Out for Inlander Restaurant Week 2023: Iron Goat Brewing

Inlander Restaurant Week is a one of many Spokane traditions I've never participated in until this past year. There's no particular reason why, but after my dining experience at Iron Goat Brewing (1302 W. Second Ave.), it's an event that I'm excited to attend again in the coming years.

My sister joined me for what looked to be a quiet evening at Iron Goat, which offers its three-course menu at $35 per person, but as the night went on, the appeal of Restaurant Week was evident as every table was full as we left.

To start off the night, I ordered the beer battered broccolini, served with a flavorful aquafaba remoulade. The broccolini was crunchy and the seasoning was reminiscent of onion rings, which in my mind made it a healthier equivalent to the fast-food snack.

My dining guest ordered the onion lovers cheesy dip, and while the focaccia bread that it came with was evidently sprinkled in salt, neither it nor the cheese dip were overly salted, but rather provided the perfect amount of seasoning to highlight the onion and chive flavors mixed with the cheese. And the pickled red onions, which have remained in my memory since I first tried them a few months ago, brought the entire meal up a notch and added a slight sweetness and zing to the first course.

For our second course, my guest and both I ordered the vegan option, the butternut squash and cashew fettuccine Alfredo. While the notion of a meal being vegan may be a turn-off to some diners, this dish was nothing to look past. The fried butternut squash ribbons and pepitas added an element of texture to the dish. And the velvety cashew and butternut squash Alfredo sauce brought the whole thing together. It had a subtle touch of spice that elevated the sweet and nutty flavor of the butternut squash, and it was so creamy and flavorful that I didn't realize it didn't have cheese or dairy in it until I reviewed the menu following my visit.

To end the night, we ordered the pear crumble and the churros and chocolate ganache. The crumble was piping hot with soft pears and a spiced oat and almond streusel. The sugarcoated churros paired nicely with the chocolate ganache, which cut through the sweetness and let the citrus notes in the ganache take center stage.

Iron Goat Brewing serves its Restaurant Week menu from 4-8:30 pm each day through Saturday, March 4, and reservations can be made by phone.