Hay J’s Bistro open in Liberty Lake

Pay no attention the gas station outside – because once you’re in Hay J’s Bistro in Liberty Lake, you’ve entered another world.

The new restaurant, which sits behind a Shell station in a strip mall north of Interstate 90, is anything but ordinary inside. A modern décor and diverse menu await diners.

“We had to redo everything,” said Rhonda Entner, who owns the restaurant with her son, Patrick Fechser. A Chinese restaurant occupied the space earlier, so the entire space needed to be remodeled.

Now, with a fresh coat of paint and a shiny, painted floor, the bistro is open for lunches and dinners and offers several contemporary American dishes.

“Here I kind of get to do what I want,” said Fechser, who was the chef at Percy’s Cafe Americana before coming to Hay J’s to cook. The restaurant’s menu includes grilled ahi tuna, some seafood dishes and steaks and ribs, all moderately priced, with an average of $15 a plate for dinners.

The most popular item has been the Parmesan-encrusted halibut, Entner said. Several diners have requested to see Fechser just to compliment him on the food, she said.

Both Fechser and Entner have long been in the restaurant business, and opening their own place seemed the perfect fit.

“It’s kind of a dream come true,” Entner said. “I never thought I’d really do it, so I’m really excited.”

The store’s location may seem out of the way right now, but with the expected growth north of the freeway in Liberty Lake, business will likely pick up more and more, Entner said.

Come and get a kiss

There’s a big kiss waiting for you Wednesday when the Hershey’s Kissmobile visits Spokane Valley.

The giant, 12-foot-tall, 26-foot-long car will be in the Wal-Mart parking lot at 12727 E. Broadway Ave. from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Kissmobile – which features three enormous Hershey Kisses candies – is visiting to raise awareness and donations for the Children’s Miracle Network.