I've never been big on Valentine's Day, a sentiment shared by many. Growing up, Feb. 14 was a family holiday, and Mom always treated my siblings and me with thoughtful small gifts and candy. The cultural, commercial push for gooey romanticism never appealed much, even later as I entered into a long-term relationship.
A more recent memorable Valentine's Day, however, involved stopping at the Peacock Room Lounge with my partner, Will, just for dessert. I don't remember why we were downtown in the first place (it wasn't for that specific purpose), or even what we ordered (for me, probably something with chocolate). What I do remember is cozying up at a corner table in the swanky, dimly lit lounge and sharing quality conversation over our sweet treats and drinks.
With that moment in mind, I set myself and fellow Inlander staffers to the task of exploring similar experiences centered on drinks and dessert. Whether you take our recommendations to heart for this year's holiday of love or tuck them away for another time, we hope it prompts you to pick some secluded spot, skip straight to the dessert section and savor a sweet moment with someone special.
EMMA RUE'S
17 S. Howard St., 509-703-7389
WHAT WE GOT: Chocolate torte ($9), the Bohemian ($14)
For a place that specializes in craft cocktails and delightful desserts in a luxe, French-inspired setting, the newly opened Emma Rue's is an easy date night pick, whether with lovers, friends or family, for Valentine's Day or any other night out. Deep teal-green walls and plush velvet seating with decor accents of bright copper and silver-white marble set the mood for an evening savoring Emma Rue's entirely gluten-free food menu and housemade libations, including coffee.
Deciding what to order from the cafe's decadent pastry collection isn't easy, but chocolate lovers should definitely go for the house-made chocolate torte, a beautiful dark chocolate dome that obscures a sweet secret. Inside, a layer of graham cracker crust is set with marshmallow and chocolate sacher cake, an Austrian sponge cake. Pair it with co-owner Aaron Hein's mezcal-based Bohemian, a smoky, tart concoction that complements the rich chocolate, and features lemon, cranberry juice, smoked rosemary, orange bitters, maraschino and dry Curacao. (CHEY SCOTT)
LODGEPOLE
106 N. Main St., Moscow, 208-882-2268
WHAT WE GOT: Belgian chocolate tart ($12), Abacela Winery's Ruby Porto ($9/glass)
Are weekend drives still a thing? If they are, Sunday would be a good day for a leisurely pre-Valentine's Day drive to Moscow for a memorable meal at Lodgepole. Save room for one of their decadent seasonal desserts, like the Belgian chocolate tart. Featured through early spring, this dish combines a tender, flaky crust with unctuous chocolate and the bright punch of puréed local huckleberries. Piped dollops of toasted marshmallow and crunchy hazelnuts balance each other out, while sea salt works its magic in your mouth, heightening the sweetness of the chocolate.
Lodgepole co-owners Melissa and Alex Barnham try to keep a chocolate-lovers-style dessert in their rotation of seasonal sweets. And they have the perfect pairing: Abacela Winery's Ruby Porto, or if you prefer red wine, Clearwater Canyon Cellars Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon. Sit along the windows for a view to either Main Street or the patio, which you'll want to return to in warmer weather. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)
VIEUX CARRE NOLA KITCHEN
1403 W. Broadway Ave., 509-495-1400
WHAT WE GOT: Beignets ($5), the Vieux Carre ($13)
You can't really call Vieux Carre NOLA Kitchen "new" anymore, but the oasis of Big Easy-inspired food and beverage on Broadway still feels a little like a secret. And what better way to celebrate a romantic evening than by stealing away to a spot a little off the beaten path, especially one that excels both in the kitchen and behind the bar?
While you can't go wrong with anything from the menu that includes everything from po'boy sandwiches to muffaletta to a good old-fashioned burger, the fluffy beignets make a perfect dessert, even if you don't bother with a main course. The fluffy deep-fried pastries you've seen a million times on TV spots shot at Cafe du Monde are in fine form at Vieux Carre (there's even a version that includes red crab on the appetizer menu), and when you pair them with the spot's namesake cocktail — a blend of rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine liqueur and bitters — you have a double-dose of sweet goodness that's hard to beat. (DAN NAILEN)
PEACOCK ROOM LOUNGE
10 S. Post St., 509-789-6848
WHAT WE GOT: "Rolo" Dome ($10.95), peanut brittle martini ($14)
Single? Taken? It's complicated? No matter what your relationship status is this Valentine's Day, enjoy some decadent treats at this swanky downtown lounge inside the Historic Davenport Hotel. Get cozy in a bright red wingback chair and order yourself a delicious duo, the Davenport peanut brittle martini and "Rolo" Dome. The peanut brittle martini is a sweet treat that packs a punch. Absolut vanilla vodka, Godiva white chocolate liqueur and butterscotch schnapps are stirred and poured into a glass decorated with a lattice of peanut butter syrup and pieces of the Davenport's signature, house-made peanut brittle garnishing the top.
Pair the salty and sweet martini with the hotel's signature "Rolo" Dome. This creative take on the classic chocolate-caramel candy is a thick, chocolate mousse coated in soft chocolate that sits atop a chocolate plate, and the middle is filled with melted, salted caramel. Share with a pal or enjoy it all to yourself. Chocolate doesn't judge. (JAMI NELSON)
THE GILDED UNICORN
110 S. Monroe St., 509-309-3698
WHAT WE GOT: Frozen peanut butter pie ($8), Cherry Unicorn Lemonade ($8)
If there's one thing that's guaranteed at the Gilded Unicorn, it's an experience. Crossing the threshold into this cozy local favorite is like entering a new plane of existence — coziness meets oddity, and that doesn't stop at the decor. Amid the perfectly curated atmosphere float the aromas of constantly rotating dishes that you can't find anywhere else. The frozen peanut butter pie is the perfect cap to an intimate dinner and brings a sense of nostalgia for the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate along with it. The smooth peanut butter is tucked between two chocolate layers and topped with whipped cream and Oreos... How could you go wrong?
I don't know about you, but flavored lemonade has been a lifelong favorite drink order of mine. The cherry Unicorn Lemonade (a drink that can be made either with alcohol or not) breaks up the decadent bites of pie, refreshing your palate so that you can keep going back for more — even when you claim you're stuffed. (MADISON PEARSON)
MIZUNA
214 N. Howard St., 509-747-2004
WHAT WE GOT: Flourless dark chocolate and crystallized ginger torte ($8.95), mezcal Blood and Sand ($11)
Much of my fondness for Mizuna is tied up in romantic memories of my partner — it was the first Spokane restaurant she took me to nearly a decade ago — as are tasty memories of their smoked trout bruschetta or seafood linguini. And while Valentine's Day is a fine time to stop by one of downtown's classiest spots (Dim lighting! Cool art! Intimate corners!), we find our way there year-round for dessert either after a meal or on its own. I typically like my desserts obnoxiously large, so the diminutive slice of flourless dark chocolate torte didn't rock my world the first time we ordered it. Silly me. Its rich chocolate is charged with ginger inside and an amazing blood orange sauce outside, and it's perfect for sharing. I pair it with one of my favorite cocktails in town, the mezcal Blood and Sand, a smooth, summer-y concoction that deftly blends the smoky mezcal with the sweetness of Luxardo cherry liqueur and blood orange juice. (DAN NAILEN)
CHURCHILL'S STEAKHOUSE
165 S. Post St., 509-474-9888
WHAT WE GOT: The Chocolate Sack ($19), bourbon Bramble ($14)
Bring someone — maybe even more than one other someone — with you to enjoy this ultra decadent, made-to-be-shared treat. Literally a paper sack-shaped, chocolate lover's dream, this dessert is legendary at Churchill's, where you can cozy up in the swanky basement lounge with your sweetie, or get classy at white linen-covered tables in the main dining room. I'll never forget the unfettered amazement and joy when I first saw the Chocolate Sack placed in front of me, having ordered it sight unseen, a decision based only on its intriguing name (and use of chocolate, of course).
Close to the actual size of an old-school, brown paper lunch bag, this chocolate vessel is overflowing with pieces of house-made cake, fresh berries, chocolate mousse and whipped cream, with a drizzle of raspberry liqueur on top and a pair of French gaufrette cookies as garnish. It pairs perfectly with pretty much anything from Churchill's extensive collection of wine, spirits and champagne, or try the house-made bourbon Bramble cocktail with hints of muddled orange and cherry. (CHEY SCOTT)
VINE & OLIVE EATERY AND WINE BAR
2037 N. Main St., Coeur d'Alene, 208-758-7770
WHAT WE GOT: Lemon tartlet ($11), 2020 Comtesse de Malet Roquefort Bordeaux Blanc ($9/glass)
Every night can be date night at Vine & Olive. With its sophisticated gray walls and low-key lighting, this little eatery feels special no matter where you sit, although the bar area is a fave.
Vine & Olive recently launched its early spring menu featuring a lemon tartlet with lavender meringue. The diminutive tart is flanked by milk crumble bits — they remind of Milk Dud centers, only fluffier — and small domes of rich goat cheese panna cotta, each with a paper-thin lemon tuile crisp stuck into it. There are also small chunks of poppyseed cake and delightful, lightly sugared passionfruit pâte de fruits.
Visually, the dish is a linear galaxy of goodies, showing off the talents of Vine & Olive's Jesse Villareal, who formerly worked under Laurent Zirotti, Fleur de Sel's James Beard-nominated chef-owner. Get two spoons and take turns trying a world of different flavor combos in each bite. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)
EUROPA
125 S. Wall St., 509-455-4051
WHAT WE GOT: White chocolate raspberry cheesecake ($8.25), Myropa Red Blend ($10/glass, $42/bottle)
Among the region's masters of sweet treats, Christie Sutton is a local legend, serving as head pastry chef of downtown dining mainstay Europa for more than two decades and counting. Guests crave Sutton's creations so ravenously they'll call ahead to check an item's availability, sometimes even asking for a slice of cake to be set aside for them.
Among its many desserts offered in-house and made-to-order (a seven-day lead time for these requests is needed, but to-go and dine-in availability varies daily) for whenever and whatever, really, is Europa's famously popular raspberry white chocolate cheesecake. Rich while not overly so, as cheesecake can often be, the filling is airy and light yet still creamy, and perfectly balanced by the tartness of raspberry. A sweet white icing and ruby red raspberry syrup spill down the sides of each slice, down to its chocolate crumble crust.
Europa owner Aja Engels recommends enjoying this decadent slice of heaven with a glass of the restaurant's custom-made Myropa red blend, created by Coeur d'Alene Cellars. Engels also shares a cute story of how the wine got its name: When her daughter was little, she thought the family's restaurant was called "Your"-ropa, and thus claiming it as her own, she'd call it "My-ropa." Awww! (CHEY SCOTT) ♦
MORE DATE SUGGESTIONS
The Bad Seed
Beverly's
Chaps
Clinkerdagger
Dockside
Downriver Grill
Durkin's Liquor Bar
Elliott's an Urban Kitchen
Gander & Ryegrass
Heritage Bar & Kitchen
Hogwash Whiskey Den
Honey Eatery & Social Club
Inland Pacific Kitchen
Italia Trattoria
Kismet
Luna
Magnolia American Brasserie
MAX at Mirabeau
The Melting Pot
LeftBank Wine Bar
The Lounge at Masselow's
Park Lodge
Rain Lounge
Ruins
RÜT Bar & Kitchen
Satay Bistro
Steam Plant Restaurant & Brew Pub
Twigs Bistro & Martini Bar
Whim Wine Bar
Wild Sage
Wiley's Downtown Bistro
