Eaters rejoice! From Friday, Oct. 26 to Sunday, Nov. 4, restaurants across downtown will be offering delicious and affordable prix fixe menus!

Dine Out Downtown Boise is a beautiful cooperation between the Downtown Boise Association and 29 downtown restaurants. They combine forces to create a brilliant ten days of eating. It’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday weight gain.

Everyone should check out the Dine Out Downtown Boise website for a full list of participating restaurants. There are plenty of fancy multi-course meals to be enjoyed.

But I want to help you take advantage of the more affordable food, so I invented something called the Henry Challenge: a four day, eight course downtown extravaganza that costs exactly $100.

Brilliant, right?

Let’s go:

Day 1

Lunch: Meraki ($10)

Feta Fries
Idaho potatoes fried in sunflower oil, tossed in Greek Oregano and sea salt. Topped with choice of crumbled or spicy Feta.
Traditional Chicken
All natural, traditionally marinated, handstacked chicken wrapped in a fresh grilled pita with romaine, tomatoes, red onions, and house-made Greek honey mustard, topped with a few Greek fries and paprika.

Dinner: Wild Root ($15)

Beet Salad
Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts, Pumpernickle Croutons, Citrus Vinaigrette, Balsamic Reduction
House Made Gnocchi
Spiced Butternut Squash, Pancetta, Shallots, Black Kale, Fennel Pollen, Mascarpone Cream Sauce (Vegetarian without Pancetta)

My thinking: You gotta start the #HenryChallenge with a bang, and Meraki’s loaded fries will punch your tongue into next Tuesday. And, hey, did you know that Wild Root serves dinner? And did you know that their dinner is as awesome as their breakfast and lunch?!

Day 2

Lunch: Melting Pot ($10, offered 10/27, 10/28, 11/3, 11/4)

Fiesta
Cheddar cheese blend with lager beer, jalapeño peppers and salsa made as spicy as you like.
Rocky Road
A delicious blend of our dark chocolate, marshmallow creme and candied pecans.

Dinner: 10 Barrel Brewing ($15)

House Smoked Idaho Rainbow Trout Rillette
Served with House made bread & Butter pickles, dressed greens, pickled mustard seeds and house made grilled whole wheat pita.
Grilled Beef Sirloin
Served with roasted red pepper hummus, raspberry tomato chorizo chutney, chard scallions and grilled ribbon zucchini.

My thinking: You just can’t miss the opportunity to get fondue at the incredibly low price of $10. Is Melting Pot basically a venus fly trap for awkward, overpriced dates? Maybe. But hot cheese and chocolate are hot cheese and chocolate.

Also, I’m curious about 10 Barrel’s bizarre chutney.

Day 3

Lunch: Zee’s Rooftop ($10)

Citrus Bay Shrimp Salad
Fresh bay shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, spring mix, sherry orange vinaigrette.
Celia’s Rockfish Ceviche
Fresh rockfish, lemon, lime, tomatoes, peppers, fresh herbs and spices. Served with tortilla chips.

Dinner: Solid ($15)

Curried Coconut Pumpkin Bisque
A slightly spicy bowl of savory pureed soup served with toasted pumpkin seeds & our house made zesty sriracha cilantro sour cream.
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Slightly spicy sweet potatoes, black beans, corn and roasted green chiles wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with chipotle chile verde sauce and melted mozzarella. Served with sour cream, avocado and spicy risotto.

My thinking: To recover from a hefty day 2, I’m sending you to Zee’s Rooftop to enjoy a medley of citrusy seafood and a great view, and then I’m sending you to Solid for an explosion of fall flavors which… don’t totally fit together. This day might be a total disaster, but here at the #HenryChallenge, we go for gusto.

Day 4

Lunch: Richards ($10)

Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich
Served on Acme Bakeshop rosemary-walnut roll with gorgonzola & roasted red peppers with choice of cup of tomato basil soup or small house salad.

Dinner: Flatbread ($15)

Arugula Walnut Salad
Arugula, Candied Walnuts, Chèvre, Dried Apricots, Wild Idaho Huckleberry Vinaigrette
Burrata & Potato Flatbread
Fresh Burrata, Thinly Sliced Idaho Potatoes, Lemon Pesto, Daikon Sprouts, EVOO, Chili Flakes

My thinking: We want to make sure that we end on a high note, so I’ve selected meals from two downtown standards. Richard’s has a legitimate claim to the best upscale dining in Boise—go eat his sandwich. Flatbread’s combination of burrata and lemon pesto (and daikon sprouts!) excites me.

So. There. You. Have. It. 8 meals. 4 days. $100.

We have so much exploratory eating to do! ∎