by Elise Van Dam
Everyone knows garlic keeps the vampires away, but at the White House Garlic Mobile on Division Street, the savory taste of garlic is what keeps the customers coming back for more.
Owner Raleigh Johnston’s original plan was to take the mobile and travel around to cater various events and parties, but after a positive turnout from the Pig Out in the Park event downtown, he decided to move the mobile to a more permanent place on 6022 North Division St. around Thanksgiving of 2011. Johnston said he believes that the mobile has had a positive impact on the other White House restaurants located on the South Hill and in Post Falls, Idaho.
“The mobile is a great marketing tool,” Johnston said. “It gets people to go to the South Hill location.”
While the restaurants have a wider variety of Mediterranean food options, the mobile still serves favorites like the Spicy Garlic Chicken Spring Bowl and the Chicken Fettuccine. Johnston said everything is made fresh to-go and has the same quality as the food at other restaurants.
Fresh garlic is included in every dish in some way from garlic sautéed vegetables to meat seasoned with garlic. The item that Johnston likes new customers to try is the Spicy Garlic Chicken Spring Bowl.
“It’s perfect for newbies,” Johnston said. “If I get them to try it, they always come back for more.”
Another popular item on the menu is the Chicken Fettuccine, which customer and Whitworth junior Colby Davis tried at the Post Falls location.
“It’s so good,” junior Colby Davis said. “It’s the perfect mix of garlic and creamy. It’s something you would want to eat when you are having a bad day.”
Even though the Chicken Fettuccine looked tasty, I decided because I am a “newbie” to the mobile and it is now officially spring I should try the Spicy Garlic Chicken Spring Bowl. Originally this savory bowl consists of sautéed vegetables, chicken, garbanzo beans, feta and rice, but because I am not a huge fan of garbanzo beans I substituted in green beans. Despite the substitution, the dish was amazing. It was hot and fresh. The garlic was not overpowering, the vegetables were not overcooked, the chicken was tender and juicy and the rice was rich with flavor. An added bonus was garlic bread on the side, which I loved.
The meal cost was around $11, which might seem a little expensive to some people, but the meal was worth the price. The serving size was huge in my opinion; I could have shared it with someone or made two meals out of it.
So my advice is that if you are a vampire, stay away from the White House Garlic Mobile. But if you are in need of some fresh Mediterranean cuisine with a garlic twist, then head on over and indulge in some great food.
Contact Elise Van Dam at evandam13@my.whitworth.edu.