Agave is one of those places that reminds me that we are squarely in Spokane. You know that feeling: getting better and sort of trendy, but still missing something. It’s spo-trying. Which I appreciate; it’s better than not. Even the ambiance is a bit half-hearted, pleasant, but not posh and lent a bit of eeriness from the blue glow from the street.
My first surprise was our server’s claim that the whole menu was gluten free. After checking with the kitchen, she confirmed this statement. I assumed that the menu was ours for the choosing as we munched on tortilla chips and salsa.
Fresh Chips and Salsa
We settled on the pear and arugula salad and carne asada tacos. The menu claims the food was gourmet latin cuisine. The salad was a little underwhelming in flavor, but not in size, the one thing this restaurant has in common with family style Mexican.
arugula salad with pears and pumpkin seeds
The carne asada tacos, or grilled beef, was full-flavored, as were the beans. The rice, though, reminded me of instant brown rice mildly seasoned with just a touch of cumin and chili powder. The salad on the side was made from crisp cabbage that added a welcome crunch. Put it all together on a big plate and the presentation was grand.
carne asada taco plate
taco constructed
But, here is the important part. It’s not totally gluten free. The corn tortillas are from DeLeon’s, a Spokane icon. After a polite but brief conversation with the north-side store, they readily admit they have cross contamination issues, and those with allergies should not consume the tortillas. As for the rest of the sauces, seasonings and condiments, I don’t totally trust the gluten free claim of the server. Dine with caution if you are a celiac.
The food was tasty and a solid break from family style Mexican. It’s great if you are looking for mostly non-gluten ingredients and can tolerate a bit of gluten in your diet.
Two stars:
Good food, value.
