Leslie and Phil Damiano love living in Hayden Lake and having a favorite restaurant within golf cart driving distance. They both enjoy lunch or dinner in the casual surroundings of The Porch, which is tucked among the trees on the north side of Avondale golf course and features an outdoor dining deck that spans the seasons.

The Porch has a great variety of wine by the glass or by the bottle. "We were looking for a special red wine a friend of ours had introduced us to. The bartender, Josh checked with his suppliers and the next time we were there he had five bottles of Beaudreaux Cellars waiting for us!" said Leslie.

The Damianos praise the service along with the cuisine, singling out the "great" wait staff of Nicole, Elizabeth and Robin as very family friendly, an important feature since they often dine with their children. Phil’s menu favorite is the lamb sandwich and Leslie regularly orders the pan-seared salmon cakes with sour cream dill sauce.

The Fresh Sheet changes every few days and features a soup, sandwich and main entree’. Specials are indeed special... including portabella mushroom raviolis in a smoked tomato cream sauce or grilled rockfish and rosemary red potatoes. On the regular menu, the bacon-smoked cedar potato cakes are popular as is the roasted garlic and onion bread appetizer.

Phil and Leslie credit local owners, John Grollmus, Brad Fosseen and Jeff Meagher and their hands-on management style for creating a restaurant with outstanding service and exceptional culinary quality.

Leslie sums it up well, "We enjoy the ambiance of the friendly atmosphere...we always see friends and acquaintances there and you never feel like a stranger."