Let’s face it: the area around Spokane Community College does not offer much in terms of quick and good lunch food. Quick, yes, but in terms of quality, it’s pretty much a wasteland. And while Sparky’s never have delivered Spokane’s best subs, the addition of it at Misson and Havana certainly is an improvement for the neighborhood.

Sparky’s slogan is “Friends don’t let friends eat at Subway,” which, while I do not have any particular beef with Subway, are words to live by. You won’t find any of Subway’s wilted vegetables at Sparky’s. Everything here is fresh, and that makes all the difference when it comes to the overall experience. And the service is fast. Really fast. I sat down for less than a minute, and the sub was done. They even apologized for making me wait.

What keeps Sparky’s out of Sub Division’s league is the average meat and bread. The vegetables are stellar, and I could forgive the average meat, but really… The bread is where it’s at when it comes to the perfect sub, and Sparky’s feels a bit “ho hum” in that area.

Still. This is a great addition to the SCC area, and a place that is well worth visiting. Go there and support them if you live or work near-by.

I suppose Sultan isn’t on top of everybody’s place to visit, but should you be heading to Seattle on Highway 2 (or indeed go hiking through Stevens Pass) then Sultan Bakery should be a destination for anyone anyone who likes baked goods. And really, who doesn’t?

One thing is the cinnamon roll which is huge. I mean huge. The picture does not do it justice; this thing was about the size of my face. The real winner, in my view anyway, was the bear claw. Filled with strawberry and covered with a light frosting, it was the perfect sweet way to start off a drive back to Spokane with marathon-educed stiffness.

Word has it the food is excellent there too, but with lines out the door and an hour wait, we didn’t get the chance to check it out.

But hey, there are always other marathons.