Good Burger Claims It Serves the Best Fries in Idaho. How Do They Stack Up?

On April 2, 2019June 27, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, Eat, Think4 Comments

Good Burger just entered the downtown marketplace, and they didn’t do it quietly. The founder of the burgeoning burger chain recently claimed that they serve “the best fries in Idaho.”

Now, any time you declare yourself the best at anything, you’re probably wrong. Good Burger’s audacious claim is nothing more than shrewd marketing.

But it’s a marketing trap that I will gladly fall for! Enticed by Good Burger’s confidence, I decided to compare it to competing local chain (and member of many a “best French fries” listicle) Boise Fry Company.

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At Majordomo, a Celebrity Chef Proves Himself to Los Angeles

On July 16, 2019July 15, 2019 By HenryIn EatLeave a comment

Dave Chang is possibly the most famous chef in America. His cookbook Momofuku sits in our kitchens. His sassy Netflix show graces our television screens. His podcast rattles around in our ears.

When a chef is this influential, I’m compelled to visit their restaurant. Many of us are familiar with Dave Chang’s larger theory of food, but do his restaurants properly realize that vision?

I mean, could you really understand Guy Fieri until you ate at his Times Square restaurant?

I finally got the chance to take a bite of the Dave Chang empire when I visited Majordomo in Los Angeles.

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What Happened to Boise’s Most Ambitious Restaurant?

On July 10, 2019July 16, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, Eat3 Comments

Update: In the wake of Epek’s closing, its chef has teased something called “Arcane” on Facebook. Is that a new restaurant? A pop-up dinner? It’s not yet clear.

Epek, the bold successor to State & Lemp, is closing its doors.

When founders Remi McManus and Kris Komori sold State & Lemp, the new ownership refashioned it as a more traditional restaurant. When I reviewed it in December, I thought the new iteration was good, but it was overshadowed by its predecessor’s achievements.

That review quickly became irrelevant. In late March, chef Christian Phernetton closed State & Lemp, reopening it a few weeks later under a new name — Epek.

Epek adopted a bold, perhaps unprecedented, business model. It served $2.50 tacos on Tuesday. It served three-course dinners for $55 per person on Wednesday and Thursdays. It served fifteen-course feasts for $111 per person on the weekends.

Was Epek ungainly and confused? Or did it create a clever sliding scale that democratized high-concept eating?

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I created an instant burrito button for my iPhone. You can too.

On July 2, 2019July 15, 2019 By HenryIn ThinkLeave a comment

Technology should make your life easier.

Burritos are my go-to quick bite. But I always order ahead by phone so I can speed things up and jam some beans into my commute.

But I grew tired of looking up Baja Fresh’s number over and over again. I found myself wondering, was there a better way?

There was.

That’s why today I’m teaching you how to turn your iPhone into an instant burrito ordering machine.

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I’ll Never Eat Ceviche Again

On June 28, 2019July 15, 2019 By HenryIn EatLeave a comment

Today is National Ceviche Day, and I want to celebrate by telling you about the best ceviche I’ve ever eaten (and how it was disguised as a soup).

Let’s set the scene! About two weeks ago, I was eating brunch at a restaurant called Otium in downtown Los Angeles. (Otium was one of the top five restaurants I’ve ever visited. Probably it was in the top two. But I’ll rave about that at a later date.)

What’s important is that I ordered the Shrimp Tom Kha with cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce.

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Don’t Forget Uncle Guiseppe’s

On June 27, 2019June 27, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, Eat1 Comment

I feel like we’re sleeping on Uncle Guiseppe’s.

The diminutive Italian deli, which shares a parking lot with D & B Supply, adds a blast of Bronx bravado to the Northwest Boise suburbs. Seconds after you step through the door, the owner will be lecturing you about their Boar’s Head meats, sub sandwiches, and daily soups.

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The Secrets Behind Goody’s Oreo Ice Cream

On May 28, 2019June 27, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, Eat2 Comments

At this very moment, the Boise Ice Cream Festival is scooping epic, cutting-edge ice cream all over town. Check out the schedule before everything is sold out!

In preparation for the sweet onslaught, I visited beloved local landmark Goody’s to get in touch with Boise’s ice cream roots. Manager Kati Durkin was kind enough to take me through the ice cream making process, which was both entertaining and educational.

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Are You Ready for the Boise Ice Cream Festival?

On May 24, 2019May 23, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, UpdatesLeave a comment

The Boise Ice Cream festival, organized by Boise’s preeminent food influencer, Scott Wink of Boise’s Best Bites, is basically Coachella for Ice Cream. And we should all get ready to rage.

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Restaurant News Roundup: May 2019

On May 21, 2019June 27, 2019 By HenryIn Boise, EatLeave a comment

Like all hungry people, I spend a lot of time looking forward to the new restaurants in town. Here are some quick thoughts on coming attractions:

RamaPong has arrived. The ultimate destination for ping pong and ramen is now open under Boise Fry Company on Capitol Boulevard. It’s nice to see a brilliant idea come to fruition, and ping pong is so fun that the ramen doesn’t have to be especially good for this place to succeed. That said, Boise is lacking in great ramen spots, and I’ll be very curious to see what sort of offerings Boise Fry Company and Co. have cooked up.

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