Even Stevens

The sandwich is a wonderful thing.  From the majestic simplicity of the grilled cheese or the PB&J to the iconic BLT, torta and Cubano, cramming stuff between two hunks of starch results in everything from comfort food to art form.  The Valley certainly has been seeing a boom in sandwich joints lately, and while many are admittedly chain eateries, not all chains are created equal.  A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of attending the soft opening of Boise's newest entry in the sandwich scene, Salt Lake City-born Even Stevens.

26 Hours in Portland: Smokehouse Tavern

A while back I found out that The Kids in the Hall were embarking on their first tour since 2008.  I initially wavered back and forth about whether to go, but I still had enough money after returning from the Oregon Coast in March to pull it off.  It was going to be my first solo road trip in quite a while.  Just a man, a lot of road coffee and loud music, an evening of Canadian sketch comedy, and hopefully some excellent food.

Then Mom said that if I would like some help with gas and hotel costs, she wouldn't mind getting out of town for a day.  That made me think that I should ask my sister if she'd like to tag along, especially since she's a KITH fan (I introduced her to their stuff on DVD about a decade ago).  That's when I found out that her boyfriend is also a fan.  Then my brother (yes, another fan) ended up getting back home sooner than we expected.  Long story short, on the morning of May 30th five people piled into my mother's Tahoe at 5:30 in the morning, bound for Portland.  Half an hour at the slowest Starbucks I've ever seen and seven hours of mostly ugly road later (with a quick stop to gas up and see my aunt in her hometown), we arrived.  During the damned Rose Festival, when the traffic is psychosis-inducing and all the street closures render GPS about half as useful as normal, but I digress (for now).  Interestingly enough, everyone just went along with the idea of me planning out the food itinerary for the entire trip.  First stop: barbecue.

Fork

So, I've been sitting on this one for several months now, in hopes that I would have a chance to return and try some more things (and honestly, get some better pictures).  It's almost happened a couple of times but just didn't pan out.  Maybe writing about the place will galvanize me into dragging my ass down there again...

Treats and Tragedies on the Road: Oregon Coast Weekend Day 2 (La Maison, Tillamook Creamery Cafe, Local Ocean Seafoods)

Deja freaking vu.  I spent two hours on this post the other day, and when I went to publish it my browser crashed.  Apparently whatever the glitch was that caused the crash was also preventing the auto-save from working, so the entire thing went *poof*.  I guess I could have started over right then when it was fresh in my mind, but I went and bought a bottle of gin instead.  So, this probably won't be as eloquent or verbose as the first time I wrote it since I'm feeling a little impatient at the moment, but then again it's going to be a long post anyway so maybe that's a good thing.  We now return you to my normal blathering.

I go out for breakfast less than any other meal, which is surprising when you consider how much I love breakfast foods.  Of course you can get them at places like IHOP or your friendly neighborhood truck stop all day and all night, but it's just not the same.  Unfortunately I'm just not a morning person...except on vacation, when I tend to rise with the Sun.  There was no debate about where we would be having breakfast; a mutual friend told us we NEEDED to go to a particular place.  That's how it was worded, "you guys need to go".  And I wasn't about to argue with her, because she's taller than me and would just bop me on the head.

Treats and Tragedies on the Road: Oregon Coast Weekend Day 1 (Panera Bread, Nana's Irish Pub)

I know that the out-of-town posts don't resonate with a lot of you the same way that the local ones do.  I guess I don't understand that because it's not lot like I'm constantly posting from Asia, or Europe, or even just the East Coast the way a lot of bloggers do.  I'm a man of limited free time and even more limited financial means, but I'm also a man who likes getting the hell out of Boise as often as possible.  Therefore, I take a lot of short trips that are within a day's drive, and since I love the Pacific Northwest that means I end up in Washington and Oregon a lot.  I guess I can understand that people around here don't spend a lot of time in Seattle per se.  It's a bit of a drive, and the flights ain't as cheap as they used to be.  I know a lot of people who go to Portland fairly often, that drive is shorter and honestly the place feels like Boise's big brother.  Same vibe, more food and entertainment options.  But the Oregon Coast?  Yeah, the convoluted roadways make the drive as long as the one to Seattle, but the rewards are so worth it.  There are so many awesome little towns, cheap little hotels, camping opportunities, and great food.  Not to mention the freaking Ocean.  I don't even like beaches, and I could care less about getting a tan, but there's something about sitting and watching/listening to all that water.  It seriously has the ability to hypnotize me for hours.

And that's how I found myself on yet another road trip with the roommate, back to Newport again.  It's kind of becoming her home away from home.  Personally, I would like to explore some of the neighboring towns more, but she's really fixated on that particular place.  Still, when means are limited and someone is offering to split gas and hotel expenses, I'll usually play along.  Some things never change; we left early, hit Starbucks, and I did most of the driving.  There were a couple of firsts this time, though: for the first time ever, we would not be bringing either of her kids along for the ride.  I love those two, but the idea of grown-up only time was intriguing (and to be honest, their mother needed it).  Also, the roommate set the ENTIRE dining agenda for the day.  First stop?  Panera Bread in Tualatin, which was our last stop on our trip back from the Coast last year.

Treats and Tragedies on the Road: Valentine's Weekend in Seattle, Day 3 (Pike Place Market Grill, Nordstrom Grill, Beecher's SeaTac Cafe)

Last day (well, half day) in Seattle.  Everyone was raring to get out of the hotel and cram in some last-chance fun.

Well, everyone except Cousin It...

Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit.  After two straight days of constant walking, we were feeling a little sore, tired, blistery, etc.  Mentally though, we were still mostly excited.  Mostly.  Luckily mind prevailed over matter, so we put ourselves together, checked out of the hotel after once again having our bags thrown into the storage closet, and headed to...where else...Pike Place Market again.

A Tale of Two Cubanos (The Dish and Bleubird)

Let me say a couple of words to you:  Cuban Sandwich.  Or Cubano, if you prefer.  Picture it in your mind.  What do you see?  Myself, I see ham, roasted pork, mustard, pickles, and Swiss cheese, layered on bread pressed so thoroughly that the outside almost takes on the consistency of a cracker.  It's one of those things I'm kind of anal about, like what constitutes a martini (you probably don't want me to get started on that topic, and since I'm feeling generous I won't).  I mean have you seen the movie Chef yet?  Because if you haven't, you really should.  It's a little hammy...I mean cheesy...hmm, how appropriate.  Well, you get the idea.  But it's also heartwarming, clever, and full of talented actors and food porn.  Seriously, it's on Netflix streaming, so you have no excuse.  I digress.  Anyway, look at the sandwiches that guy makes!  How the hell do you improve on that?  It's classic!

Of course, that doesn't stop some people from trying to improve on it...or at least put their own spin on it.  And a few months back (yeah, all my write-ups seem to be taking a few months to squeeze out lately...speak to the complaint department) the roommate and I both had some weekdays off, and one of the things we decided to do was hit up some eateries in downtown Boise, an area we both agree neither of us spends enough time in.  We're both big fans of the sandwich arts, so we decided to try a couple of spots for lunch; one because we've both been wanting to try it forever, the other because I was curious about it.  The connection?  Both places serve Cubanos...after a fashion.  You see, you can't really get a traditional Cuban Sandwich downtown, at least so far as I know.  Casa Blanca at Overland and Curtis is your best bet, though theirs can come out a bit dry at times.  The Cheesecake Factory has long had Cuban Sandwiches on their menu, but the presentation is wildly inconsistent, especially in the bread department (check out Google Images for evidence).  Plus, they put mayo on them.  But downtown?  Nope.

Let's jump right in by talking about the place that no longer serves lunch because it's taken me so long to write this review.  They're supposed to be starting up again in the next few months, though.  Don't worry, they still serve the Cubano at dinner, if you want it.

Café Zupas (preview night)

The Village at Meridian just keeps growing.  I was recently invited to a pre-opening event for Café Zupas, the newest eatery to take up residence.  It's primarily a sandwich place, so initially it seemed a strange choice to stick it right next door to Which Wich, another sandwich chain that's been part of the Village for quite some time now.  Luckily, what Café Zupas is doing is quite a bit different.

Treats and Tragedies on the Road: Salt Lake City Day 1, Part 1

I've been taking a lot of two-to-three day vacations the last few months.  In June, the Roommate and I decided to take her kids to Lagoon because, frankly, the last few times we've hit the Western Idaho Fair, it's been too hot and far too smoky.  Plus, I like amusement parks and feel less self-conscious about being at one if I have children with me.  Don't judge me.  So, off we went.  Another early morning Starbucks run, another ugly drive (but at least a different ugly drive than the one I usually take), and since we were in town way too early to check in to our hotel we kept on driving right past Bountiful, through Salt Lake City, and into Draper, where I visited an IKEA for the first time.

Saint Lawrence Gridiron 2: Gridiron Harder

Food trucks making the jump to "brick and mortar" restaurants has become something of a trend lately.  I can think of four so far this year.  Unfortunately, about half the time they seem to junk the trucks when the restaurant opens, which surprises and saddens me.  I mean things are just starting to get more interesting for the truck scene, and we're losing some of the better trucks!  Still, there was one that I've known for a while now would not survive; the limitations of truck cooking were simply too confining for the imagination and ambition of the man running the show.  Since the title of the post kind of gives away who I'm talking about, let's just get on with it, eh?

2nd Street Deli

I like sandwiches.  A lot.  The convenience factor is nice of course (assuming it's a sane sandwich, if I need a knife and fork it's hard to think of it as a sandwich...I'm looking at you, open-faced "sandwiches"), but it's the sheer versatility that is the best thing about them.  The possibilities are basically endless.  And like many of you, I have my favorite places to procure sandwiches.

A few months back, the company I work for moved our offices from Boise to Nampa, much too far away to make it to any of my former favorite lunch haunts.  While many of my co-workers were content once they learned there is a Jimmy John's within driving distance, that didn't satisfy me.  So, I started searching the nearby area, and one of the first eateries I stumbled upon was the 2nd Street Deli.

Crooked Fence Brewing Co. Barrelhouse

Okay, so I know my last review was of a brewpub as well.  Sue me.  The roommate and I hit two pretty much back-to-back.  Crooked Fence Brewing Co.'s Barrelhouse is a little closer to home and with plenty of parking, so that made it a little easier for us to make it to.

10 Barrel Brewing Co.

You may have noticed that I don't make it downtown much.  It's not that I don't want to (though there are things about it that annoy the hell out of me), but I just rarely have cause to be there.  I don't work there, I don't live there, and there generally isn't much going on in the area that draws me down.  When I do go, it's usually a multi-tasking trip.  Occasionally I'll go to see a play or catch a movie at The Flicks, maybe do a little shopping at Whole Foods or the Co-op, and of course I'll grab a bite to eat while I'm in the area.  That's exactly how I finally wound up checking out 10 Barrel Brewing Co.

The Saladman cometh...and cometh back...and back again...and again...

If you've spent any time at the Western Idaho Fair or other local festivals, then the name "Saladman" probably rings a bell.  Chris was a longtime vendor at those sorts of events, turning out wraps, sandwiches, fried things, and of course, salads.  Some of the more in-the-know people might recall that when he wasn't at the Fair, Chris had his shack set up in a few different places in Boise to serve the lunch crowd, the last of which was on State Street.  Eventually he decided to give up the food truck/shack life for a brick and mortar restaurant called Chris' on Broadway (guess where that was located), but it wasn't long before location issues reared their ugly head and drove him to the other side of Boise.  Chris finally landed in a strip at, of all places, Emerald and Maple Grove.  I didn't hold high hopes for his success, seeing as how many restaurants have tried and failed in that strip.

Somehow, he's been making it work so far, odd location and limited hours aside.  The new spot is open only for breakfast and lunch, and only on weekdays.  If you haven't caught up with Chris yet, here's some of what you've been missing.

Lucky Fins (Meridian)

Seafood in the Treasure Valley is kind of hit and miss, which results in a lot of imported, previously frozen fish on local menus.  Now I love fish and chips and sushi as much as the next guy, but I love a good piece of simply prepared fish just as much.  So, when I heard all the buzz about Lucky Fins, I put them on my to-do list.  Not to overuse a phrase, but my experience was kind of hit and miss as well.

Sun Ray Cafe

Well, this should show you just how far behind I am on my reviews:  I actually visited Sun Ray Cafe on a lovely Autumn afternoon just before Halloween.  To be honest, I was kind of putting off writing it up in hopes that I would get to go back first but, as so often happens, it seems to be taking me a long time to accomplish that.  Ah well, it doesn't matter.  Everything I need to convey about that place, I learned on that first visit.  Now, I pass it on to you...

Royal Bakery & Cafe (CLOSED)

At the beginning of this month my employer moved our offices to Nampa, a place I haven't spent any serious time in since I was a kid and Karcher Mall was the epitome of local shopping.  In preparation for the move, I started researching eateries within a small radius of the new office.  I already had a list of almost a dozen when, a few days before the move, I accompanied my roommate to Nampa for a factory recall repair on her car.  I brought my own car along so we wouldn't be trapped in the dealership waiting room, and we decided to drive around and take a look at some of the places I'd been researching.  On our way back to the dealership, she suggested taking a quick detour through the little shopping complex around the Edwards theater across from the Idaho Center, and that's where we came across Royal Bakery & Cafe.  I pretty much fell instantly in love and decided that they would be my next review.  And yes, for those of you who pay attention to these things, they are the place that Boise Weekly wrote up this week.  The place has sat there for YEARS, and the Weekly publishes a review at the exact same time that I'm working on one?  What are the odds?!

I've mentioned this before, but I don't like posting a review of a place that someone else has just written up.  I may have visited a place three times in the last two weeks and be in the midst of my writing, when suddenly the Statesman or the Weekly publish a piece on it.  Maybe it's silly, maybe not, but it just sucks away my enthusiasm for it.  I don't want to come across like "I saw someone else's review, it made me want to try the place, and now here's MY review."  In these rare cases (there are few enough people writing about restaurants in the Valley that it doesn't happen that often), I usually just wait a couple of months before posting my write-up.  Still, I suppose it was only a matter of time before the luxury of that choice was taken away from me.  You see, the Weekly's piece on Royal Bakery ended with the information that the proprietor is considering closing down in a couple of months to focus on catering and studies so if I wait a couple of months I may very well be posting an "in memoriam" review.  I want them to be tempted to keep their doors open, and if I can lend to that by drawing some attention (and hopefully business) to them, then that's what I've gotta do.

Cacicia's Old World Sicilian Foods

I've long had a soft spot for food trucks.  Hell, my first post on this blog three years ago was about a  food truck.  Since then trucks have come and gone, standards have risen, and diversity is the name of the game now.  Cacicia's Old World Sicilian Foods isn't the first Italian food truck we've had in Boise, but it's definitely the best.  So much so that I ate there three times during their first week in business and have, with a little help, eaten my way through almost their entire menu.

CasaBlanca Cuban Grill

On more than one occasion, I've been accused of being too harsh toward a restaurant that had just opened.  I won't bother to mention any names, but the fact is that you can still usually tell if there's something worthwhile about a place even if they're having a bad night.  Such is the case with CasaBlanca Cuban Grill, which I first visited on their opening weekend.  The dinner was just a comedy of errors.  An entire delivery truck full of supplies had not made it, which severely limited options.  Every meal that was served had something wrong with it, from temperature to texture, seasoning to portion size.  The difference at CasaBlanca is that they acknowledged their issues, apologized profusely, and bent over backwards to make things right.  I resolved then and there that these people cared about their restaurant and their customers, and I decided to give them some time to iron out the kinks before returning to give them another shot.

Jerry's 27th Street Market

Okay, I think I've let my last review have enough time in the spotlight.  I've had several other mediocre to bad experiences lately, but just at the moment I feel like focusing on the positive.  Positive for yours truly includes (but isn't limited to) such things as multi-ethnic cuisine, home-style cooking, and odd locations that many people might hesitate to go for a meal.  These things warm my heart, and there's one place you can go to get all of them...