Another Boise Weekly piece (and my first attempt at using the Android app)

My latest chef profile is up at the Boise Weekly website. This one is about Lorena Jimenez from Lorena's Mexican Grill, whom I believe I may have mentioned once or twice. Anyway, check it out here: In the Kitchen With Lorena Jimenez

Back on BoiseWeekly.com...

I've got another article up over at the Boise Weekly website.  It's meant to be the first in a series about chefs and restauranteurs, which is an entirely different type of writing for me.  Please take a look and fee free to share your thoughts:  In The Kitchen with Phu Tran of RiceWorks

Giant Pork Burrito Chain Challenge: Cafe Rio

Once again, here are the rules: I will only be reviewing pork burritos because, well, it's me.  Also, it saves me from having to take places like Taco Time and Taco Bell into consideration.  I will not be purchasing any premium add-ons; if it isn't available as a standard choice, I ain't getting it.  I'll only be reviewing burritos from fast food chains, because bringing restaurants and taco trucks into it just casts too wide a net.  And because this is a series about a specific food item from fast food chain eateries, I won't be using my standard rating system for the atmosphere, service and so on (though I may mention those things in passing).  Also, keep in mind that I'm rating this stuff for what it is, not measured against authentic Mexican food or restaurants, so an A+ doesn't mean it's the best food ever.  And now...

BUM Holiday Market

Due to my commitments to the local food scene, my readers, and my love of homemade Asian eats, I dragged my decimated carcass out of the bed I'd been convalescing in for several days in order to attend the Holiday edition of the Boise Urban Market on Sunday.  Here's what I loved this time out...

Cranberry Bliss Bar from Mixed Plate

Joe's Crab Shack

I'm on a LOT of restaurant contact lists.  Barely a day goes by where I don't receive an e-mail, text message, Facebook message, flyer or postcard inviting me to try something new or offering a discount if I'll deign to eat at a particular establishment.  A while back, a coupon for Joe's Crab Shack crossed my path.  The deal was that with the purchase of an entrée, I would receive a complimentary appetizer.  To be honest, nothing I'd heard about the place had ever interested me enough that I would bother eating there.  The way it was told to me, it was a loud, crowded, annoying place with crappy music and waiters who plopped themselves down at your table to take your order...just the kind of chain place that I hate.  Still, I figured it might be worth a take-out order, especially at lunch time when it was likely to be less busy.  Besides, I could use more seafood in my life...