold heat a little bit longer, which, with this variable weather and outdoor setting, that's proven to really help maintain the quality of the french fries for us," Roys says.
There are numerous ways to get all these good eats, depending on where you sit at Avista Stadium, like mobile ordering for 100- and 200-level seats. The system debuted last year and worked well, so management kept it. These changes are a hallmark of the ballpark's concessions program, says Roberts, as staff are always looking for ways to improve and expand food offerings.
"I have a strong feeling that we will be producing or changing menus all the way through September," he adds, noting that the team typically plays 66 home games in a season.
"I mean, I know if I had season tickets, I certainly wouldn't want to eat the same thing all 66 games," Roberts says. "And it keeps it fresh for us, keeps it entertaining for everyone and looking forward to coming to the ballpark." ♦
TASTE TEST
Baseball is a team sport, so when we heard through the grapevine that new foot-longs were on the menu at the ballpark, the following three Inlander writers trekked out to Avista Stadium and did a little market research.
FULL COUNT
Hot dogs don't need to be fancy to be good. On the rare occasion I've gotten one from a street vendor or at a sporting event, taste is dependent upon a properly steamed dog in a soft, slightly warmed bun. That said, the faintly sweet, brioche-style bun on both the Reuben and Chicago dogs was a nice variation and sturdy enough to hold up to sloppy toppings, but the dog itself was not hot enough.
Visually, the Chicago dog appealed most with its combo of red, green and white. I also liked the tangy dill spear and white onion against sweet relish, although the missing sport peppers would add the punch you'd expect from a dish named after Al Capone's hometown. I have no problem with ham and pineapple cohabitating, e.g. on my pizza, so I'd be willing to give the Hawaiian dog a go if it reappears on the menu. In the meantime, the $4 regular dog was priced right and fulfilled my once-every-blue-moon craving, especially when slathered in ketchup, relish and mustard. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)
NOT A GAME CHANGER
The Indians' hot dog offerings come down to a value discussion for me. While the Reuben dog is immediately forgettable (the sweet dressing is interesting, but its kraut and cheese are almost flavorless), the Chicago dog is a very good food offering for a minor league park. While not exactly a true Chicago dog (I've had those at Cubs and White Sox games), it's a quality bun loaded with toppings without feeling messy, and the flavor gets fully unlocked when you add mustard.
But that said, neither are worth $13.50 to me. So on return trips, I'm much more likely to get the unremarkable but half-decent concession stand hot dog, since it's priced perfectly ($4) to be an easy ballpark snack. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
WINDY WINNER
Give me a standard-issue ballpark hot dog, some onions and mustard (and maybe an Altoid for later), and I'm happy. With some of their new supersize specialty dogs, the Indians are reaching for snack-game greatness.
Having sampled both the Chicago dog and the Reuben dog, the Windy City wiener is the clear preference, even as it lacked the electric green relish, sliced tomatoes, tiny peppers and poppy seed bun that a Chicago native would expect. The bun was soft and pleasingly crusty, and there was a great dog-to-bun ratio. I'd add mustard if I ordered it again — and bring a friend to help finish. My first Reuben dog experience was mostly perplexing. The sauce — maybe a Russian dressing? — had a nice flavor, but the sauerkraut made the bun soggy, and the slices of cheese would be more appealing if they were melted. I'll save my Reuben consumption for the Irish pubs going forward. (DAN NAILEN) ♦
