A really great wine dinner at Richard’s Vicino’s with Winemaker Coco Umiker from Clearwater Canyon Cellars. Superb wines and an awesome dinner that was perfectly paired with the wines. These dinners always create a fantastic dinner atmosphere and we got to meet new friends, too! Below are some photos of the evening and also the menu that Chef Richard Langston created for our enjoyment. And as a note: Chef Richard uses local produce and products whenever possible. Tonight’s dinner is an example of that philosophy.
The Menu for the evening and the wines that were paired with dinner.
Chef Richard Langston
Coco Umiker, Winemaker at Clearwater Canyon Cellars
lemon gastrique, Idaho caviar cream
2015 “Lochsa”, Umiker Vineyard, Lewis-Clark Valley
La Quercia coppa
Local Cherries
with
Goat Cheese Dressing
2014 Merlot, Lewis-Clark Valley
Local Heirloom Polenta
Salsa Verde
2014 Carmenere, Phinny Hill Vineyaqrd, Horse Heaven Hills
Roasted Sesame Broccoli
Broccoli-Carrot Slaw
2014 Columbia Valley Petit Syrah
Fresh Berries
2014 Verhey Vineyard, Rattlessnake Hills Merlot
The wines tonight were all made in Idaho by Clearwater Canyon Cellars, even though some of the grapes are from the state of Washington. For that reason, I am including an AVA map of Washington. You will be able to locate these different grape producing areas. Because the wine was produced in Idaho and in the Lewis-Clark AVA (Idaho’s newest AVA), the wines are considered Idaho wine.
Washington state AVA’s
St Lawrence Gridiron Visit
23 Monday May 2016
Posted in 4-Stars, Beef, Beer and Food, Bistro, Bistro - St Lawrence Gridiron, Boise, Boise Area Food Adventures, Boise Artisan Bakery's, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Brunch with Robin, Burger and Brew, Buy Idaho, Grilling, Idaho Chefs, Lunch With Robin, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, St Lawrence Gridiron Bistro, What's For Dinner?
Really a good visit. Good burgers, some of the best succotash I have ever eaten, some of the best shrimp and grits and good selection of beers and wines. Nice interior – different but friendly. Great interior design and artwork, including the lighting. Ww would definitely go back. Here is their inportant information – St Lawrence Gridiron Boise Website, Downtown Boise, ID, 705 W Bannock St,(208) 433-5598. Monday – Thursday, 11 – 11, Friday 11 – Midnight, Saturday 9:30am – 12am, Sunday, 9:30am – 9pm, Brunch On Weekends 9:30am-2pm. A great patio area weather permitting. They do their own smoking of brisket and turkey and I hear it is outstanding. They also try very hard to source their products locally. Definitely a really good bistro in downtown Boise. 4-Stars and well wworth the trip. Here are some photos of our visit. Enjoy!
Happy Hour information.
Smoking brisket for 9 – 12 hours, and turkey.
Part of the interior.
I do like these lights. Interesting.
Exciting time in Boise!
Time for a Barley Brown’s Headshake IPA and a dark and rich Full Nitro. It was 5:00 somewhere!
Shrimp and Grits
Rebellion Burger and a side of Succotash.
Some of the best succotash I have ever eaten.
The Rebellion Burger
is fantastic. Their own dill pickles, onion, lettuce and tomato. Well woth the $11.00 price tag. There is a lot here.
Thank You “Travel and Leisure Magazine”!
16 Monday May 2016
Wow! Travel and Leisure Magazine has us listed in an article in their latest issue! Here is a link to The Article. This article also makes for a good reference when you are traveling. Scroll through the information to see the different states and the superb restaurants.
The Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant in Every StateIdaho: Juniper
A perfect day in Boise isn’t complete without a bike ride on the Ridge to Rivers Trail System, a turn through the Boise Art Museum, and a meal at newcomer Juniper, which has quickly become a favorite for locals like Boise Food Guild blogger Bob Young. Chef Aaron puts Idaho on a pedestal, working closely with local farmers, growers, winemakers, and brewers throughout the Gem State, but it’s the restaurant’s funky personality that continues to dazzle diners. As a locally spirited gastropub, speakeasy, live music hall, and gin joint, Juniper is like one great love story about Idaho that never gets tired of being told. Pop in on any Wednesday to Saturday to try the $48 five-course dinner at the Chef’s Table.
2016 Treefort/Foodfort Boise
26 Saturday Mar 2016
Posted in Beef, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Beer Tasting, Boise Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Duck, Food, Food Photos, Idaho, Idaho Beef, Idaho Breweries, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Grains, Idaho Greens, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Polenta Roys Calais, Idaho Vegetables, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Modern Hotel, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurants, Sausage, Special Beers, What's For Dinner?
Well I did go this year. The first time since the first one that was held 4 years ago in 2012. What drew me this year? Janie Burns and probably the fact that the organizers added Idaho food products, thus Foodfort!
The Treefort Music Fest is a five-day, indie rock festival which is held at numerous venues throughout downtown Boise, Idaho in late March.The 2014 festival took place March 20–23 with the featured acts Built to Spill, The Joy Formidable, and Poliça; the 2015 festival, scheduled March 25–29, featured TV On The Radio, Trampled By Turtles, and Emily Wells, and locals Built to Spill and Josh Ritter. Treefort has been called “the west’s best SXSW alternative” and “Boise’s preeminent artistic, cultural and musical happening” which has “morphed from quirky music festival to consuming community event.” It has also been characterized as having become a “nationally renowned gathering just by maintaining its personable close-knit vibe” and a “music lover’s joyous mayhem” which showcases the soul of Boise. [Wikipedia]
Here’s some of the venue – Beer, Food and Entertainment.
It was very full and busy.
All ages jumping rope!
They were very good!
See?
And these folks.
To a hand-stand!
There were many local and Idaho breweries represented. Some very good micro breweries and nano breweries.
Chef Richard – James Beard Nominee – from Vincinos.
He uses local rainbow carrots in some of his dishes.
He made, for public consumption and enjoyment, Duck with Polenta and Tomato. It was superb!
The folks from Juniper were there also.
Juniper provided Kuboto Beef with Farro. Again, all Idaho products!
The Modern Hotel supplied us with a delicious Sausage and Lentil dish.
I heard the Michael from Acme Bakeshop was working on a new bread and had samples. I did not see him. But maybe next week when the Boise Farmers Market opens for the season. Find them from 9am to 1pm at 10th and Grove in Boise.
Kibrom’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant
02 Wednesday Mar 2016
Kibrom’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant at 3506 W State St, Ste 100, Boise, Idaho. (208) 703-0564. Eritrea, “Eritrea (/ˌɛrᵻˈtreɪ.ə/ or /ˌɛrᵻˈtriːə/;, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the East Africa. With its capital at Asmara, it is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast.” [Wikipedia] We were pleasantly surprised by this totally different cuisine. “Ethiopian cuisine (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ምግብ?) characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes. This is usually in the form of wat (also w’et or wot), a thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat exclusively with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes. Utensils are optional…The Ethiopian Orthodox Church prescribes a number of fasting (tsom, Ge’ez: ጾም ṣōm) periods, including Wednesdays, Fridays, and the entire Lenten season, so Ethiopian cuisine contains many dishes that are vegan… typical dish consists of injera accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, lamb, vegetables and various types of legumes, such as lentils. Gurage cuisine also makes use of the false banana plant (enset, Ge’ez: እንሰት inset), a type of ensete. The plant is pulverized and fermented to make a bread-like food called qocho or kocho (Ge’ez: ቆጮ ḳōč̣ō), which is eaten with kitfo. The root of this plant may be powdered and prepared as a hot drink called bulla (Ge’ez: ቡላ būlā), which is often given to those who are tired or ill. Another typical Gurage preparation is coffee with butter (kebbeh). Kita herb bread is also baked. Pasta is frequently available throughout Ethiopia, including rural areas.[1] Coffee is also a large part of Ethiopian culture and cuisine. After every meal, a coffee ceremony is enacted and espresso coffee is served. Ajwain or radhuni, korarima, nigella and fenugreek (clockwise, from top) are used with chilies and salt to make berbere, a basic ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes.
Berbere, a combination of powdered chili pepper and other spices (somewhat analogous to Southwestern American chili powder), is an important ingredient used in many dishes. Also essential is niter kibbeh, a clarified butter infused with ginger, garlic, and several spices.
Mitmita (Amharic: ሚጥሚጣ?, IPA: [mitʼmitʼa]) is a powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It is orange-red in color and contains ground birdseye chili peppers (piri piri), cardamom seed, cloves and salt.[6] It occasionally has other spices including cinnamon, cumin and ginger…In their adherence to strict fasting, Ethiopian cooks have developed a rich array of cooking oil sources—besides sesame and safflower—for use as a substitute for animal fats which is forbidden during fasting periods. Ethiopian cuisine also uses nug (also spelled noog, also known as “niger seed”).
Alcohol – Tej is a potent honey wine. It is similar to mead, which is frequently served in bars (in particular, in a tej bet or “tej house”). Katikala and araqe are inexpensive local spirits that are very strong.
Tella is a home-brewed beer served in tella bet (“tella houses”) which specialize in serving tella only. Tella is the most common beverage made and served in households during holidays.” [Wikipedia]
We saw no alcoholic beverages listed on the house menu. I hope this attempt at demystifying the Ethiopian cuisine helps. It is good and the restaurant can be a fun place. I would suggest going with friends or a small group. Here are some photos of our meal. Enjoy!
Please note: The bread like addition to the next two plates is as common as Wonder Bread and is known as, “Injera (Amharic: ənǧära እንጀራ [ɨndʒəra]; sometimes transliterated as enjera; Oromo: bidenaa; Somali: canjeero) or taita (Tigrinya: ጣይታ) is a sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea. A similar variant is eaten in Somalia and Djibouti (where it is called canjeero or lahooh), as well as Yemen (where it is known as lahoh) and Sudan (where it is known as kisra).” [Wikipedia]
Shrimp Scampi Pizza and Wildflour Bakery
23 Tuesday Feb 2016
Shrimp! Plenty of shrimp! 2 pounds of 25 count on a 12″ pizza! No tomato or Alfredo. Just shrimp and mozzarella! Make your own crust or use, as we did, a Boboli crust. In less than an hour, you are eating some really good pizza. That is, if you like shrimp! And then for a further treat, shred some iceberg lettuce and add pineapple chunks, with juice, and shredded fresh basil leaves and you have a wonderful salad to add to your dinner. Here is the recipe., Enjoy!
Source: adapted from Sal Yonta’s Shrimp Scampi Pizza
Total Time: 50 min Prep: 35 min Cook: 15 min Yield: 10 slices Level: Easy
Ingredients:
20 oz Pizza Dough or 1 Boboli Thin Crust pizza shell
2 1/4 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined. 1/2 lbs reserved whole
1 t Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste
3 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 T minced Garlic (about 8 cloves)
6 oz Button Mushrooms, quartered
1/2 c dry White Wine
1 stick unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1/4 c Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lbs shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Stretch the pizza dough to make a 16-inch pizza. Place on a pizza screen and set aside. Or use a 12″ Boboli crust.
3. In a food processor, add the shrimp, along with the Old By Seasoning, and coarsely chop. In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil until very hot. Add the shrimp and garlic, sauté for 4 minutes, until shrimp turns lightly pink. Add the mushrooms.
4. Add the wine and stir. Reduce by 1/2. Add the butter and heat until melted. Then add in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat and season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
5. Spread half of the mozzarella over the pizza crust, then spoon the shrimp mixture over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese. Top with 1/2 pound of whole shrimp. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting.
Shrimp in skillet getting cooked
Cheese on pizza dough waiting for the shrimp
Shrimp being placed on the dough
Shrimp on pizza and assembled. Ready for the oven.
Pizza is hot! Let cool before cutting.
Shrimp Pizza and Green Salad with Pineapple and Basil Dressing
After all this delicious shrimp pizza, how about some goodies from Wildflour Bakery? They have only been open a very short time – maybe 2 months – but their products deserve the 4-Stars. We will probably return. It’s close to us!
Westside of 42nd Street
Interior. There are places to sit and have a cup or two of coffee and some wonderful doughnuts.
Thumbprint Cookie, Jelly Rolls and a wonderful Apple Doughnut.
Special Food – Special Family
18 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in 4-Stars, Boise Restaurants, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Dinner With Family, Eggs, Eggs Poached, Flying Pie Pizza, Idaho Bacon, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Grains, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Pork, Italian Food, Local Farmers Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Next Generation produce, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Pizza, Pizza and Brew, Restaurants, Salad, Special Dinners, Special Events, What's For Dinner?
Tags
Well, tomorrow at this time who knows where I’ll be. Open heart surgery to start at 0530. Do people actually move around at that hour? But I am so thankful for Marnie, Mac, Carlynne – Robin’s sister who came to help all the way from Delaware – Chris and my Super RN’s who are always in my thoughts – Robin, Roli and Cristi. They will hold my hand as will my sister Peggy and my brother Alex, although they will be long distance.
But one must eat first. Carlynne took us all out for pizza last night at Flying Pie Pizza and it was super, although I think the service is really getting slooooooow. The pizza is still great; The service is not. Thanks Carlynne for this treat. I also came across this chart which helps to figure out recipes if you must change the size and servings. A conversion chart of sorts. Enjoy and I will see you all in about a week. Cheers! Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.
Next Generation Polenta
with
Meadowlark Farms Poached Eggs
Falls Brand Bacon
(Twin Falls)
Blueberries
(not from Idaho)
White Pizza
with
Artichoke and Cheese Variety
Meat and Vegetable Pizza
Tonight? Seafood dinner by Marnie, Mac and Carlynne. Homemade and good! Cheers!
Modern Motel Brunch
19 Saturday Dec 2015
Tags
The Modern Motel Restaurant, 1314 West Grove Street, Boise, ID 83702, never ceases to amaze me with the quality of food that they present and serve. We have been there several times and I have never had a meal I did not like. Today was no exception. Their Brunch Menu offers at least 1 special. It changes. See if they have the Cauliflower Grits or the Squash Bread with Coffee Butter. If they do, get some! Here is their Dinner Menu, which is also subject to change. Here’s what we had. It’s really great to see that they use local products whenever possible.
Mixed Greens
Cauliflower Grits
Egg Yolk and Balsamic Drizzle
A Good Night at the Boise Fry Company
18 Wednesday Nov 2015
Posted in 4-Stars, Beef, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Boise Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Burger and Brew, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Dinner With Robin, Idaho Beef, Idaho Breweries, Idaho Buffalo, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Wine, Idaho's Bounty, Photos By: Bob Young, Potatoes, Restaurant Reviews, What's For Dinner?
The really are a lot – many, many, many – places to get some burgers and fries – didn’t Charlie Pride sing a song about that? – in Boise, but the Boise Fry Company – Burgers On The Side is by far one of the better places. Fries from russets, golds, lauras, yams, sweet, purple, Okinawa potatoes and Brussels sprouts. And the side burgers from beef, bison (the best ones!) and vegan. Craft beer, local wines and house made sodas are also in the offering. And the kids are welcome, too! The one we went to is on 204 North Capitol Blvd (where Cafe de Paris used to be). (208) 949-7523. Easily a 4-Star eatery. Here are some photos from our visit.
A spacious dining area. Tables and chairs or couches.
The ordering area and more seating.
Artwork on the wall.
A wide variety of fry dips and salts are available. Help yourself.
bacon plus garlic aioli, spring mix, red onion, pickles, tomato
Russet Fries for Two
IPA for Two
Pictured are three fry toppings: Blueberry, House Made Fry Sauce and Garlic Sauce. We liked the Blueberry the best but all were good.
It was a good night!
It is interesting to see that they use all “… natural, local and whenever possible, organic products.” The prep work for making their fries takes up to 5 steps and they are then fried in GMO free sunflower oil, which is then recycled to be used in cars. The bison is “… local, natural, grass-fed … We use free-range, grass-fed beef.” Depending on what you are looking for, this might just be the burger and fry place for you. We’ll go back.
Great Night at Richard’s Cafe Vicino in Boise
04 Wednesday Nov 2015
Posted in 5-Stars, Appetizers, Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Buffalo, Buy Idaho, Chef Richard Langston, Cinder Wines, Classic Cuisines, Dinner With Robin, Dinner With The Winemaker, Duck, Gumbo, Healthy Eating, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Wine, Idaho's Bounty, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, New Orleans Food, Oysters, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Seafood, Shrimp, Special Dinners, Special Events, Squash, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners, Wines - Idaho
Actually, this restaurant used to be Cafe Vicino’s. Now it is known as Richard’s Cafe Vicino, owned and operated by Chef Richard Langston. It is a superb place to go. Every bit a 5-Star restaurant. Great date night or special occasion restaurant. The food and the service is superb. We were there for the South by Southwest Wine Dinner, featuring wines from Cinder Winery. Winemaker Melanie Krause and Joe Schnerr were both there to describe and talk about the wines. Here is what we had. Enjoy! We did. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.
The menu and accompanying wines.
Grits with BBQ Shrimp
Oysters Bienville
with
Winter Squash
with
Pine Nut Brittle
Boise Foodie Guild 