Showing posts with label idaho. Show all posts
Showing posts with label idaho. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Della Mano
Della Mano
260 N. Main
Ketchum, ID
The pasta is obviously the star of the show at Della Mano. The agnolotti with charred pea filling was excellent - very distinctive flavor and perfectly cooked pasta. The tagliatelle with fava beens and proscuitto was well prepared, but could have used a little something extra to make it really stand out.
The starters could use a little improvement. The arugula salad had too much lemon in the dressing. The octopus with potatoes was somewhat chewy (tender octopus seems to be something only the Spanish can pull off consistently).
Service was very good, the noise level was moderate, and the overall ambiance was just right for a warm summer evening. The restaurant is relatively small, and was only 1/2 full when we tried it, so it may feel different on a busy night.
260 N. Main
Ketchum, ID
The pasta is obviously the star of the show at Della Mano. The agnolotti with charred pea filling was excellent - very distinctive flavor and perfectly cooked pasta. The tagliatelle with fava beens and proscuitto was well prepared, but could have used a little something extra to make it really stand out.
The starters could use a little improvement. The arugula salad had too much lemon in the dressing. The octopus with potatoes was somewhat chewy (tender octopus seems to be something only the Spanish can pull off consistently).
Service was very good, the noise level was moderate, and the overall ambiance was just right for a warm summer evening. The restaurant is relatively small, and was only 1/2 full when we tried it, so it may feel different on a busy night.
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:
Friday, April 19, 2013
Snake River Winery Cabernet Franc 2011
Rich, fruity new release. Currants, raspberry, plum, with just a bit of earthiness and sage. Silky finish. Very nice example of the Snake River AVA.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Estofado de Carne de Toro
An Idaho adaptation of a beef stew from the Basque territory:
2 lbs. Kelso Farms beef neck bones - thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
2 T olive oil
1 lg onion - chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
Salt
Pepper
1 T flour
2 carrots - chopped
1/2 c Snake River Winery 2010 GSM Arena Valley Vineyard red wine
2 T Sherry vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 large jalapeno - seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
2 c low sodium beef broth
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 T parsley - chopped
In a 6 quart stock pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown the meat on both sides. Add the onion and sautee until they begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and peppers, and sautee for another 5 minutes/until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and sautee for 30 sec./until fragrant. Sprinkle everything with salt, pepper, and the flour and cook for another 1 minute. Stir in the red wine and the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits of meat or vegetables. Then add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 2 hours/until meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the bones, add parsley, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve with mashed potatoes. Alternatively, add a few peeled, chopped potatoes to the stew for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
2 lbs. Kelso Farms beef neck bones - thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
2 T olive oil
1 lg onion - chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
Salt
Pepper
1 T flour
2 carrots - chopped
1/2 c Snake River Winery 2010 GSM Arena Valley Vineyard red wine
2 T Sherry vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 large jalapeno - seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
2 c low sodium beef broth
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 T parsley - chopped
In a 6 quart stock pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown the meat on both sides. Add the onion and sautee until they begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and peppers, and sautee for another 5 minutes/until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and sautee for 30 sec./until fragrant. Sprinkle everything with salt, pepper, and the flour and cook for another 1 minute. Stir in the red wine and the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits of meat or vegetables. Then add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 2 hours/until meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the bones, add parsley, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve with mashed potatoes. Alternatively, add a few peeled, chopped potatoes to the stew for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Idaho-local St. Partick's Day feast, featuring Baked Corned Beef
3 lbs. Porterhouse Market SRF American Wagyu ("Kobe") Corned Beef
1/4 c. Wagner's Smoky Hot mustard
1 T. Idaho Wildflower raw honey
2 T. brown sugar
10 whole cloves
Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse corned beef to remove any whole seasonings and pat dry. Place beef in a shallow roasting pan, fattiest side up. Insert the cloves into the top of the beef at somewhat evenly spaced locations.
Whisk mustard, honey, and sugar together. Coat top of beef with mustard mixture. Cover beef loosely with foil and bake for 2 hours.
Remove foil and broil the beef until the top starts to caramelize (2-3 minutes). The mustard mixture can burn quickly, so monitor the beef closely while broiling.
Rest the beef for 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1/4" thick slices.
Serve with boiled Rice Family Farm red potatoes, sauteed cabbage, hearty wheat bread made with Idaho Gran and Flout Mill whole wheat, Cold Springs carp/ology 2006 Snake River Vally AVA Syrah, and Guinness (ok, not everything can be local).
1/4 c. Wagner's Smoky Hot mustard
1 T. Idaho Wildflower raw honey
2 T. brown sugar
10 whole cloves
Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse corned beef to remove any whole seasonings and pat dry. Place beef in a shallow roasting pan, fattiest side up. Insert the cloves into the top of the beef at somewhat evenly spaced locations.
Whisk mustard, honey, and sugar together. Coat top of beef with mustard mixture. Cover beef loosely with foil and bake for 2 hours.
Remove foil and broil the beef until the top starts to caramelize (2-3 minutes). The mustard mixture can burn quickly, so monitor the beef closely while broiling.
Rest the beef for 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1/4" thick slices.
Serve with boiled Rice Family Farm red potatoes, sauteed cabbage, hearty wheat bread made with Idaho Gran and Flout Mill whole wheat, Cold Springs carp/ology 2006 Snake River Vally AVA Syrah, and Guinness (ok, not everything can be local).
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, January 6, 2013
Fraser Vineyard Couloir Cuvée
2010 Snake River Valley
70% Syrah/30% Cabernet
Nice dark red color with slight browning. Blueberry, blackberry, toffee flavors, just a little oak. The syrah definitely comes through. Could use a little more time to smooth out. Definitely a nice example of Idaho wines.
70% Syrah/30% Cabernet
Nice dark red color with slight browning. Blueberry, blackberry, toffee flavors, just a little oak. The syrah definitely comes through. Could use a little more time to smooth out. Definitely a nice example of Idaho wines.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Koenig Merlot 2009
Estate grown grapes, from the Snake River Valley AVA. 14 months in oak.
Deep ruby color with slight browning.
Strawberry jam, cedar, plum, and blackberry notes, with a currant and tobacco finish. A nice, elegant Merlot from one of Idaho's best regarded producers, Koenig Distillery and Winery.
Deep ruby color with slight browning.
Strawberry jam, cedar, plum, and blackberry notes, with a currant and tobacco finish. A nice, elegant Merlot from one of Idaho's best regarded producers, Koenig Distillery and Winery.
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.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Blue Moose Pizza
Danielle's Blue Moose Pizza Drive thru Diner
907 Lake St
McCall, ID
83638
A smallish diner and drive-through on the west end of downtown McCall. Decor is log cabin diner with lots of moose photos and crafts.
The menu includes pizzas (obviously), hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. They also have a breakfast menu. Beer and wine are available.
The sausage sandwich had a nicely split and grilled Italian sausage, with generous amount of grilled onions and peppers, on a lightly-toasted soft sesame roll. Tasty, and large enough to split for two light eaters.
The Hungarian Mushroom Soup was very flavorful with good earthy herbs. While it had some cream in it, it wasn't a truly cream-based soup. However, it probably would have been better without the cream at all.
Will have to go back and try out the pizza.
Definitely worth a visit for a casual lunch in McCall.
907 Lake St
McCall, ID
83638
A smallish diner and drive-through on the west end of downtown McCall. Decor is log cabin diner with lots of moose photos and crafts.
The menu includes pizzas (obviously), hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. They also have a breakfast menu. Beer and wine are available.
The sausage sandwich had a nicely split and grilled Italian sausage, with generous amount of grilled onions and peppers, on a lightly-toasted soft sesame roll. Tasty, and large enough to split for two light eaters.
The Hungarian Mushroom Soup was very flavorful with good earthy herbs. While it had some cream in it, it wasn't a truly cream-based soup. However, it probably would have been better without the cream at all.
Will have to go back and try out the pizza.
Definitely worth a visit for a casual lunch in McCall.
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