Cut and paste from my Yelp page:
This is the review that you likely didn’t see coming. Most gas station food is, simply put, gas station food. Hot dogs on metal treadmills, pizza by the slice with potential to be hours/days old and nacho cheese pumps that rarely see action. And, despite the reputation, unbeknownst to most locals, one of the most satisfying “get dirty” Asian-fusion lunches in town is found behind an over-merchandised counter at the Goodies Conoco in Coeur d’Alene.
The ladies that operate Red Bowl Teriyaki don’t mess around. They love it when you order lunch there – mainly because they know they serve really good food and you’re likely going to enjoy it. I’ve skipped on the standard Teriyaki plate from the get-go and landed squarely in the Chicken Katsu realm. As a big fan of Nalu’s Hawaiian Grill in some other part of the world, I feel like what I get at the RB is a solid rival – sans the special sauce. Their menu (scaled way back since the Get Out North Idaho write-up in 2011) includes “fresh grilled” Chicken Teriyaki, Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice, Egg Rolls and Pot Stickers. For some reason, my partner in food crime always likes to throw in an order of the stickers although I don’t always have enough room for the generosity. They serve a lot of food – especially if you get the plate – half of it should probably head home with you.
The extra “game of chicken” is whether you will dine in at one of the inside tables or take the food to go. There’s something special about dining there that really says something about your life priorities and your lack of concern about judgment from the outside world. However, if the first couple times you just want to bag it and run – it won’t hurt anyone’s feelings. I like to relax there and soak in the station vibe. That’s just me though. I’ve actually never witnessed anyone else eating there but my most adventuresome friends.
So, have at it, grab some extra hot sauce and get crazy. After all, it’s probably safe to say that Red Bowl Teriyaki is definitely North Idaho Gas Station Cuisine at its finest.
