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Kalama, Washington While traveling a few years ago, I spotted this sign from I-5. I was intrigued.  Arrowhead sign! Chinook Room? Gigantic letters spelling RESTAURANT! Palms Last summer, Don and I made a lunch stop on our drive from Portland to Washington.  This time when we pulled in, I notice a few palms in front. That seemed odd for the state of Washington. But the town of Kalama is named for a native Hawaiian, who settled here in the 19th century. Palms fit the theme. Since 1955 We could see a little more of the building, when we approached from the parking lot.  It seemed to be sandwiched right in between the freeway and the mountainside. The Columbia River was just on the other side of the freeway Such a pretty area. Elvis and Jack The faces of Elvis and Jack Benny, were hanging out behind the roses.  I couldn't wait to hear the stories about when these two "famous visitors" came to Columbia Inn. Festive Entrance There was lots to see as we headed towards the door.
Neon signs and an American flag. A totem pole along near a retro "cocktails" sign. Only Diners At 1:30, the cafe was empty of diners. Don and I peeked around quickly at the available dining areas. Love those octagonal windows!
And rounded walls! This place had a bit of a mid-century look, although I think there was a fire at some point that prompted some updates. Ordering You have to love a menu with a slogan. "Bringing families together one meal at a time since 1955" You also have to love a menu with special prices for diners 55 and up!
I ordered a half sandwich with a cup of beef noodle soup for $10.95. My meal wasn't actually the tastiest and it wasn't really a huge bargain. Don's omelet was a little better. But this little dining adventure was not really about food.  You can see the OYO Hotel behind Don, through the window. There was a fun story behind that vintage motel. Columbia Inn in 1962 I'm not sure when Oyo Hotel took ownership of this 2-story complex. However, I found an internet story about Elvis staying as a guest in 1962, when it was called Columbia Inn. Evidently Elvis and his crew arrived in the middle of the night. They were on their way to Seattle to film "It Happened at the the World's Fair".  Elvis and his gang rented rooms. In the morning he ordered a feast of breakfast foods from the cafe, to be delivered to the motel. It was the biggest dining bill that the restaurant ever had. (Biggest phone bill as well!) Grandpa Spot Elvis I asked our waitress and she had more scoop for us. She was too young to know much about Elvis, but her ex-boyfriend's grandfather did.  The "grandpa" was a kid and happened to be on his bike delivering papers, early on that morning in 1962. He spotted activity in the motel parking lot and quickly alerted friends. He recalls how the fans soon flocked to the lot. Elvis was actually gracious, greeting and signing autographs. The Other Guy The other "famous person on the sign, didn't have quite as big a story.  Jack Benny was traveling back in the day, when he stopped to use the phone. Oh those pre-cell-phone-days! He ended up sticking around for a slice of pie and a cup of coffee. He didn't have cash, so he wrote a check and teased that he knew the pie was free. "I know you'll never cash this check!" Cute! Chinook Room After eating I had to get a peek at the Chinook Room. I know there's a lot of history in this lounge. There's also a lot of history with the Chinook Native American people in this region.  But no history was revealed. The area mostly just looked like a bar. There were no signs of the old Chinook Lounge, that might have had some interesting decor, back in the fifties.
Instead of Northwestern Native art, or even some kind of tropical Hawaiian theme, there was just a little sports decor. Oddly, some of the decor was above my head, located in clear windows, built in the ceiling. Columbia Inn Memories Our little dining adventure was not about the food, or even the inside decor. I'll always remember the retro exterior and our sweet conversation with our young server. When I asked about how hard it had been with the pandemic, she tried to be positive. She luckily got married in March 2020, right before they had to shut down the restaurant. She talked about the support of the town, especially when they were able to open for carryouts.  Pandemic talk led to school closings... which led to her own high school memories. "You know the movie Twilight?" She asked. Then we heard how her local high school was transformed for a whole semester, to be the school in the movie. What a hoot to hear about her memories of the stars, in her very school. I didn't even think to ask if they ended up with any Twilight dining guests, during that period! So off we went, thinking about this small town with it's small cafe. So many interesting happenings for a little community. Glad we got to hear a few stories!
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Lunch Stop... Not Far From Mount St. Helens  In August, Don and I practically screeched on the brakes when we spotted this place on the Spirit Lake Highway. The little house had once been known as the 19 Mile House.
Riverside Dining! We saw no river, but the front porch was inviting. We headed towards the house, passing a dead tree, that looked like some we'd seen near the Mount St. Helen's. Volcanic History We headed up the stairs to the little cafe, with lots fresh knowledge about the volcanic eruption in 1980.
The little house-like building looked like it had its own history and stories to tell. I secretly hoped there would be a local or a server, who had some memory of the eruption. Knotty Pine  We stepped inside and found a couple of homey rooms, with lot of knotty pine!
The Porch View  We stepped out onto the porch and found every table full. But at least we got a quick peek of the river below. The Toutel River
We didn't get to sit at a table with a view of the Toutel River, but we did get seated on the side porch. Our table had a decent view of an apple tree, with some pretty tempting apples. Menu Studies
The little restaurant was too busy and the staff was way too young, for getting any information about the restaurant's history. The menu wasn't very helpful either. Evidently the little restaurant had recently changed hands and was called Fire Mountain Grill. We decided against the Big Foot Burger for $25.00. Quick Feast  Don went for the chicken sandwich, which was decent. My dull iceberg salad was spiffed up a little, with yellow peppers and a tasty ranch dressing. The chili was tangy and hot. The food wasn't memorable, but the setting was just right. Through the Arbor I could have added to the dining adventure by taking the pathway down the hill to check out the restrooms. Instead, we headed for the car and ended up having a fun 20 minute conversation with a dad and his sons, who were traveling in an odd camper.  Just as we headed off, I suddenly spotted Big Foot, standing at the edge of the lawn. Or did I? I looked back, but the growth blocked my vision. I couldn't convince Don to turn around, so I'll have to wait until our next visit to see if there really was a Big Foot, lurking on the property!
Lowell's at Pike Place Market
A Few Hours to Explore
We were with family on this trip and had just one day to explore. Poor Don was sick and couldn't join the fun. But our kiddos and their spouses were my travel companions for the day. And a beautiful day it was! Menu Studies  We 5 were pretty hungry at lunchtime, on a busy Saturday. We made no attempts at waiting for a table, in the full service area. Instead, we got in a fast moving line to place our order. Seafood and More
The menu and the sizzling grill, all seemed to be about seafood. But we learned that Lowell's serves more than fishy food. Diners can arrive at 7 am and get a full breakfst and a Bloody Mary. Quick Line
We placed our orders and paid at the end of the counter, right next to a quite adorable figurine. I asked about seating and found out there were 2 more floors for tables. That was good news, since the place was swarming. 3rd Floor  I raced up 2 flights, hoping the weary tourists might be too worn out to climb that high. Sure enough there was a great window-side table, just waiting for us. There were also convenient restrooms. It was worth the price of dining, just to avoid crowds at public restrooms. The View  The view was perfect! After all the fun, hustle and bustle at the market, we just sat and took in the view. Bloody Mary for Mama
A Very Happy Diner  Chali might have been the most enthused diner, with her Fresh Northwest Steamer Clams! Scott was a bit calmer, with his shrimp cocktail and Alaskan Cod Sandwich. Soup and Crab Cakes  Jamie and Heidi were quite content with their Dungeness Crab Cakes and Clam Chowder. We were all in good spirits! Happy Feast  After we relaxed and refueled, we were ready to hit some more of the market. I just wish we'd had more time to absorb some of Lowell's history. I appreciate any place that opened for business, the year I was born! But even before opening in 1957, the building served as a combination coffee and peanut roaster, as well as a cafeteria. I00+ years of history! Market History We were better able to handle the shopping crowds without growling stomachs. We wandered the historic market that's been selling flowers, produce and seafood since 1907. I was pretty excited that I got to witness a few fish being thrown. I had heard recently that the old fish handling tradition had stopped. Not on the day we visited! Surprise Museum  Just when we'd had about all we could handle of the busy multi-storied market, I laid eyes on an odd wall-museum. No one in the packed market seemed a bit interested in this fine display, but I just had to pose next to Robert Preston, the tallest man in the world. Then, I eagerly handed out quarters for anyone interested in paying for a view of his shoes. What a silly way to end our dining adventure at Pike Place Market!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
April 2025
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