As the days are getting colder, warm and delicious food becomes more of a hot commodity. There are a few things more satisfying than walking out into the cool night with a full and happy stomach. The experience gets even better when fancy cocktails are involved. This week will feature a restaurant from nearby Spokane called Vieux Carré NOLA Kitchen that is going above and beyond to serve delicious Cajun food.

Spokane may be a far drive to eat out on a normal occasion, but Vieux Carré can make any night special. It’s the best place to take your college sweetheart for your next important anniversary or your family to celebrate graduating this semester.

Vieux Carré is located near Spokane’s West Central District, just off the newer Kendall Yards neighborhood. It may be easy to miss the restaurant with Spokane’s myriad of one-way streets but the restaurant is housed in a charming-looking building with a bright sign signaling the great experience ahead. If you want to eat at Vieux Carré, it is highly recommended that you make a reservation. The restaurant tends to be packed with customers wanting to get a piece of the delicious food. 

The atmosphere takes you out of the hustle and bustle of Spokane and into a southern-style house filled with paintings and maps of New Orleans. While the restaurant itself was a little loud, the noise seemed to die down when we were shown to our table. The waitstaff was quick and helpful, answering the many questions that we had about the menu. 

The menu itself is extensive. Having so many delicious options to choose from is one of the better problems you could have when dining out. Usually, I am not one for appetizers, being on a college budget, but I would recommend you don’t skip them at Vieux Carré. For this outing, we ordered two fancy cocktails, a whipped honey cornbread appetizer, jambalaya and jerk spicy sticky ribs. 

The food came out quicker than I would have expected and smelled absolutely delicious. It was hard restraining myself so I could get a picture before digging in. 

The cornbread was by far my favorite and I am happy to say that it is far and beyond the quality of boxed Jiffy mix. A butter and honey mixture brushed on goes a long way in making the cornbread melt into your mouth. The ribs kept the flavor train rolling. The ribs came in a huge portion, falling right off the bone. When our server came back around to check on us, I had to come up for air to say how good everything was. 

For those who are 21 and older, the king cake martini is hard to beat. It is made with Absolut Elyx vodka, Godiva white chocolate, creme de cacao and blackberries. The martini was a sweet and delicious addition to the savory ribs and I couldn’t recommend it more. 

Absolutely nothing disappointed me about the meal, and I would be more than happy to have the opportunity to go back again. The only thing that made me a bit apprehensive was the price tag attached to the food. Vieux Carré on a college budget should not be a regular thing, but it would be an amazing place for a special occasion. 

If you are in Spokane and looking for a fancy night out, take advantage of the delicious food at Vieux Carré!