Ruins offers izakaya menu; cheese, please, at Wanderlust Delicato; M&M’s voting ends Friday

Ruins Restaurant & Bar (825 N. Monroe) has announced via its Facebook that it is offering a Japanese izakaya menu starting today: okonomiyaki (savory pancake), karaage (deep-fried cooking technique, usually with chicken), yakisoba (noodles), yakitori (chicken skewer), takoyaki (ball-shaped snack with wheat-flour base) and possibly more.

Think of izakaya as Japanese small plates of comfort food similar to Chinese dim sum, Spanish tapas and American appetizers. Ruins said via FB that the menu will be offered for about a month.

Cheese, please

Also via Facebook, cheese lovers, rejoice: Specialty cheese shop Wanderlust Delicato is opening soon at 421 W. Main Ave. Cheeses will be cut and wrapped per order, and samples aplenty will be encouraged and offered.

Also at Wanderlust Delicato in downtown Spokane: charcuterie, wine and cooking classes. Said Wanderlust via FB: “I can’t wait to share travel, culture, food and wine with you all!”

Toffee, jalapeno and coconut

M&M’s’ new flavor offerings – English Toffee Peanut, Mexican Jalapeno Peanut and Thai Coconut Peanut – hit store shelves last September, and voting for which candy will be the latest offering from the candymaker ends Friday.

Vote online at www.flavorvote.mms.com or by texting the word “Vote” to 84444. Voting is allowed once a day through Friday. The winner will be announced in August and continue to be sold in stores.

Last spring, M&M’s marketed three flavors for chocolate lovers: Crunchy Espresso, Crunchy Raspberry and Crunchy Mint. Crunchy Mint won and was available for a limited run.