Idaho

Goldy’s, Boise, 10/21/23

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exterior – 108 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702

Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro opened in 1999 in downtown Boise.   It offers made-to-order breakfast using as many local ingredients as possible and lots of options for customizing your order.  With only 56 seats and taking no reservations, there is most always a line, but it moves quickly.  We got there early and were seated immediately.  There was a second floor with more metal tables and downstairs was a small semi circular bar with seating.  A tile floor was opposite the high ceiling on the first level where you could also see into part of the kitchen.  Lots of articles decorated the walls along with an interesting light fixture.  Parking is on the street and music is played in the background.  It served quality foods that were basically well prepared.  I would recommend it for breakfast or lunch. Continue reading →

Amano, Caldwell, ID., 10/20/23

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building – 702 Main St, Caldwell, ID 83605

Amano is owned by Chef Salvador Alamilla who was inspired to cook from watching his mother.  He started as a dishwasher and worked his way up to Executive Chef quickly and also spent time as house manager for several restaurants in Boise. In 2019 he opened Amano in downtown Caldwell, a 30 minute drive from Boise.  Since then he has been nominated twice for a James Beard Award.  It shows in the popularity of the large place.  The room was divided into sections set with small tables and various seating options.  The very high “plaster” ceiling was actually made of wood to look like plaster and music was in the background.  There was dining on the second floor also and a full bar with seats downstairs.  Our server stated that the bar squeezed their own juices so we did try one cocktail.   Service was friendly but not particularly efficient.  Overall the food was acceptable but not as inspiring as I’d hoped it would be. Continue reading →

Ansots Basque Chorizos, Boise, 10/20/23

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sign on building – 560 W Main St, Boise, ID 83702

Ansots was a medium-sized place set below street level.  Owned and operated by Dan(husband), Tamara (wife), and Ellie (daughter) Ansotegui.  Dan’s maternal grandmother was a seamstress by trade but became very well known for her cooking at the Basque boarding house she ran.  Famous folks like Ernest Hemingway and Bing Crosby were known to have eaten there and she has a small cookbook.  The evolution now has become Ansots  and the inside dining area is supplemented by patio tables and a second room which is also available for rental.  Lots of windows, photographs and musical decorations surround the pretty wood tables and chairs to make it feel homey and casual.   The food is all made in-house from family recipes and many of the plates are meant to be shared.  In addition, several of the plates were offered in half-size so we were able to try a lot of their options.   Service was efficient and super friendly as well as helpful.  This is a strong recommendation to put on your list to try. Continue reading →

KIN, Boise, 10/19/23

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sign outside – 999 W Main St Suite P101, Boise, ID 83702

KIN was a five course tasting with an optional beverage pairing or drinks from the full bar.  Each menu runs about 5 weeks and is unique and changes with the seasons along with being designed to reflect the art on display.  This season the art was by Esther Oppenheimer, another Boise resident.  The communal seating was at a long line of adjacent 2-top tables and the menu.  Due to the set-up they do not accept odd number party reservations.  Chef Kris Komori is a fan of the farm-to-table movement and works with the growing seasons of Idaho along with being active in his community.  His abilities won him the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain Region in 2023 after being a semi-finalist five times.  Next to the dining room was a lounge and a cocktail bar.  Various members of the kitchen staff introduced each course including Chef Komori who also came out to greet the diners after the meal.  Another member of the staff closed the evening with an acapello song.  It was a lovely evening and one you should reserve if you are in Boise.   One note was that the beverage pairings were very small pours so you might want to allow time for a drink in the bar first and the noise level made it hard to talk to your partner across the table. Continue reading →

Grill at Knob Hill, Ketchum, Idaho, 9/5/20

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outside of hotel

The Grill at Knob Hill is a restaurant featuring Northwestern food in the Knob Hill Inn.  It has a large dining area including an indoor/outdoor terrace dining room with floor-to-ceiling glass folding doors and lawn seating on the large area on the side of the inn.   Otherwise the inside is just the bar where you can enjoy a craft cocktail while you wait for your table.  They offered a regular menu that would suit any taste and also a few daily specials.  We were on the lawn just outside the terrace dining room and it was a beautiful setting with a large display of flowers along the exterior wall.  The white cloth covered tables were small and set with black napkins and well spaced.  There was good lighting while the sun was up but it got a good bit darker when the sun went down.  The many tables covered with umbrellas and set further from the terrace got pretty dark with only a small candle.  Servers were friendly, helpful and masked. Continue reading →

Cristinas, Ketchum, Idaho, 9/5/20

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exterior

Cristina’s was opened in 1993 by Cristina Cook, 5 years after she moved here from Italy.  She has written 2 cookbooks.  The place is open for breakfast, lunch and brunch and is using their large outdoor seating area rather than the interior.  You enter into the small salmon colored house to find a counter filled with sweet and savory foods which are available for purchase.  There were a couple room inside but outside they have a large tent complete with chandeliers over the wood deck and individual tables with umbrellas on the lawns around the house.  The white cloth covered tables were well spaced and set with white cloth napkins.  Lots of plants and flowers surround the diners.  No music is in the background.  The small menu has the daily specials written in.  Chef Cook was in the kitchen but she never came out to greet guests.  Seating was only by reservation or waiting a couple hours.  Servers wore masks, were friendly and all seemed to work together to take care of the tables. Continue reading →

Michel’s Christiania, Ketchum, Idaho, 9/4/20

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Michel’s Christiania Restaurant was opened around 1994 by Chef/Owner Michel Rudigoz.  The French raised chef actually moved to Ketchum to coach a Sun Valley Ski team.  He also coached Picabo Street the year she won her first Olympic Medal.  His love of classic French cuisine is the basis of this restaurant.  It is a large A-frame building with a good sized patio in the back.  The interior also has a bar and upstairs party room.  Tables were well distanced inside and out, covered with white clothes and set with black napkins.  The patio was even nicer than the outside, to me, with a center fountain (no music in the background to compete with the sound of trickling water) and a large awning over the section adjacent to the building.  Greenery surrounds the patio and a small wall separates diners from the street which was not that busy.  Lighting under the awning was better than further out, but that matters most if you want to take photos.  The menu features some local ingredients and also there were a couple nightly specials.  Servers wore masks and were friendly but service did not live up to the standard the place wants to be – timing was variable and after placing our champagne in an ice bucket the server never refilled our glasses without being requested to do so. Continue reading →

Grumpy’s, Ketchum, Idaho, 9/4/20

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exterior

Grumpy’s opened in May 1978 in Ketchum, Idaho and is a favorite of tourists and locals.  It’s a simple menu but it has evolved to now offer tuna, salmon and ham & cheese sandwiches.  It’s frequented by many ski folks as well as the bike crowd in summer.   The walls and ceiling inside are covered with items that each have a story.  You order inside and then can choose one of the booths inside or tables outside.  Inside there is a plexiglass between each booth and outside the tables are distanced and many have umbrellas.  We got there around 3 in the afternoon and there were no empty tables outside.  It’s popular and does not take reservations but does do to-go orders.  They now even have a phone which apparently they didn’t for some time.  They are open daily 11 – 8.  Inside the first thing you notice are the beer cans lining the walls and up the ceiling.  You can easily spend the time waiting for your order checking out all the interesting items or finding obscure cans. Continue reading →