We discovered Missoula a couple of years ago when we needed a place for a quick meal, and ended up finding a place that was far nicer than we expected and would end up a regular for us! So when we popped in before a quiz night last Tuesday I thought it was about time I added this unexpected gem to my growing list of reviews.
The only reason I say Missoula is an ‘unexpected’ gem is because from the outside (and if you’ve ever walked past on a Saturday night) you might expect this to be the kind of place that puts drinks first and the food is a bit of an afterthought. It does attract more of a night-time crowd on a weekend, but if you head in a little earlier or on a weekday, it’s often fairly quiet and makes a perfect setting for a relaxed meal – I’ve even taken my parents there before! The balcony area overlooking the river is a particularly delightful area if you can manage to get a seat there – not always the easiest on a sunny day!
Last time we went it was quiet enough that we sat at a table towards the back of the dining area with a river view. I, for some reason, cannot get enough of summer salads since the warmer weather has hit (although this is a bit of a moot point considering on this particular Tuesday it had been raining torrentially all day and I was still damp from the soggy walk in to town), so I went for their delicious sounding superfood salad with celery, cucumber, spring onions, peppers, edamame beans, tomatoes and mixed seeds with a lemon and olive oil dressing and, as you can see from the picture, an almighty pile of smoked salmon. It was exactly what I fancied and was as yummy as it sounded, with the avocado and beans helping make it more substantial. My only criticisms are that I ended up pushing aside much of the spring onion as raw onion does not a pleasant mouth make, and the dressing was a little overpowering at times – next time I’d ask for it on the side.
DanMan went all in with the black and blue burger which featured a creamy pepper sauce, sautéed mushrooms and crumbled dolce latte, and came with a side of skinny fries. He loves black and blue burgers and this one had the addition of mushrooms which he absolutely loves, so I was expecting him to be all over it…and he was. He actually said it was the best burger of this kind that he’s ever had, and specifically mentioned that the whole meal didn’t leave him feeling stuffed and ready to roll out the door, which is often a problem with a burger and chips combo.
There’s a reason we end up coming back here so frequently – Missoula is a dead cert when you want an easy meal somewhere nicer than a pub but not so fancy you can’t relax. The food is always satisfying and delicious, and they change their menu often enough that there’s always something new, but you know there’ll be something that you like. So don’t be put off by the weekend revellers, and give it a go!