Lorèn — Restaurant in Spokane

We’d been wanting to try this spot ever since we’d stumbled across it last year after going to its “sister” restaurant upstairs, Kasa. We’d been told that it was a new destination eating establishment, so it was only a matter of time before we’d make the trek.

For two salads, two entrees, a bottle of wine, and a shared dessert, the bill came to $235, which includes a 20% tip. So not cheap, but no big surprise there. But like I always say, if you’re going to be audacious enough in Spokane to charge that much for a dining experience, you’d better be prepared to live up to the hype and justify those prices with exceptional… well, exceptional everything. Alas…

The atmosphere is great, if a little low on lights (especially in the booths). But the whole underground, dungeon-esque feel is unique and fun. There is an ample number of servers, so you ought to be able to expect excellent service. And not surprisingly, you’re greeted by a foreign accent host (ours, I think, was French) as a little nudge that you’re about to drop some serious cash.

The booth we sat in had crumbs on the seat on my wife’s’ side, which she had to brush off onto the floor. (So much for the French host’s first impression.) Our waiter showed up within minutes with water and some details about the menu. The menu itself had a decent variety. Nothing extraordinary, mind you, but certainly not bad: six different starters, six salads or soups to choose from, and six entrees (oh no—the dreaded 666!)—and last but not least, five à la carte items, which is typically just a fancy restaurant’s way of getting you to spend more money—again, with a touch of French flair (note the conspicuous grave over the a)—for what should be included with the meal.

The wine list is fine. Lots of $20-30 wines with the typical 300% mark up, and then a few true higher-end selections that “justify” the high prices. We ordered a bottle of a “cheap” 2019 Bordeaux that I knew was decent (you can always use your phone to find out what you’re paying for) for $60. Only problem is, our waiter brought out the 2018 and then went to the trouble of displaying the bottle for us (as he’d been trained!), which made it clear that he’d brought the wrong vintage. Lucky for us, the 2018 is better than the 2019, so bonus for us, but again, a tacky slip at an aspirational establishment trying to be a step above. He then gave each of us a sample taste (good for him!) and we gave him the thumbs up. Then, inexplicably, he abruptly left with our bottle, apparently to decant it, but forgot to fill our glasses before doing so, so we were left staring at each other over two empty wine glasses for almost ten minutes (not exaggerating). “Where did he go with our wine?” I joked to my wife. “Is he literally watching it decant?” We had to laugh about it.

We then ordered our salads, which came fairly quickly and both of which were good. Our entrees then followed, again served in a timely manner, with our waiter occasionally topping off our wine and water glasses (and, let me add, he was a really personable and pleasant guy) throughout the meal. Unfortunately, my wife’s pasta was way over-salted. And I mean “Way.” It totally overwhelmed the other flavors. I strongly encouraged her to send it back, but she refused. She doesn’t like to make a scene. I told her that there are ways of doing this that don’t make a scene, but she insisted on grinning and bearing her way through her dinner. Bummer. My “airplane chicken” entree was excellent. After the meal, we shared a tiny pistachio dessert that was trying a little too hard—turned out to be kind of a soupy mess.

Needless to say, the entire experience was underwhelming. Not a total bust, but not what we were expecting nor, for that price, should have received. If Spokane (and specifically Lorèn — there’s that grave again!) is going to truly enter the high-end dining world, it’s going to need to train its entire staff on the finer points of fine dining—no crumbs left on seats, don’t bring out the wrong vintage of wine (and then run off with the...

I recently dined at this restaurant and I must say, I was quite disappointed with the overall experience. Perhaps it was an off day for the chef, but the food certainly did not justify the price. I ordered the Fettuccine and it was a letdown. The noodles were undercooked and lacked the desired texture of freshly made pasta. They were stiff and didn't bend easily when I tried to twirl them on my fork. Additionally, the noodles were clumped together, as if they had been sitting in a container overnight without being properly rinsed. The mushrooms in the dish were also overcooked, which further detracted from the overall experience. The dish was unbalanced and overly rich, becoming overwhelming after just a few bites.

We also ordered a burger, which was decent but fell short of my expectations considering the price. There are much better burgers available in Spokane at more affordable prices. I specifically requested the burger to be cooked to medium, but it arrived well done.

One positive aspect of the restaurant is its ambiance. It has a cool atmosphere, perfect for a date night. The lighting and decorations create a speakeasy-like fine dining experience. The staff was friendly and attentive, but unfortunately, the food did not meet the same standard.

In fact, there are several high-end French and Italian inspired restaurants in Spokane, including one just down the street, that offer superior food at slightly lower prices. To make matters worse, the beer prices were unreasonably high. For example, they were charging significantly more for a Pfriem Pilsner than what it typically costs elsewhere. While it may only be a few dollars more, I find it hard to justify spending that much on a single beer. Even the most expensive restaurants in Spokane offer beers at a fair market price. In fact, for the price they were charging for one beer, you could buy a six-pack of the same Pilsner.

Overall, I was disappointed with the food and the pricing at this restaurant. While the atmosphere and service were commendable, I would recommend exploring other dining options in Spokane that offer better...

As a very good home cook I regularly find myself disappointed at the many local restaurants where half the menu is sourced in the URM freezer section. Lorèn was amazing- it felt like everything we were served was made with love and care. It was pricey BUT you can see all the time and creativity that goes into every detail. This is the place to go when you want something delicious, exciting and fun. Just accept paying for it, because you don’t get this kind of food, drinks or service at the corner bar and grill, the whole package is worth it. It feels special and that can be hard to find in Spokane. We started with the calamari. It doesn’t look like much on the menu, but the fried lemon, truffle aioli and fried calamari made a perfectly balanced and unique bite. The second course was the rouge salad. Again, simple enough on the menu, but the vinaigrette was the best i have had. Perfectly acidic and balanced by the sweet beets, creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula. For the Main course 3 ladies shared the filet mignon and the poulet vert. Both were wonderfully composed and I would not change a thing. I can’t remember the name of the Dessert but it was a chocolate ganache cake with a blueberry compote that left us speechless. The wine list is not huge, but it includes walla walla standouts like Leonetti, Figgins, Long Shadow and North Star. The cocktails were the best we’ve had- the particular standout was the espresso martini. (Not the one in the menu, what they bring you when you order a regular espresso martini). It was not regular, it was mind blowing. They pull their own shots, have a hint of amaretto and an orange twist and no cream - I will be thinking of that drink for a Long time to come. Service was also outstanding. Friendly, attentive without hovering.the courses were paced out and we had a wonderful time. I wish I could have given 10 out of 5 stars. These guys are...