The fab four: New James Beard Award-nominated chef Chad White’s restaurants are varied in town
“Top Chef” Season 13 cheftestant Chad White joined an elite culinary list last week when the Spokane native was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington).
White owns four restaurants in the area: Zona Blanca, the ceviche bar for which he received the James Beard accolade, in downtown Spokane; two High Tide Lobster Bar locations in downtown Spokane; and TT’s Old Iron Brewery and BBQ in Spokane Valley.
For the uninitiated, here is a rundown of all of White’s restaurants:
Zona Blanca
154 S. Madison St.; (509) 443-5427 and limefishsalt.com
Zona Blanca is set in the funky Steel Barrel Taproom, and the counter-service ceviche bar stands out for its casual and fun vibe, excellent service and its inventive and fresh selection of ceviche made with shrimp, yellowfin tuna, tilapia and much more. The James Beard Foundation made a solid choice with this semifinal nomination. Weekly specials include trivia night on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays and Happy Hour every day from 4-6 p.m. during which menu items are 15% off.
High Tide Lobster Bar
Numerica Building: 502 W. Riverside Ave; (509) 315-8506 and hightidelobsterbar.com
High Tide holds a special place in my heart because I chatted with White during my job interview with The Spokesman-Review last March. His lobster roll is $19, but I defend the price because seafood is expensive, and the lobster roll is fantastic from roll to lobster. I can’t afford a lobster roll every day, but it’s worth the occasional splurge. And don’t skip the clam chowder.
Wonder Building: 835 N. Post St.; (509) 381-5954 and hightidelobsterbar.com
The two locations are the same except that this newer outlet is open later for dinner and has fountain sodas. The location is much cooler, too, as it sits in a warehouse space of the Wonder Building instead of a hallway of a commercial building. You’re much more likely to hang out here for a while. During a recent stop, this location had run out of clam chowder for the day. Sad.
TT’s Old Iron Brewery and BBQ
4110 S. Bowdish Road, Spokane Valley; (509) 919-4798 and ttsbrewerybbq.com
The family-friendliest of White’s four restaurants, TT’s Old Iron Brewery and BBQ deserves awards for its out-of-this-world awesome barbecue, from the spicy sausage and juicy turkey breast to the flavorful and standout beef brisket and mouth-watering pork ribs. My 8-year-old nephew devoured the macaroni and cheese – you can’t beat that review. I’ll absolutely return to TT’s.
Other regional chefs who’ve been nominated for the James Beard Award include Jeremy Hansen in 2015 for Sante Restaurant & Charcuterie in downtown Spokane; Adam Hegsted in 2016 for Wandering Table in Kendall Yards; Laurent Zirotti in 2017 for Fleur de Sel in Post Falls; and Anna Vogel in 2018 for Italia Trattoria in Browne’s Addition.