New restaurant brings taste of France to corner of Kennewick
The owner of a French restaurant perched on a hill in south Kennewick wants guests to remember the first dates and anniversaries they celebrated, the crisp white atmosphere, the meals they ate, the wine they savored.
La Maison Dana French Cafe, which opened in February on Ridgeline Drive, isn’t about Flora White, according to Flora White.
It’s about French basics such as croissants and Boeuf Bourguignon and Lyonnaise Salad, created with meticulous French attention to detail. And it is about less-French fare such as club sandwiches, made with a French twist, namely, French bread.
White prefers to let her business speak for itself, but it’s her creation.
Born and raised in France, she moved to the Tri-Cities about 12 years ago because her then husband was from here.
She is an accountant by training. In the Tri-Cities, she was drawn to working with restaurants and hospitality businesses. At the same time, she sought out French culture and places where she could savor coffee and pastries at tablecloth-covered tables.
Her search for a decent croissant, she said diplomatically, was “hard.”
She began a wholesale baking business to supply local coffee shops.
She baked croissants and other goodies in commercial kitchens in Pasco and Kennewick, but found the available hours difficult.
She dreamed of her own kitchen.
In 2022, she found it in the former BlankSpace event venue at 5453 Ridgeline Drive.
BlankSpace closed in 2019, but before that, it was home to Karma Juice Bar and then the Kennewick outlet of The Local coffee shop. Some shop equipment, including a live-edge bar, remained.
She built a full commercial kitchen and established the restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. La Maison Dana has dedicated event space, a patio and a catering license to accommodate special orders.
Passion for cooking
While she trained as an accountant, White grew up cooking alongside her parents and siblings
“I have a passion for cooking,” she said, noting that it was “expected” in her family that she would cook.
In the U.S., she taught herself to translate French techniques into cooking in a commercial setting.
She developed the restaurant menu with American expectations in mind, beginning with items guests expect in a French setting.
La Maison Dana’s croissants folded and refolded, with more than 20 laminations to give it the classic flaky texture. The croissant menu alone is awash in options. In addition to the basic butter version, croissants come with a mix of savory (think ham and cheese) to sweet (think chocolate or cream).
Lunch options include paninis (all on French bread), Croque-Monsieur (ham and gruyere cheese) and several salads, including chicken Cesar, steak pecan and Lyonnaise (diced avocado, onion, boiled egg and shrimp).
Dinner offerings include boullion, marsala chicken, chicken cordon bleu, filet mignon Chateaubriand and Beef Wellington. The latter is much simpler than it sounds she said, likening it to American pot roast.
La Maison Dana has a liquor license and serves local and French wines, as well as some imported beers.
Each week, she layers a new item, slowly introducing dishes that may not be as familiar. White said she loves when guests come to celebrate special occasions. She particularly relishes introducing guests to French cooking for the first time.
“We wanted to make sure people know the basics of French food,” she said.
Follow La Maison Dana on Facebook at bit.ly/3sNaiKQ.
Business hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, and 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday. Call 509-619-0237.
Pasco Fiery Foods Festival
Sizzle and spice take center stage during the annual Pasco Fiery Foods Festival, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at Peanuts Park, 109 S. Fourth Ave., downtown Pasco.
The festival features spicy dishes from various vendors, a pepper-eating contest, live music, dancing and activities for children.
Go to PascoFieryFoods.com.
Papa Murphy’s holds grand opening
The Tri-Cities newest Papa Murphy’s Take n Bake Pizza shop plans a grand opening block party on Thursday, Sept. 7, to celebrate its recent debut in West Richland, including a pizza giveaway at 2 p.m.
There will be live music, a visit by Dusty the Tri-Cities Dust Devil and prizes from its neighbors, B Spot Tea Bar, Technique Lab, Jiu Jitsu Academy and others.
The pizza shop opened in August in a new shopping center at 1589 Bombing Range Road, near Yoke’s Fresh Market.
Eatz Pizzeria raises $2,000
Eatz Pizzeria & Deli raised $2,000 to fight Spinal Muscular Atrophy in August, the fourth year it has raised money in partnership with CureSMA.
Eatz, 6916 W. Argent Road, Pasco, donated proceeds from special events held in August to show support for a local family affected by SMA, the often fatal genetic disorder.
“There is nothing more important than supporting our community. As a local business, we have the chance to raise awareness and support for this cause. That is my favorite part about running Eatz - bringing people together,” said owner Phil Forzaglia.
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