One of the reasons I do this (a return to Lorena's)

So...the other day at lunch time, something strange happened.  I was hungry, but having absolutely no cravings for anything specific.  I asked my sister for a suggestion, and her response was that since I'm always saying I don't go to Lorena's enough and I actually had cash on me, the answer should be obvious.  A short time later, I was chatting with Lorena while she made my food.  That's pretty much SOP, but things were a little different today.

Well THAT was quick!

Sometimes it pays to keep the home fires burning...

As reported by The Idaho Statesman and confirmed on The Melting Pot's official website, the downtown Boise location will indeed be re-opening, albeit under new management.  Soon.  As in as soon as November 1st.  When they closed up shop they said they hoped to re-open someday, but I doubt anybody was expecting that someday to be less than three months later.  Seems that my gal's birthday dinner tradition can remain intact.  I wonder if my unused Restaurant.com certificates will still be valid...

Stuff that doesn't deserve its own entry...

Vermicelli from Baguette Deli

I ended up at Baguette Deli again recently, but I wasn't really feeling the sandwich thing.  Lucky for me they had another option.  Their vermicelli dishes come with a pile of rice noodles, all the veggies from their sandwiches, cilantro and your choice of toppings.  I opted for BBQ pork and sliced egg roll because, well,  I love Asian BBQ pork and I'm addicted to Baguette Deli's egg rolls.



Baja Tacos from Baja Fresh

 Those of you wanting to try "street tacos" without eating in a parking lot would do well to give the burritos a break and try the Baja Tacos at Baja Fresh.  You'll pay more than you would at a truck, Taco Time or Taco Bell, but it's damn good food with the old two tortilla, onion and cilantro combo and you'll have your choice of half a dozen salsas.

Speaking of tacos, I finally got a menu pic up on my old Tacos Mobile Primo entry.  They're good, they're at the corner of Franklin and Curtis, and they take debit cards!

Campos Market

It may be a cliché, but there are some things a man just has to do alone.  For me, one of those things is eating at Campos.

Let me explain.  I LOVE Orchard Road in Boise.  Ethnic eateries and markets of all kinds have sprung up along that street, and it seems there is never a shortage of things to do or eat there.  It took a while, but eventually I made it to Campos, and I was very enthused to find a taqueria located at the back of the store.  Knowing my mother's and sister's affinity for Mexican food, I brought it up as a lunch option the next time we were in the area.  It turned out to be a very interesting experience...

Kyoto Japanese Steak House

Kyoto Japanese Steak House is located just West of Curtis on Fairview, and has been for some time now.  They must be doing fairly well to have been open for so long, but I don't recall the last time someone mentioned to me (or even within my earshot) that they had eaten there.  Among the people I know, Fujiyama is the place to go for sushi in the Mall area, and Shige is the place to go when you're downtown.  However, there are a lot of other options around town, and Kyoto is one of the most enduring.

The Egg Factory

If it's any indication how behind I am in my posts, my most recent visit to The Egg Factory was the same day I went to the Western Idaho Fair.  In fact, they were the reason I had so little appetite to sample all the deliciously horrifying fair food, so feel free to blame them for what a non-event that entry was.

What happened was that we had to be out of the house early because a crew was going to be installing new furnace and air conditioning equipment, so we had a couple of hours to kill before the fair opened.  The kids were hungry anyway, and my girlfriend suggested The Egg Factory.  We'd been there once before, but honestly I had been so tired that I couldn't really remember it, so it sounded like a good idea to me.

P.F. Chang's (happy hour)

If memory serves, though it probably will less often as the years continue to pass, P.F. Chang's opened their branch in downtown Boise back in 2005.  Just a quick aside: I don't call it "Bodo".  And I'm not going to.  Ever.  Anyway, like all new places, especially nationwide chains, it was a madhouse when the doors opened.  It continued to be a madhouse for months afterward, and it seemed that every time I was in the area (though I'll grant you I don't make it downtown often except for hockey games), it was always teeming with people.  Add to that the fact that everyone was telling me how expensive it was, and I just never went. 

A while back, my girlfriend went there with several co-workers and hasn't stopped raving about the place since.  I agreed with her that it was time for me to finally try it, and since we were planning to be only a few blocks away at The Flicks watching The Girl Who Played With Fire recently, it seemed like the perfect time.