Showing posts with label boise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boise. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Western Cherry Fruit Fly
Sadly, it looks like the western cherry fruit fly is back in town. I spotted a few of these on my cherry tree today:
Monday, January 28, 2013
Busters Restaurant
Busters Restaurant
The restaurant was packed on Friday night, with most of the crowd dining (not just there to watch bowl games).
1396 East State Street
Eagle, ID 83616
(208) 938-1800
Eagle, ID 83616
(208) 938-1800
Definitely interested in drawing the sports viewing crowd (lots of
banners about the games, plenty of TVs), but mostly setup as a sit-down
restaurant with not as much bar space or bar tables as one might expect.
The prime rib (available Fri and Sat) was very tender, served rare (as requested), and relatively good overall. The accompanying horseradish cream had a decent kick, and the jus was well seasoned. The fries were nicely crunchy, and the fry sauce better than average, but the side salad was very disappointing (something out of a '70s diner, with an overly acidic Italian dressing).
The chicken taco salad (hold the sour cream) was passable, but the salsa was another weak spot.
The 3 Picket Porter from Crooked Fence brewing needed just more body and depth to be a real winner (and to merit the "porter" label).
The prime rib (available Fri and Sat) was very tender, served rare (as requested), and relatively good overall. The accompanying horseradish cream had a decent kick, and the jus was well seasoned. The fries were nicely crunchy, and the fry sauce better than average, but the side salad was very disappointing (something out of a '70s diner, with an overly acidic Italian dressing).
The chicken taco salad (hold the sour cream) was passable, but the salsa was another weak spot.
The 3 Picket Porter from Crooked Fence brewing needed just more body and depth to be a real winner (and to merit the "porter" label).
The restaurant was packed on Friday night, with most of the crowd dining (not just there to watch bowl games).
Burger 'n Brew
4295 West State Street
Boise, ID 83703
(208) 345-7700
Dive bar plus
diner. Large selection of beers on tap (24 at last count, many local).
The beer sizes could use a little update - the choices are 12 or 20
oz. The 20 oz is served up in a weighty schooner glass, which makes the
whole thing rather unwieldy. A pint glass (American or Imperial)
would be a welcome addition to the choices (or replacement for the
schooner).Boise, ID 83703
(208) 345-7700
The menu has an interesting variety of burgers, some of which are upsized just like the beers. Decided to go with a traditional Reuben instead, which turned out to be a disappointing choice. It was somewhat greasy and didn't have much flavor. The fries were a little soft and undercooked.
Overall underwhelming, but a burger and a 12oz beer would probably have been a totally different experience ...
Noodles & Company
Noodles & Company
2274 N. Eagle Rd., Suite 100
Meridian, ID 83646
2274 N. Eagle Rd., Suite 100
Meridian, ID 83646
+1-208-884-3379
Chain of >100 "fast casual" restaurants specializing in noodle dishes with international influences ("American", "Asian", "Mediterranean"). For a rapidly-growing chain, the food is relatively decent. The Indonesian Peanut Saute is spicy (more than one would expect from a chain) but without being over the top. The roast pork (a recent addition to the meat selections on the menu) was tasty and tender, but the flavor didn't really mesh with the Indonesian dish. It would likely be better with the American-themed dishes. The noodles were somewhat gluey on our to-go order, but that might be a result of the 20 minutes or so between picking up the order and actually eating it. Eating in is likely to be a better option.
The soup choices (chicken noodle, Thai curry, tomato basil) seem rather limited and uncreative for a noodle house. Would be nice to see an Asian-inspired noodle soup on the menu.
Red Feather Lounge
Red Feather Lounge
246 N. 8th Street
Boise, ID 83702
+1-208-429-6340
Half of the Bittercreek Alehouse/Red Feather Lounge group, serving "seasonal American cuisine" and focusing on very local ingredients as much as possible. The menu changes frequently based on availability of ingredients.
The seared pork belly was, as pork belly usually is, quite tasty but the Asian-style broth it was served in was too vinegary throwing the entire dish somewhat out of balance.
The Kale Caesar is an interesting twist on a classic. Fire-roasting the kale is a fantastic idea, adding great roasted flavor and keeping the kale crunchy while still breaking it down enough to not be excessively chewy. The Ceasar dressing had enough tang and just enough creaminess to mesh well with the kale.
The smoked trout had just a very light smoke flavor, which didn't overpower the trout itself.
Somewhat disappointing was the roasted root vegetables, mainly because the mix was far too low on the more interesting root vegetables (parsnip, turnip, etc), and ended up being mostly potatoes, carrots, and some kale (which would have been ok if it wasn't being compared to the Caesar).
The Fraser Couloir Cuvee was a solid, well-balanced red blend that fit the menu nicely.
246 N. 8th Street
Boise, ID 83702
+1-208-429-6340
Half of the Bittercreek Alehouse/Red Feather Lounge group, serving "seasonal American cuisine" and focusing on very local ingredients as much as possible. The menu changes frequently based on availability of ingredients.
The seared pork belly was, as pork belly usually is, quite tasty but the Asian-style broth it was served in was too vinegary throwing the entire dish somewhat out of balance.
The Kale Caesar is an interesting twist on a classic. Fire-roasting the kale is a fantastic idea, adding great roasted flavor and keeping the kale crunchy while still breaking it down enough to not be excessively chewy. The Ceasar dressing had enough tang and just enough creaminess to mesh well with the kale.
The smoked trout had just a very light smoke flavor, which didn't overpower the trout itself.
Somewhat disappointing was the roasted root vegetables, mainly because the mix was far too low on the more interesting root vegetables (parsnip, turnip, etc), and ended up being mostly potatoes, carrots, and some kale (which would have been ok if it wasn't being compared to the Caesar).
The Fraser Couloir Cuvee was a solid, well-balanced red blend that fit the menu nicely.
Taphouse Pub and Eatery
Taphouse Pub and Eatery
760 W. Main Street
(208) 336-6991
A tasty pub centrally located in downtown Boise, with a large selection (40+) of beers on tap including many local and regional choices.
The pulled pork sandwich was very tender with only a hint of smoky flavor and a nicely tangy BBQ sauce. The Rosemary fries were nicely cooked, but the seasoning could have been more evenly distributed - some bites had virtually no salt or rosemary, others were highly seasoned, and the seasoning definitely was not sticking very well (perhaps salted a little to late after coming out of the fryer?).
The Tin Shed turkey (with bacon, maple aioli, and roasted apples) included a generous serving of real roasted turkey (not processed/deli slices). The maple aioli does a great job of tying the bacon, turkey and apple flavors together.
760 W. Main Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
The pulled pork sandwich was very tender with only a hint of smoky flavor and a nicely tangy BBQ sauce. The Rosemary fries were nicely cooked, but the seasoning could have been more evenly distributed - some bites had virtually no salt or rosemary, others were highly seasoned, and the seasoning definitely was not sticking very well (perhaps salted a little to late after coming out of the fryer?).
The Tin Shed turkey (with bacon, maple aioli, and roasted apples) included a generous serving of real roasted turkey (not processed/deli slices). The maple aioli does a great job of tying the bacon, turkey and apple flavors together.
Tea Leaves N Coffee Beans
Tea Leaves N Coffee Beans
121 S. Main Street
Cascade, ID
Vintage tea house meets internet cafe, with a healthy dash of eclectisism thrown in, right on Main St/Hwy 55 in downtown Cascade. Seems to be fairly active in local community events if the Take-A-Look calendar from the Alpha Grange is any indication.
The regular coffee is individually brewed cups of Doma coffee. The coffee is very tasty but unfortunately mine was only lukewarm - hopefully this isn't a recurring problem. Will have to try again next time passing through town.
121 S. Main Street
Cascade, ID
Vintage tea house meets internet cafe, with a healthy dash of eclectisism thrown in, right on Main St/Hwy 55 in downtown Cascade. Seems to be fairly active in local community events if the Take-A-Look calendar from the Alpha Grange is any indication.
The regular coffee is individually brewed cups of Doma coffee. The coffee is very tasty but unfortunately mine was only lukewarm - hopefully this isn't a recurring problem. Will have to try again next time passing through town.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Sunday, December 30, 2012
RAM Restaurant and Brewery
RAM Restaurant and Brewery
709 East Park Boulevard
Boise, ID 83712
+1-208-345-2929
The downtown Boise outpost of a family-run chain of about 20 sports bar/restaurant/brewpubs (currently in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, and Indiana). Lots of TVs for viewing games from the bar or restaurant seating.
The Big Horn Blonde ale is light and clean with just a hint of hops. The 71 Pale Ale is fairly mild at first, but has lots of hop at the very end. A "Short" beer is 18 oz. but looks far bigger. The sodas are similarly generous.
The menu includes salads, sandwiches, and lots of burger creations, some of which seem overly complicated. I didn't see any build-your-own choice on the burgers, but also did not ask. The burgers are flame grilled, which gives them a good classic taste, are very generous (1/2 lb probably), and relatively sloppy given their complexity. Medium rare ended up closer to rare, but medium well came out just right.
The Border burger had lots of sliced Jalapeños (including seeds and ribs), which provided some decent heat, but the salsa wasn't realy memorable and the cheese was virtually absent.
The sweet potato fries are passable but not stellar - could be a little crisper, and they seemed to be significantly flavored by the cooking oil.
The decor is a somewhat upscaled Marie Calender's, with brickwork columns by Gaudí.
Overall a decent place for a burger and a beer, especially if you're hungry after a cold day on the slopes at Bogus Basin.
709 East Park Boulevard
Boise, ID 83712
+1-208-345-2929
The downtown Boise outpost of a family-run chain of about 20 sports bar/restaurant/brewpubs (currently in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, and Indiana). Lots of TVs for viewing games from the bar or restaurant seating.
The Big Horn Blonde ale is light and clean with just a hint of hops. The 71 Pale Ale is fairly mild at first, but has lots of hop at the very end. A "Short" beer is 18 oz. but looks far bigger. The sodas are similarly generous.
The menu includes salads, sandwiches, and lots of burger creations, some of which seem overly complicated. I didn't see any build-your-own choice on the burgers, but also did not ask. The burgers are flame grilled, which gives them a good classic taste, are very generous (1/2 lb probably), and relatively sloppy given their complexity. Medium rare ended up closer to rare, but medium well came out just right.
The Border burger had lots of sliced Jalapeños (including seeds and ribs), which provided some decent heat, but the salsa wasn't realy memorable and the cheese was virtually absent.
The sweet potato fries are passable but not stellar - could be a little crisper, and they seemed to be significantly flavored by the cooking oil.
The decor is a somewhat upscaled Marie Calender's, with brickwork columns by Gaudí.
Overall a decent place for a burger and a beer, especially if you're hungry after a cold day on the slopes at Bogus Basin.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Perks of Life
Perks of Life
1540 E. Iron Eagle Dr.
Eagle, ID 83616
Tucked in a small strip mall where State St. turns into Edgewood Dr, just before intersecting ... State St! They've done a decent job of warming up a stark building, and managed to get a passable coffee house flair into it.
The breakfast burrito with sausage, egg, potato and cheese was decent but would have been far better with the salsa that I discovered at the bottom of my paper bag after finishing the burrito. Perhaps a little more seasoning and less cheese would help, too.
The brewed coffee is from Dawson Taylor, which is also just ok. The Full Circle coffee at Rembrandts, or Doma at Salt Tears are generally more to my liking.
If you get there at a reasonable hour (9:00-ish), the boysenberry white chocolate scones are still warm from the oven. Good texture, and plenty of tangy boysenberries - almost worth going just for the scones.
1540 E. Iron Eagle Dr.
Eagle, ID 83616
Tucked in a small strip mall where State St. turns into Edgewood Dr, just before intersecting ... State St! They've done a decent job of warming up a stark building, and managed to get a passable coffee house flair into it.
The breakfast burrito with sausage, egg, potato and cheese was decent but would have been far better with the salsa that I discovered at the bottom of my paper bag after finishing the burrito. Perhaps a little more seasoning and less cheese would help, too.
The brewed coffee is from Dawson Taylor, which is also just ok. The Full Circle coffee at Rembrandts, or Doma at Salt Tears are generally more to my liking.
If you get there at a reasonable hour (9:00-ish), the boysenberry white chocolate scones are still warm from the oven. Good texture, and plenty of tangy boysenberries - almost worth going just for the scones.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Lucky Fins Seafood revisit
Lucky Fins Seafood Grill
1441 N. Eagle Road,
Meridian Idaho 83642
(208)888-FINS (3467)
Tried one of the daily specials: New Zealand Blue Moki. The fish was a nicely prepared filet, moist, with a very light flour crust. The salsa and avocado were fairly bland, as was the rice (which was also somewhat mushy). Overall just passable, and only because of the fish itself. Also tried the Atomic Roll again. They really like to pour on the heat with this one. The jalapeño pieces are large and numerous, and still have some rib and the occasional seed. That plus the Sriracha sauce on top make this a very spicy roll, and the fish is completely overwhelmed. We ended up pulling a lot of the jalapeño out just to tone down the heat. Can't really recommend this roll in it's present form.
1441 N. Eagle Road,
Meridian Idaho 83642
(208)888-FINS (3467)
Tried one of the daily specials: New Zealand Blue Moki. The fish was a nicely prepared filet, moist, with a very light flour crust. The salsa and avocado were fairly bland, as was the rice (which was also somewhat mushy). Overall just passable, and only because of the fish itself. Also tried the Atomic Roll again. They really like to pour on the heat with this one. The jalapeño pieces are large and numerous, and still have some rib and the occasional seed. That plus the Sriracha sauce on top make this a very spicy roll, and the fish is completely overwhelmed. We ended up pulling a lot of the jalapeño out just to tone down the heat. Can't really recommend this roll in it's present form.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Lucky Fins Seafood Grill
Lucky Fins Seafood Grill
1441 N. Eagle Road,
Meridian Idaho 83642
(208)888-FINS (3467)
Extensive seafood menu, wide range of preparations. Only tried the sushi so far, but we're already certain to go back and try other items.
The sushi selection is very limited, dominated by ahi and hamachi, but that definitely helps them focus on getting really good quality fish. The hamachi nigiri was the best we've found in the area so far. Their rolls are creative, and the menu is clear on which ones use Krab vs. Crab. They could trim the jalapenos a little better - too much of the rib and seeds in one of the rolls, and unevenly distributed, so there was more heat than expected in a couple of the bites. Otherwise, a definite hit.
1441 N. Eagle Road,
Meridian Idaho 83642
(208)888-FINS (3467)
Extensive seafood menu, wide range of preparations. Only tried the sushi so far, but we're already certain to go back and try other items.
The sushi selection is very limited, dominated by ahi and hamachi, but that definitely helps them focus on getting really good quality fish. The hamachi nigiri was the best we've found in the area so far. Their rolls are creative, and the menu is clear on which ones use Krab vs. Crab. They could trim the jalapenos a little better - too much of the rib and seeds in one of the rolls, and unevenly distributed, so there was more heat than expected in a couple of the bites. Otherwise, a definite hit.
Brewforia
Brewforia
78 Eagle River St. Suite 165
Eagle, ID 83616
(208) 938-6261
Stunning variety of beers available by the bottle (they claim something like 350 different beers available), covering pretty much any style or region one could imagine. 10 beers on tap, with the selection chaging frequently and drawing heavily from craft-ish brewers of the western states like Stone, 21st Amendment, Firestone Walker, Salmon, Grand Teton. Seasonal brews from larger houses like Sierra Nevada also in the mix.
On a recent visit, tried the Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (33cl) and the Ninkasi Oatis Oatmeal Stout. The Westmalle is a fairly straightforward representation of a Belgian dubbel, with good malty flavor and creamy head, but seemed to lack the distinctive Belgian yeast character that makes Trappist ales so interesting. Perhaps that's partially a result of the smaller bottle - would be interesting to try it side-by-side with a 75cl to compare. The Ninkasi is a very rich, dark oatmeal stout, very smooth and slightly sweet.
The belly burger is an interesting combination of beef and a little pork belly, giving the burger a nice soft texture despite being cooked well-done. A nice solution for folks that don't like their burgers rare but still want something tender and jucy.
The old south pork sandwich is one of the better pulled pork sandwiches in the area, with good but not overpowering smoky flavor, and the pork isn't dried out or tough (always difficult to get the right balance ).
The red chili was somewhat disappointing. The texture and flavor are not far from canned tomato paste. Maybe it would be ok on chips/nachos, but not something to try by itself. The green chili on the other hand was much more of a success. Very good roasted chili flavor, tender pork. No real heat to it.
The soft shell crab po-boy had two expertly fried crabs - nice light crunch, very tender. Great flavor overall.
The flatbreads are also generally winners, although the crust was a little undercooked and tough on one of the flatbreads we tried.
Decor is very minimalist and industrial. Definitely not a cozy corner pub but, with the stunning beer selection in the wall of fridges, the decor is likely to not get noticed all that much.
78 Eagle River St. Suite 165
Eagle, ID 83616
(208) 938-6261
Stunning variety of beers available by the bottle (they claim something like 350 different beers available), covering pretty much any style or region one could imagine. 10 beers on tap, with the selection chaging frequently and drawing heavily from craft-ish brewers of the western states like Stone, 21st Amendment, Firestone Walker, Salmon, Grand Teton. Seasonal brews from larger houses like Sierra Nevada also in the mix.
On a recent visit, tried the Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (33cl) and the Ninkasi Oatis Oatmeal Stout. The Westmalle is a fairly straightforward representation of a Belgian dubbel, with good malty flavor and creamy head, but seemed to lack the distinctive Belgian yeast character that makes Trappist ales so interesting. Perhaps that's partially a result of the smaller bottle - would be interesting to try it side-by-side with a 75cl to compare. The Ninkasi is a very rich, dark oatmeal stout, very smooth and slightly sweet.
The belly burger is an interesting combination of beef and a little pork belly, giving the burger a nice soft texture despite being cooked well-done. A nice solution for folks that don't like their burgers rare but still want something tender and jucy.
The old south pork sandwich is one of the better pulled pork sandwiches in the area, with good but not overpowering smoky flavor, and the pork isn't dried out or tough (always difficult to get the right balance ).
The red chili was somewhat disappointing. The texture and flavor are not far from canned tomato paste. Maybe it would be ok on chips/nachos, but not something to try by itself. The green chili on the other hand was much more of a success. Very good roasted chili flavor, tender pork. No real heat to it.
The soft shell crab po-boy had two expertly fried crabs - nice light crunch, very tender. Great flavor overall.
The flatbreads are also generally winners, although the crust was a little undercooked and tough on one of the flatbreads we tried.
Decor is very minimalist and industrial. Definitely not a cozy corner pub but, with the stunning beer selection in the wall of fridges, the decor is likely to not get noticed all that much.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Los Betos
Los Betos
6906 West State Street, Boise, ID
(208) 853-1494
Classic hole-in-the wall taqueria reminiscent of all the *bertos (Roberto's, Robiberto's, Alberto's, Aliberto's, etc) in San Diego. Grilled tortillas for the burritos (not steamed!; What's with steaming the tortillas in San Francisco??), short list of ingredients for most burritos - meat, guac, pico de gallo - and generous serving sizes. Tacos are also generously sized, with more ingredients, making them tasty but a bit difficult to eat without a fork.
They have several other locations in the area (one more in Boise, 2 in Nampa, one on Eagle Road in Meridian). And, most importantly, some locations are open 24 hours!
Not high cuisine, but if you need a quick burrito fix in the Treasure Valley, Los Betos is the place to go.
6906 West State Street, Boise, ID
Classic hole-in-the wall taqueria reminiscent of all the *bertos (Roberto's, Robiberto's, Alberto's, Aliberto's, etc) in San Diego. Grilled tortillas for the burritos (not steamed!; What's with steaming the tortillas in San Francisco??), short list of ingredients for most burritos - meat, guac, pico de gallo - and generous serving sizes. Tacos are also generously sized, with more ingredients, making them tasty but a bit difficult to eat without a fork.
They have several other locations in the area (one more in Boise, 2 in Nampa, one on Eagle Road in Meridian). And, most importantly, some locations are open 24 hours!
Not high cuisine, but if you need a quick burrito fix in the Treasure Valley, Los Betos is the place to go.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
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