Compass Grille features quality food at reasonable prices

Compass Grille, a place to grab quality food for a reasonable price, can be easy to miss. If you are not looking for the green trailer, you might drive past this hidden gem in the parking lot, next to Bonners Bottom Dollar.

The food truck is a family-managed business by Melissa Yocom, Lucie Yocom and Lexie Dodson. What started as a hobby to cook good food, quickly turned into a booming business with community support and patronage.

Owner and operator, Melissa Yocom, wanted to work for herself and make good, affordable food her way.

Opening a restaurant seemed too big of an investment. A food truck became the perfect level of time and investment.

The three women are learning as they grow, develop, experiment with new food options, and slowly expand and plan for the future.

According to Yocum, “We are currently taking on a really big project and have a food truck that we are renovating and should make its debut soon.”

Compass Grille features a weekly $5 special which includes a drink and features unique food innovations such as fry nacho cheeseburger on a bed of fries topped with nacho cheese, an Oklahoma fried onion burger, or a beef hot dog topped with cheese, grilled onions and bacon, served with fries.

“We like to think what we can make for $5 every week,” Yocum said.

When asking about the one menu item everyone must try, Yocom said, “They have to try our Philly Cheesesteak,” which uses sirloin steak, peppers, mushrooms, onions and gooey cheese.

The hobby has turned into a successful business. Word of mouth has led to patrons from Spokane and further to try the high-quality food at Compass Grille.

Yocom, who started Compass Grille as a source of bonding with family and working to provide the community with good food, said, “It turned into so much more.”