Tee Time restaurant opens in the Ritzville Clubhouse

Community members have the opportunity to enjoy a homemade meal made from fresh ingredients when they visit the recently opened Tee Time at the Ritzville Golf Course Clubhouse.

The restaurant is ran by the mother and daughter team of Barbara DeVore and Adrianne Ellis, and DeVore said they hope to bring a fresh, new approach to the local dining experience.

With 17 years of management experience, DeVore has always had a passion for the restaurant business. She said the duo share a love for cooking and they plan to only cook with fresh and organic products.

In an attempt to use produce grown locally, she said they also plan to take advantage of the farmers markets in the area.

DeVore first began working in restaurants as a child, when she helped her mom run the Golden Grain in Lind. Throughout her life she worked in the food industry and in many restaurants where she enjoyed baking.

DeVore said the duo thought running the restaurant together would be a great opportunity for them to pursue their passions. They never considered running a restaurant together prior to this, but she looks forward to the experience, she explained.

The long process caused the remodel and opening date for the business to be delayed, she explained. She said some people think cooking and running a restaurant is easy and they do not realize how much work it takes.

After completing a majority of the remodeling work, DeVore stated they were anxious to open the doors and begin serving to showcase the improvements they made.

Some of the improvements to the restaurant include the installation of a bar, a new fryer and an additional freezer. The restaurant will also be receiving a soda fountain to offer a variety of soft drink options.

During the remodeling Ellis said they received a lot of help from the clubhouse manager Dan Duff, his wife Kandis and Ben Kraus.

She said the two appreciated the help they received for the remodel as it allowed them to open the business sooner and begin serving the public.

DeVore emphasized they plan to make the meals from scratch in order to provide customers with the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Each day the restaurant will feature a special including homemade soup, chili and sandwiches.

The restaurant will also be offering a breakfast buffet on Monday mornings. The buffet will consist of a variety of items including biscuits and gravy, waffles and breakfast casserole.

She stated the quality of their food is very important, and they only purchase organic produce and meats. All of the food is prepared by hand in the kitchen and they avoid purchasing prepackaged frozen products, explained DeVore.

The lunch menu will consist of sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and a daily special.

Along with an exceptional dining experience, DeVore said she would also like to offer wine tasting in the future. They plan to support the community by featuring local wines in the restaurant, she added.

She said they recently opened to the public, and a majority of their business has been golfers and members of the Ritzville Golf Association.

Due to the restaurant being located on the golf course, she said they expect to have a lot of business from golfers especially during local tournaments.

When customers eat at the restaurant, DeVore said they encourage input on their experience and new ideas for specials.

The restaurant will be offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Breakfast begins at 8 a.m. and goes to 11 a.m. DeVore said from April 1 to the end of October the restaurant will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

The grand opening of Tee Time will be on Friday, April 21. In order to prepare for the event, Ellis said they would appreciate if community members called ahead and made reservations.

DeVore said the special for the event will be chicken stuffed with asparagus wrapped in provolone cheese.

She explained they will also be creating a Facebook page to post daily specials and update community members on the business.

Although they have only been open a short time, DeVore said they have received positive feedback from customers regarding dining experience and the quality of the food.

Currently the restaurant is primarily being ran by DeVore and Ellis, but they plan on hiring additional help in the future.

DeVore said the restaurant offers in-house dining along with to-go orders. She said they will consider offering a delivery option in the future once they hire additional staff.

The restaurant can also be used for community or social gatherings, said DeVore. To contact the restaurant about hosting an event, call 659-9868.