The Porch reviewed by the Damianos

The Porch, 1658 E Miles Ave, Hayden, 772-7711

Leslie and Phil Damiano love living in Hayden Lake and having a favorite restaurant within golf cart driving distance. They both enjoy lunch or dinner in the casual surroundings of The Porch, which is tucked among the trees on the north side of Avondale golf course and features an outdoor dining deck that spans the seasons.

The Porch has a great variety of wine by the glass or by the bottle. "We were looking for a special red wine a friend of ours had introduced us to. The bartender, Josh checked with his suppliers and the next time we were there he had five bottles of Beaudreaux Cellars waiting for us!" said Leslie.

The Damianos praise the service along with the cuisine, singling out the "great" wait staff of Nicole, Elizabeth and Robin as very family friendly, an important feature since they often dine with their children. Phil’s menu favorite is the lamb sandwich and Leslie regularly orders the pan-seared salmon cakes with sour cream dill sauce.

The Fresh Sheet changes every few days and features a soup, sandwich and main entree’. Specials are indeed special... including portabella mushroom raviolis in a smoked tomato cream sauce or grilled rockfish and rosemary red potatoes. On the regular menu, the bacon-smoked cedar potato cakes are popular as is the roasted garlic and onion bread appetizer.

Phil and Leslie credit local owners, John Grollmus, Brad Fosseen and Jeff Meagher and their hands-on management style for creating a restaurant with outstanding service and exceptional culinary quality.

Leslie sums it up well, "We enjoy the ambiance of the friendly atmosphere...we always see friends and acquaintances there and you never feel like a stranger."

About The Porch: 
The business’ website address is www.wedonthaveone.com but they do, in fact, have a website. The Porch, 1658 E. Miles Avenue in Hayden Lake, posts weekly specials online. Grollmus, Fosseen and Meagher also own the popular Sherman Avenue pub, MoonTime.

Phil and Leslie Damiano

Who are Phil & Leslie Damiano?
Leslie and Phil are both lifelong Coeur d’Alene residents and graduates of Coeur d’Alene High School. Phil is GM of Coeur d’Alene Garbage/Post Falls Sanitation and homemaker-mother-of-five Leslie is the self-described CEO of "Damiano, Inc."

Emery's reviewed by Erna Rhinehart

Emery's, 1000 W Garden Ave, Coeur d’Alene, 769-7763

Erna Rhinehart has a deep appreciation for North Idaho and all it has to offer. She enjoys anything outdoors...hiking, traveling, gardening as well as her numerous civic leadership roles. Her love for community is intertwined with her passion for education.

Erna is employed by North Idaho College, so it came as no surprise when asked what her favorite restaurant would be she replied with pride, “Emery’s Restaurant—NIC’s culinary student-run lakefront restaurant.” Emery’s is named after Emery Hedlund, a former state representative from St. Maries who played a pivotal role in getting funding for several of NIC’s buildings in the 1970s.

Opened in 1994 as a student learning lab, Emery’s menu is very eclectic. The variety and frequent change provides students with an in-depth cooking experience, while practicing their culinary techniques.  “The soups—everything from carrot, squash, bean to tomato basil—are out of this world. Entrees range from tempura halibut, a fusion wrap, crab cakes, to some phenomenal pasta dish,” says Erna. “The homemade desserts are always top of the line. Everything from homemade flavored sorbets and gelatos, to puddings, cakes, strudels, mousse, and more!” The beverage selection is somewhat limited but that is outweighed by the restaurant’s strengths. Its fresh ingredients, great service, made-from-scratch cooking, and great prices (an entire lunch runs about $7) make Emery’s a true community treasure.

Erna recommends reservations that can be made by calling 769-7763. “If there’s a downside to Emery’s it’s that it’s only open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from mid-September to late April. Chef Rick Schultz and Jeff Jenkins do a fantastic job preparing our students for the real world. By the end of the year, they run the restaurant as true professionals,” she said.

About Emery's:
Located on the North Idaho College campus, Emery’s is on the second floor of the Hedlund building overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene. Emery’s has an unbeatable waterfront view with easy access and parking.

Erna Rhinehart

Who is Erna Rhinehart?
Erna is the Director of Communications and Marketing for North Idaho College. She’s held board of director positions for Idaho Public Television, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and former board member for the Excel Foundation. She and her husband Ron Cole have two sons and have been residents of Coeur d’Alene since 1983.