Sometimes, all you really need is some juicy brisket.
Granted, perhaps that’s just a personal statement — I did grow up in Texas, after all — but there’s something about slow-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth brisket that’ll heal what ails you, every time.
And during a long travel day, on which I’d awoken at 4:30 a.m. for my flight, that healing came via the Brisket Ends Hash from The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen in Spokane, Wash., where I had just an hour or so to eat a meal before bussing a few hours to my next destination.
Set a block or so north of the Spokane River in the restored first floor of the historical Broadview Dairy building, The Blackbird serves excellent Southern barbecue — cooked in its applewood-fired smoker — and craft cocktails to pair with its smoky plates. Plus, you’ll find all the drinks you could ever want on tap: nearly 35 beers, four wines, kombucha and other spirits.
I stopped in for brunch and couldn’t resist a throwback to my Texan roots, quickly devouring my beautifully presented hash, which was chock-full of chopped brisket, seasonal vegetables and breakfast potatoes and topped with two eggs.
The brunch menu spans everything from different kinds of eggs Benedict and biscuits and gravy to a breakfast burrito and avocado toast. For even more Southern goodness, the regular lunch and dinner menus offer favorites such as ribs, pork, chicken, hot links and (of course) brisket.
Though The Blackbird’s menu is obviously meat-forward, vegetarians and vegans — along with those with gluten-free diets — can find options here, as well, including pecan-roasted jackfruit, granola, grits, roasted spaghetti squash and more.
Blend it all with a stellar, friendly service staff; a fabulous soundtrack; and the eatery’s dedication to sustainability — The Blackbird is the second 4-Star Green Certified Restaurant in the Pacific Northwest (the first is its sister restaurant, Manito Tap House) — and you have all the makings of a restorative, delightfully tasty afternoon.
I suggest the brisket, naturally.
The Details
The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen
www.theblackbirdspokane.com
