Great Visit to Capitol Cellars

26 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Beef, Boise Adventures, Capitol Cellars, Dinner With Friends, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Idaho Beef, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Lamb, Idaho Polenta Floriani, Idaho Potatoes, Idaho Wine, Lamb, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, Shell Fish, Shrimp, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Meet-Up Group, Wines - Idaho, Wines - Washington

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Capitol Cellars, lamb, seafood, shrimp

Really a good visit tonight to the newly opened – March 2015 – of Capitol Cellars at 5th and Main Streets in Boise in the Belgravia Building. (There is also an AirBNB in the building, Belgravia AirBNB.) The ambiance is like entering a “wine cave”. Dim lights; cool air and wonderful Waite Staff. In certain sections of the restaurant, it is like sitting in a wine cellar – because you really are! I have placed a permanent link in the sidebar of this blog so you can contact them, make reservations or check their manu. Definitely a 4-Star (out of 5-Stars) restaurant. My only comments about the food is that the risotto seemed to be a little gummy – undercooked. The crispy fries were not really as crispy as I had expected. I expected more of a twice fried Belgium style potato. Here are some photos from our visit. Enjoy! It is great to see that they use Idaho products and produce as much as possible. This would be a great Date Night restaurant or Special Occasion.

The entrance at 5th and Main in the Belgrade Building.

The entrance at 5th and Main in the Belgravia Building.

Part of the main dining room.

The wine cellar.

Wine cellar ambiance.

Shoup Pernod Shrimp
garlic, shallot, basil, Pernod cream sauce

Cheese plate
specialty artisan and local cheeses, fruit, spiced nuts, port-fig jam, imported olives, baguette & crackers

Borah Burger
Idaho Kobe beef, fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato, balsamic reduction, roasted garlic aioli, brioche bun

Risotto

The Senator’s Prime Rib
Idaho-northwest raised beef, Idaho bake potato, warm horseradish sauce, au jus

Pete’s Idaho Lamb Shank
Lava Lake Lamb. goat cheese polenta, seasonal vegetable, natural jus

Logan Smyser, Director of Operations, shows us how to use a sabre to remove the top of a champagne bottle.

Boise Wine Meet-Up Groups Party Hearty!

19 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in 13th Street Pub and Grill, Appetizers, Crab Cakes, Idaho Chefs, IPhone Photos, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Photos By: Robin Young, Pizza, Special Events, Tastings Wine Bar, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Lunch?, Wine and Food, Wine Meet-Up Group, Wine Tasting

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13th Street Pub and Grill, Boise WIne Meet Up Groups, Tastings Wine Bar, Trey Busch

Two of the Boise Wine Meet-up Groups met this past Wednesday. The first group met at Tastings Wine Bar in Boise with Trey Busch, pictured here, of Slight of Hand Winery from Walla Robin and I took these with her phone. Walla, Washington doing the presentation of his wines. As I did not have my camera with me, Robin and I took these photos with her phone. Left-Click any of these photos to see enlarged. There should be no small photos – except for the one above of Trey – so you may need to “Refresh” your screen. Cheers!

Tasting wine menu.

Pizza Crab Cakes Awesome pizza! Ham, pineapple, cheese, Chipotle sauce, Raspberry Sauce on Flatbread

Pizza
Ham, pineapple, cheese, Chipotle sauce, Raspberry Sauce on Flatbread
Crab Cakes

Awesome pizza!

Then after this tasting, we went to the 13th Street Pub and Grill for the second tasting and some substantial food.

They had the interior of the pub all decorated out for the Holiday Season. It was nice sitting around the fire that was situated in the center of the room and seating on all four sides. Definitely warm! In order to keep the wine cool, we placed a glass of ice water between the wine and the fire. The two glasses were touching. Yes, it does work! Enjoy these photos, even though some of them are a little “artsy”. Cheers!

Slight of Hand and a Tempranillo de Mancha on the right.

The fire situated in the center of the room. We sat around this awesome and warm fireplace.

Some of the people having a good time.

Claire, the Coordinator of the event and Robin are discussing the finer things in life – Wine!

Joe, Cindi and Jan are enjoying the company and the party.

Robin had a BLT. I guess one must now ask for a golden brown toast. This toast was not.

Bob had a Pub Burger.

Wine Meet-Up At Le Cafe de Paris

20 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Bistro, La Cafe de Paris, Photos By: Bob Young, Report By Robin, Special Dinners, Special Events, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Meet-Up Group

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artichoke and spinach dip, cheese plate, mediterranean france

Robin wrote this good review of the Wine Meet-Up Group Party at Le Cafe de Paris in Boise yesterday. The photo here is of some of the appetizers we had. (Here’s a link to a good Slide Show.)

“Christian presented some diverse and reasonably priced wines from Mediterranean France – new to many. From the refreshing 2011 Picpoul Blanc- a perfect wine for oysters and other shellfish to an oak aged white with great body – Doria 2009 from Luberon in the Languedoc, great with the artichoke dip. A beautiful 2012 100% Aramon Rose’ paired nicely with pate’ and will satisfy many summer culinary creations. The 2004 La Mascaronne from Provence shows the new blending styles of a Cabernet mixed with Rhone grapes – all the rage now for a serious lamb dinner wine and finishing the tasting with the huge 2008 Orca from old vines in Ventoux is a great match for BBQ’s yet to come.

A bit crowded, but just the right mix of interesting people at our end of the table. The appetizers were creative crostini with a fresh tomato and basil mix, wonderful bread from Gaston’s Bakery in the basement with a hot cheesy artichoke and spinach dip, I enjoyed a slice of Mathieu’s especially flavorful pate’ with cornichons and mustard and who stole my cheese? By the time the cheese plate arrived at our end of the table, there were a few craisins and nuts and only two skinny slices of Brie!

We ordered a salmon plate and a roast stuffed pheasant for dinner, but it took such a long time to arrive, that our seats had become nearly numb from the very uncomfortable chairs. We had out meals boxed ‘to go’. We love Mathieu and his concept of fine French dining, however he needs to buy some more comfortable chairs and stabilize the rocking tables.”

Chandler’s Steak House, Boise

18 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Chandler's Steak House, Crab, Friends, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, Special Events, Tuna, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Meet-Up Group

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ahi tuna, food, mustard sauce, restaurants, seafood appetizer

We went to Chandler’s Steak House this past Wednesday to a Wine Meet-Up Group party. The food was good, although I think over-priced. We did not get it, but the seafood appetizer platter was $90.00. We did get the crab cakes though, and they were good. Not over filled with bread crumbs. It’s just hard to beat a good, Eastern Shore, Blue Crab crab cake. That’s my real benchmark. Robin and I each decided on a tuna appetizer. Great presentations and both dishes tasted good, although I liked the Tower of Tuna the best. Left-Click the photos to see enlarged and enjoy the photos. Please VOTE above. Thanks.

Black Orchid Tuna
Sashimi grade ahi tuna seared rare; sliced and served with the signature “Black Orchid” mustard sauce. $18.00

Tower of Tuna
Fresh ahi and hamachi tuna, diced and towered with avocado, tomato, red onion, red chili, ginger, and sesame seed vinaigrette with Asian sesame crisps. $14.50