Living out side of town several miles has its disadvantages when you’re in need of altering your dinner plans at home. Typically I have always thought of the Star Café as a place for a hearty breakfast or maybe one that could make your heart stop.
Saturday night is probably the first time to the Star Café in a good six months and the first time ever in memory for dinner. I used to see that they had a prime rib special on Saturday nights and often thought of stopping in. This night the special is Fish and Chips; I’m guessing it’s not flown in fresh.
They did have good menu selection including the favorites you grew up with; meatloaf, fried chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc. NOT like mom used to make. My mom used to make these types of meals almost daily when I was growing up. Clinging to those memories and looking at the meals being delivered to the other patrons I decided to get a burger and tots. My oldest daughter followed my lead with a corn dog (it actually looked green in color!!!) but the wife went for the fried chicken, mashed taters w/ gravy and canned corn. Not that the corn came in the can but this is defiantly the type of place that doesn’t serve fresh veggies. The burger wasn’t too bad, corn dog got eaten (she didn’t even get sick) and the wife split the chicken with the little one. The girls did strip the chicken of its oil abundant skin and found it to be eatable. Gravy was said to be floury, taters underneath were ok and the corn went untouched. Needles to say I would not rate this as a pleasant culinary experience but under the circumstances, it did in a pinch.
Once they start serving breakfast past 3pm; I may go back for dinner. Until then, I will visit for breakfast when feeling the need to raise my heart rate and cholesterol.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Chapala, Chapala, Chapala………….
Yeah you’ve seen them, been there done that but are they all the same? I think not.
The first Chapala restaurant I visited was in Hailey, ID close to 18 years ago. I assume it’s still there and remains number one. When I say number one I don’t mean it’s the best but I believe it to be the first in their existence. As you have or will notice on the marquis at the Chapala’s around the valley, they are all numbered in the order they opened their doors.
I can’t say that I have been to every location in the Chapala family but I bet I’ve been to most in Boise, Star, Nampa, Hailey and Garden City. They may all look the same, have the same menu and be owned by the same people but the food quality and presentation is quite different. I’m not referring to the common items such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. but the Arroz Con Pollo and the Carnitas just to name a couple. The differences are subtle in most of these items but the biggest and most noticeable is in the Salsa.
It’s obvious this delicious condiment is home made by each of the locations and not hard to understand why it’s so different. If I made a batch of salsa using the exact same recipe as you, I would bet they would taste different as well. My jalapeno may be hotter than yours and your onions may be sweeter than mine. But what really sets these places apart is consistency.
The most consistent and most visited by yours truly (close to my office) is the Garden City Location on Chinden. Good quality Mexican food served up fast and friendly. Best salsa in town, huh Jess? Make sure to try them for lunch and take advantage of the lunch menu pricing. Oh, and speak clearly when they ask you if you would like flour or corn tortillas. Nine times out of ten when ordering corn tortillas I get flour. I think it’s a game for the wait staff.
The first Chapala restaurant I visited was in Hailey, ID close to 18 years ago. I assume it’s still there and remains number one. When I say number one I don’t mean it’s the best but I believe it to be the first in their existence. As you have or will notice on the marquis at the Chapala’s around the valley, they are all numbered in the order they opened their doors.
I can’t say that I have been to every location in the Chapala family but I bet I’ve been to most in Boise, Star, Nampa, Hailey and Garden City. They may all look the same, have the same menu and be owned by the same people but the food quality and presentation is quite different. I’m not referring to the common items such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. but the Arroz Con Pollo and the Carnitas just to name a couple. The differences are subtle in most of these items but the biggest and most noticeable is in the Salsa.
It’s obvious this delicious condiment is home made by each of the locations and not hard to understand why it’s so different. If I made a batch of salsa using the exact same recipe as you, I would bet they would taste different as well. My jalapeno may be hotter than yours and your onions may be sweeter than mine. But what really sets these places apart is consistency.
The most consistent and most visited by yours truly (close to my office) is the Garden City Location on Chinden. Good quality Mexican food served up fast and friendly. Best salsa in town, huh Jess? Make sure to try them for lunch and take advantage of the lunch menu pricing. Oh, and speak clearly when they ask you if you would like flour or corn tortillas. Nine times out of ten when ordering corn tortillas I get flour. I think it’s a game for the wait staff.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Ahi Sushi in Eagle
If you haven’t seen or heard it’s there you should check it out. The wife and I went last weekend with a couple of good friends that we love to dine with and all enjoyed ourselves………pretty well.
It just wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have something to complain about. Why else would the wife dub me “the food snob”. First let’s start with the positives. I was impressed with the cleanliness although they just opened and that would be expected of every establishment serving food to the public. I was also impressed with the quality of the food. The rolls were very good (Skipper/Dragon) (Volcano Roll not so good) and the fish was very fresh, firm and cold. The price point was comparable to most and less expensive than top Sushi places in the valley. $140 for the four of us included the beer and enough Sushi to fill us all.
Now for the negatives. They had just an average wine selection and a way below average beer selection. Only two beers to choose from but the do have the large bottles as an option. Pricing on the drinks was average except for the wine that I felt was way over priced. Service was slow (typical of a new place), one brand of Sake and the music selection was weird to say the least. I can honestly say this is the only time I have heard Cyndi Lauper in a Sushi restaurant.
Next time you’re in Eagle check it out and judge for yourself. I’ll go back again. At least the next time I’ll know what to expect. Girl’s just wana have fu un……oh girls just wana have……..
It just wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have something to complain about. Why else would the wife dub me “the food snob”. First let’s start with the positives. I was impressed with the cleanliness although they just opened and that would be expected of every establishment serving food to the public. I was also impressed with the quality of the food. The rolls were very good (Skipper/Dragon) (Volcano Roll not so good) and the fish was very fresh, firm and cold. The price point was comparable to most and less expensive than top Sushi places in the valley. $140 for the four of us included the beer and enough Sushi to fill us all.
Now for the negatives. They had just an average wine selection and a way below average beer selection. Only two beers to choose from but the do have the large bottles as an option. Pricing on the drinks was average except for the wine that I felt was way over priced. Service was slow (typical of a new place), one brand of Sake and the music selection was weird to say the least. I can honestly say this is the only time I have heard Cyndi Lauper in a Sushi restaurant.
Next time you’re in Eagle check it out and judge for yourself. I’ll go back again. At least the next time I’ll know what to expect. Girl’s just wana have fu un……oh girls just wana have……..
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tango's
Located on Orchard St just south of Emerald St. you’ll find a little place called Tango’s. Those of us that have been around for a while remember this place being one donut shop after another but I think it’s now safe to say this building has found its rightful owner. I first read about this place in the paper what seems to be an eternity ago and made a mental note to try it out. Several recommendations, mental relapses and substantial hair loss later I finally made it in to try the Argentinean Style fare.
Not many of you reading this (including me) know exactly what Argentinean Style food is but certainly everyone’s heard of an empanada? Yep, a deep fried pie filled with variations of meat, vegetables, cheese and probably the most famous, the desert pie. With over 30 empanadas to choose from don’t be afraid to ask questions to the friendly staff or the other patrons in line. Chances are the person in front of you has been there many times before and at $2 per pie, don’t be afraid to get a couple. Big eaters may want to get three.
Today being my first visit I decide to get the jalapeno and cheese empanada and the Tango (beef) sub with jalapenos and onions. Yeah, I know, the jalapenos will get revenge later. I was impressed with both and would be torn the next visit but will most likely try their other choices of empanadas. They also have beer!!!! Although I passed on the brew today I will keep in mind they have 6 or 7 types of beer to choose from including three of my favorites; Alaskans Amber, Fat Tire and Negra Modelo.
Take your $6 lunch allowance to Tango’s, try it out and post your comments here. With 30 to choose from; we could all use your help in narrowing down the field. Buen apetito!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Argentina
Not many of you reading this (including me) know exactly what Argentinean Style food is but certainly everyone’s heard of an empanada? Yep, a deep fried pie filled with variations of meat, vegetables, cheese and probably the most famous, the desert pie. With over 30 empanadas to choose from don’t be afraid to ask questions to the friendly staff or the other patrons in line. Chances are the person in front of you has been there many times before and at $2 per pie, don’t be afraid to get a couple. Big eaters may want to get three.
Today being my first visit I decide to get the jalapeno and cheese empanada and the Tango (beef) sub with jalapenos and onions. Yeah, I know, the jalapenos will get revenge later. I was impressed with both and would be torn the next visit but will most likely try their other choices of empanadas. They also have beer!!!! Although I passed on the brew today I will keep in mind they have 6 or 7 types of beer to choose from including three of my favorites; Alaskans Amber, Fat Tire and Negra Modelo.
Take your $6 lunch allowance to Tango’s, try it out and post your comments here. With 30 to choose from; we could all use your help in narrowing down the field. Buen apetito!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Argentina
Friday, March 7, 2008
Cool Hand Luke's
I saw while I was in Eagle the other day that there is going to be a Cool Hand Luke’s opening up sometime in the near future. Knowing this and also knowing that this is a California based chain I though while in Fresno this week I would investigate to see if it’s going to be worth while to visit their new location in Eagle, ID.
The establishment I visited is clean, the staff was nice, nice amount of menu selections but the blaring county music turned me off right off the get go. I listen to all types of music including country and have a tendency to play it loud now and again but also think a restaurant should not try to double as a dance club. I noticed patrons of this place struggling to have a conversation with the others sitting across or next to them. You should be able to enjoy your company and your meal.
As usual I am dining alone and elect to sit at the bar which is several decibels louder that the waiting and main dining area. I could hardly hear the bartender as he asked me what I would like to drink. As I peruse the menu I have immediately determined this restaurant is a cowboy version of an Outback or at least that’s what there shooting for. Menu looks to be very similar from the fried onion thing to the list of steaks and other items. I yelled to the bartender for a suggestion on what to eat and he obliged by guiding me to the A1 and butter brushed Skirt Steak with sautéed mushrooms. I opted for the salad instead of the soup and green beans instead of a starch. All dinners are served with personal sized pots of mediocre pot beans and some decent sourdough rolls. I get my beer right off the bat which is expected from any establishment but then within the next 5 minutes I get everything else. First the salad, beans and rolls; then the steak and green beans not 3 minutes after the salad hit the bar. As you may know by now this is one of my biggest pet peeves. By the time I finished with my salad the steak was cold and became very unappealing. The steak was undercooked which is usually a bonus for me but not with a skirt steak. The A1 and butter sauce scared me a little at first but became enjoyable when eating the meat. Green beans were cooked perfectly but surprisingly lacked flavor considering they had been cooked in onions and bacon.
Cool Hand Luke’s has got a long way to go to top the Ausie favorite but I will give it another chance after the floods of people try the one in Eagle. Ever notice how a new restaurant fills up for the first six months or so before it becomes just another place to eat?
The establishment I visited is clean, the staff was nice, nice amount of menu selections but the blaring county music turned me off right off the get go. I listen to all types of music including country and have a tendency to play it loud now and again but also think a restaurant should not try to double as a dance club. I noticed patrons of this place struggling to have a conversation with the others sitting across or next to them. You should be able to enjoy your company and your meal.
As usual I am dining alone and elect to sit at the bar which is several decibels louder that the waiting and main dining area. I could hardly hear the bartender as he asked me what I would like to drink. As I peruse the menu I have immediately determined this restaurant is a cowboy version of an Outback or at least that’s what there shooting for. Menu looks to be very similar from the fried onion thing to the list of steaks and other items. I yelled to the bartender for a suggestion on what to eat and he obliged by guiding me to the A1 and butter brushed Skirt Steak with sautéed mushrooms. I opted for the salad instead of the soup and green beans instead of a starch. All dinners are served with personal sized pots of mediocre pot beans and some decent sourdough rolls. I get my beer right off the bat which is expected from any establishment but then within the next 5 minutes I get everything else. First the salad, beans and rolls; then the steak and green beans not 3 minutes after the salad hit the bar. As you may know by now this is one of my biggest pet peeves. By the time I finished with my salad the steak was cold and became very unappealing. The steak was undercooked which is usually a bonus for me but not with a skirt steak. The A1 and butter sauce scared me a little at first but became enjoyable when eating the meat. Green beans were cooked perfectly but surprisingly lacked flavor considering they had been cooked in onions and bacon.
Cool Hand Luke’s has got a long way to go to top the Ausie favorite but I will give it another chance after the floods of people try the one in Eagle. Ever notice how a new restaurant fills up for the first six months or so before it becomes just another place to eat?
Monday, February 18, 2008
My Houston Blog
This is one city I haven’t been to in a while and never really look forward to going to. One of the last times I was in Houston my 2nd child was born while I was standing in line to get on the plane to come home. Yeh, I know.
While on this trip I didn’t have to worry about the wife giving birth but was worried about finding some new places to dine. I didn’t really succeed in doing this but found some new appreciation for a place I have been a couple of times in the past. I did get the opportunity to revisit Fogo de’ Chao (awesome – read previous blog from Dallas) but am refereeing to Sam’s Boat.
There are several of these locations in the Houston area and I have been to at least three at one time or another. The best part; they are all the same. The worst part; they are all the same.
I think the only time I have ordered off the main menu was the first time at Sam’s a couple of years ago. Since then a meal usually consists of a several appetizers and numerous buckets of beer. Yep, Shiner Bock.
So when visiting the Houston area and you looking for a local hang out to eat, drink, watch the big game or play bar games, stop by Sam’s Boat. Make sure to try the Shiner battered mushrooms, crab balls, crab and shrimp stuffed jalapenos, blackened hot wings and their signature dish, boiled craw fish (mud bugs). Two guys can make a meal out of these six but make sure to get six pounds of bugs. Tuesday’s the have a three pound special for $12.95. Oh yeah, don’t forget the 6 buckets of Shiner Bock. For some reason they classify Shiner as a import instead of domestic and charge you for it but to me, it’s worth it.
The only other place I went to was the Tilted Kilt. It was an alright place but was one of those Texas type places I have written about in the past. It’s all about the “scenery”. The wait staff is all dressed in short Scottish kilts with white shirts tied just below the chest, exposing their mid section while accenting their cleavage. Nope no men working here, but the few ladies with muffin tops give you the impression they are knockin’ down a few to many pints with the patrons. Great selection of draft beers but to many heavy foods on the menu (fish and chips, chicken fried steak, sausage plate, and a bunch of other things loaded with gravy). Holding true to this week’s pattern we order from the appetizer menu and are not disappointed with the huge nacho plate and basket of wings.
My last thought and probably the best part about this visit. I discovered another Texas brew that is well worth calories to drink 2 or 12.
ZiegenBock Amber is actually brewed by Anheuser-Busch but displays the Texas star on the bottle and is only distributed in Texas. It tastes more like a domestic dark beer than an amber but has a nice clean finish, less after tast than an amber and didn’t give me the hang over that I deserved. The task at hand, how do I get this back to Idaho?????
While on this trip I didn’t have to worry about the wife giving birth but was worried about finding some new places to dine. I didn’t really succeed in doing this but found some new appreciation for a place I have been a couple of times in the past. I did get the opportunity to revisit Fogo de’ Chao (awesome – read previous blog from Dallas) but am refereeing to Sam’s Boat.
There are several of these locations in the Houston area and I have been to at least three at one time or another. The best part; they are all the same. The worst part; they are all the same.
I think the only time I have ordered off the main menu was the first time at Sam’s a couple of years ago. Since then a meal usually consists of a several appetizers and numerous buckets of beer. Yep, Shiner Bock.
So when visiting the Houston area and you looking for a local hang out to eat, drink, watch the big game or play bar games, stop by Sam’s Boat. Make sure to try the Shiner battered mushrooms, crab balls, crab and shrimp stuffed jalapenos, blackened hot wings and their signature dish, boiled craw fish (mud bugs). Two guys can make a meal out of these six but make sure to get six pounds of bugs. Tuesday’s the have a three pound special for $12.95. Oh yeah, don’t forget the 6 buckets of Shiner Bock. For some reason they classify Shiner as a import instead of domestic and charge you for it but to me, it’s worth it.
The only other place I went to was the Tilted Kilt. It was an alright place but was one of those Texas type places I have written about in the past. It’s all about the “scenery”. The wait staff is all dressed in short Scottish kilts with white shirts tied just below the chest, exposing their mid section while accenting their cleavage. Nope no men working here, but the few ladies with muffin tops give you the impression they are knockin’ down a few to many pints with the patrons. Great selection of draft beers but to many heavy foods on the menu (fish and chips, chicken fried steak, sausage plate, and a bunch of other things loaded with gravy). Holding true to this week’s pattern we order from the appetizer menu and are not disappointed with the huge nacho plate and basket of wings.
My last thought and probably the best part about this visit. I discovered another Texas brew that is well worth calories to drink 2 or 12.
ZiegenBock Amber is actually brewed by Anheuser-Busch but displays the Texas star on the bottle and is only distributed in Texas. It tastes more like a domestic dark beer than an amber but has a nice clean finish, less after tast than an amber and didn’t give me the hang over that I deserved. The task at hand, how do I get this back to Idaho?????
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Sushi in Spokane
Kind of an impromptu trip to Spokane this week. I was supposed to be in Boise all week but hey, I’ve never had Sushi in Spokane before.
This time of the year traditionally yields the largest snowfall here in the North West and this year seems to be way above the norm. Currently there is 3 feet of snow here in the Spokane area and they apparently do not own a single piece of snow removal equipment. Might be a good idea to have a 4 wheel drive when making the visit.
Sushi.com is located on Main St in downtown Spokane. This is the first time I have ever been to a Sushi place that someone had not recommended prior to my visit. I used the Google Maps program on my cell phone and found 3 sushi restaurants all within a few blocks of one another. Why I picked this one? It’s called Sushi.com, it’s got to be good.
Yep, it’s good and I plan to return the next time I’m in town. Reasonably priced and quality to boot. Friendly staff and only a five minute wait for an order to go.
This time of the year traditionally yields the largest snowfall here in the North West and this year seems to be way above the norm. Currently there is 3 feet of snow here in the Spokane area and they apparently do not own a single piece of snow removal equipment. Might be a good idea to have a 4 wheel drive when making the visit.
Sushi.com is located on Main St in downtown Spokane. This is the first time I have ever been to a Sushi place that someone had not recommended prior to my visit. I used the Google Maps program on my cell phone and found 3 sushi restaurants all within a few blocks of one another. Why I picked this one? It’s called Sushi.com, it’s got to be good.
Yep, it’s good and I plan to return the next time I’m in town. Reasonably priced and quality to boot. Friendly staff and only a five minute wait for an order to go.
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