And if you compare these two new reviews with the two reviews from 2005, things aren't looking so hot for Downtown Nampa's House of Kim.
Also don't forget that in 2006 Sara Bietia, a BW staffer said that House of Kim would be her final meal if she was able to choose it. I wonder if she's been lately?
From my last (and maybe final) visit to House of Kim.
It was a perfect day to eat outside (in the shade) in Nampa today.
This is the taco truck on Garrity Blvd across from Jalopy Jungle -- good stuff.
Grilled sweet & sour pork w/ grilled onions, green peppers and sugar snap peas.
I made my own sweet & sour baste with ketchup, soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic powder and cayenne. While the pork was grilling I used this base then after the pork was plated I put some Kona Coast Sweet N' Sour sauce on it (cause it's one of my favs). Oh, and the rice, it is just Minute Rice, the whole thing took about 20 minutes.
Quick and easy patio dinner.
Camping and BBQ. A weekend just doesn't get much better than that. I smoked 30 chicken legs and a dozen bratwurst in the new smoker, turned out pretty good for an amateur -- far better than my last foray into smoking.
I picked up this smoker this past week for our excursions up north, I figured camping was the best time to do some BBQ experimentation as we've got plenty of time -- might as well have some slow cooked grub. I was actually very impressed with this Char-Broil smoker, it maintained a temperature of 220 degrees spot on for about 2 and a half hours.
I'm mean, I'd act surprised, but I'd be lying.
Wonkette (oh how I miss the wit of Ana Marie Cox):
Cindy McCain Continues To Steal Easily Googlable Recipes
A few months ago, John McCain’s second and current wife, “Trollop” Cindy, was caught stealing recipes from the Food Network and publishing them as her own material, a simple lapse of ethics that you’re supposed to learn, and master, at age four. To atone for this, Cindy fired a hapless intern. But the problem was systemic! Cindy has contributed another recipe, to Parents magazine. This recipe for Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies was, of course, directly cribbed from Hershey’s website. Th-that’s not ch-change we-ee can b-believe in. In fact, it’s copyright infringement!
Oy. Just in case you forgot, here was the first time she (an intern) got busted stealing recipes from The Food Network.
What can I say? I really wanted to like this. Copper Canyon, once one of Nampa's top restaurants, and now feeling the crunch of other Nampa eateries hasn't risen to the challenge. We used to eat at Copper Canyon all the time, then, as the menu remained stagnant and the service plunged downward we simply quit going. And frankly, after Brick 29 opened we didn't have a reason to return to Copper Canyon -- that is until I heard they were stepping up their efforts. So last week, my wife and I along with some other Copper Canyon veterans decided to check it out again.
Well, some things have changed, they now have a website, they now have cocktails and the service is much improved. But the food has remained the same -- the menu is literally the same as it was when they moved to the new location on 13th in Downtown Nampa. While the 2-4 specials have changed from time to time, the rest of the menu has remained intact -- and I don't view this as a good thing.
God, I love summer.
An egg fried in brown butter on the grill on top of some tamales w/ some hot sauce left over from my taco truck excursion.
I'm convinced that there are few things better in the world than the humble taco.
This was from the taco truck located by Karcher Ranch Market in Nampa.
On the heels of the Milky Way closing up shop in Downtown Boise this certainly isn't a welcome announcement in the foodie world.
Mortimer's in Downtown Boise is shuttering its doors.
KTVB:
Mortimer's closing; newspaper review forced decision
BOISE - A prominent downtown Boise restaurant is closing its doors – and the owner says a bad review in a local newspaper was the catalyst.
Mortimer’s in the Belgravia Building on Fifth Street will close Saturday June 21st . It’s the second upscale restaurant to close this spring – after the Milky Way shut its doors in April.
“For those of you who wonder why we are closing after eight years, the answer is simple: Last month Jon (Mortimer, restaurant owner) received the worst review of his career by the Idaho Statesman’s restaurant critic Guy Hand,” a letter to customers of the restaurant read.
This leaves Jon Mortimer with Franco Latino in Eagle, but I'd really consider that a step down from Mortimer's. We went there a while ago and just weren't overly impressed. Although now that it has Chef Mortimer's full attention maybe it'll get that kick that it seemed to need.
Although Mortimer doesn't attribute economics to the closing, I can't help but wonder how much our current economy is hurting local restaurants. There gets to be a point where people stop going out to eat to make up the rising price of... well, everything.
Some additional thoughts...
I was thinking about this while I was just mowing my yard and listening to some Zepplin.
If the circumstances of the closing of Mortimer's are, as Mortimer says -- and I have no reason to doubt otherwise, then I'd think that this is quite the honorable thing to do. Perhaps with all of the other ventures that Mortimer is involved in he didn't realize that the kitchen at his flagship restaurant was starting to lack. Which is especially important because the food that comes out of a chef's kitchen is the most important aspect of their brand -- it is their brand.
There is a tendency for restaurant and bar owners to put their head in the sand when it comes to outside observation and critique. Maybe he could have just written it off and kept plugging away, as his brand becomes more and more diminished. I've known a bar or two along with a Nampa restaurant that have failed to listen to outsiders and they slowly diminished out of existence. But it seems that he wants to continue with his other ventures, radio & TV and limit his ownership to Franco Latino (and the reasons he cites for keeping Franco Latino over Mortimer's are quite valid).
While it may disappoint fans, it makes sense and seems the right thing to do.
Read Mortimer's letter.
Picked this up the other day for lunch; it's a small BBQ shack outside of Karcher Ranch Market on Karcher Road in Nampa. It's just a to-go kind of joint; there is no inside and no seating outside. It was actually really good, the picture doesn't really do it justice. I got it with their hot BBQ sauce which had just the perfect amount of kick to it. This is one of the places that will be getting several return trips; I hope they have a sit down place in their future plans.
This is the beef brisket sandwich w/ baked beans and macaroni salad, also came with sweet tea. All told the meal was about 8 bucks and I was back in my car in 5 minutes.
Now the primary is over, we can get back to more important topics; food and vino -- can't let those pesky politics command too much time.
The sauce on top of the mahi-mahi is habaneros, tomato, shallot and green pepper with some other spices. The fried plantains were served w/ a homemade (from scratch) mango mustard.
I saw this picture yesterday of some mahi-mahi w/ a pineapple mango salsa from a great place in Mexico; the Turtle Bay Cafe. So had a yearnin' to make some mahi, I just ended up using my mango in the mustard instead. I have been wanting to try out some more sauces with my bag 'o' habaneros, hence the muy diablo sauce for the mahi-mahi.
This was a pretty easy preparation; just some garlic and crushed red pepper infused olive oil, baby heirloom tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano and some Italian parsley fresh from the garden. We'll definitely be making this again.
The Boise Guardian has a great idea -- one that seemingly shouldn't take a lot to get some serious traction.
It is finally time... while not all the plants and herbs are ready to stay out overnight by themselves, the majority on now on their own. And I hoping for a summer long successful harvest.
Planted today:
Italian Parsley
Several Basils; Sweet, Lemon, Anise, Lime and Cinnamon
Lettuce mix
Arugula
Limon Chili (similar to habanero, but w/ citrus notes)
Nyagous Black Cluster Tomato
And that will just be the beginning, over the next couple of weeks I'll be getting more veggies and herbs in the ground for some delicious summer time cooking.
Rachael Daigle of the Boise Weekly has a great writeup this week on the debate between the local joints and the chain restaurants:
[...]
Was my position unwelcoming to chain restaurants looking to relocate downtown? Most certainly. If I had my way, the chains would be relegated to an existence on Eagle Road, where they are a safe distance from the restaurants that make Boise's culinary scene unique. Like it or not, Boise can only support so many restaurants. More restaurants means more choices, but it also means diners are spread more thinly. Take into account the rising price of food and the of tightening consumers' budgets due to a slowing economy and it means fewer butts in seats for everyone, chains and locals alike. The difference? Those with large corporate budgets can weather a string of slow months. The locals can't.
[...]
When a city loses a local restaurant, the loss extends further than its menu. It means the erosion of region-specific cuisine; it means the disappearance of local cooking styles and flair; ultimately, it means less culinary diversity across the nation. Chew on this: What would Boise's culinary scene look like without Basque restaurants? Which chain restaurants would serve fingersteaks and fry sauce? It may seem like doomsday conspiracy theory to hypothesize that if trends continue at the current rate, locally owned restaurants will be a thing of the past in another half century. In reality, though, restaurants are one of the last surviving hold-outs from corporate America's takeover. We're not having this discussion about locally owned drugstores, are we? Or toy stores, or auto-parts retailers, or grocery stores, or gas stations ...
Make sure you read the whole thing, she makes some really good points.
On that note, BW also mentions that Ketchum Burritos in BoDo has also closed up shop.
Rumor is that El Rodeo, my favorite Downtown Nampa Mexican restaurant is going to start serving booze. Gone will be the days of "winearitas", bottled domestics and imports -- although I do hope they keep the boot beer mugs, they've always been a favorite of mine.
The people who were running The Hideout, the bar that was attached to El Rodeo bought The Sportsman's Bar & Cafe in Caldwell a while ago and renamed it The Sportsman's Hideout. Now that the liquor license from The Hideout has been transfered to the El Rodeo folks we should start to see some real margaritas on the menu pretty quickly. If you've never been there, The Hideout was essentially in the back room of El Rodeo but it had its own entrance. Both places share the same facilities -- while being completely separate businesses, they occupy the same space. Now from what I understand El Rodeo will be using the whole space.
Good news all around...
Alan from IdaBlue went to a place that we love around these parts.
Mmm, beer and clams.
Good stuff... and they have 32oz domestic and import drafts. Also, don't forget 3 dollar margaritas during happy hour.
The long awaited start of the 2008 Nampa Farmer's Market is just about over. And it is sounding like the weather is going to be damn near perfect.
Nampa Farmer's Market --
1st Street S. & 12th Avenue S. In front of the train depot; Saturday's, 9:00 - 1:00
Other Treasure Valley farmer's markets:
Boise: Capital City Public Market --
Downtown Boise North 8th St. between Bannock & Idaho; Saturday's, 9:30 - 1:30
Meridian: Meridian Farmer's Market --
30 E. Broadway (Between Main & Meridian Roads); Saturday's 8:00 - 1:00
Check here for other Idaho farmer's markets.
Shop local. Eat local.
Thai peanut sauce w/ chicken, sugar snap peas and mung sprouts*
*This was really damn good.
Spicy Sweet & Sour Salmon
Everyone's taste buds are certainly not the same, but I don't think I've ever read a more lustful critique of such crappy food. Ever.
I've never been to the TGI Friday's in Nampa (the picture in the story above says it all), but I've been to other ones before, and seeing how they are cookie cutters of themselves I don't think I'll go anytime soon. I have to say that of all the sit down fast food joints, TGI Friday's is the worst -- it is running really close in craptaculousness to Chili's, but it takes the previously frozen cake.
Well, I'm not a complete snob as some of you may think. I have been to pretty much all the sit down fast food joints over the years, after all, one does have to make compromises and concessions. I will say that for the last 1-2 years I really have stuck to my guns and refused to go the chain route.
So, if I had to rate the major chains in our area, I'd probably go as follows:
Several of these places are on my "never again" list; well, 5 through 10. The others, I don't go there by choice, but I'm willing if we're a part of a larger group. I'm a bit of a foodie, but by no means a food snob, and there is a difference. I'm also not an inconsiderate jackass -- well, most of the time I'm not.
I will say that we almost went to Red Robin last week because my wife and I were craving a good burger and beer -- and frankly, there isn't anywhere (that I know of) to get a good burger and draft beer in Nampa. We did however stick our non-chain guns and went to Smokey Mountain Pizza instead (a chain yes, but an Idaho one), and were sorely disappointed once again. Smokey Mountain is creeping up on my "never again" list as well.
Bottom line; if you can, eat local. I promise that 8 times out of 10 it'll be better. Most likely it'll be better for you, your taste buds and it is always better for the local economy.
So, if you like 'em or even if you don't like them -- how would you rate the major chains?
Idaho Statesman has a great read on something that we need more of; community-supported agriculture. It is a good read if you're into that sorta thing.
Sometimes my wife will bring home a roll as an appetizer whenever I make something "Asian" for dinner.
This is the "Nampa Roll" from Krung Thai and it's pretty damn good; Tempura shrimp, avocado and topped with crispy tuna.
One of Boise's premier chefs, Chef Andrae Bopp of Andrae's weighs in on the closing of Downtown Boise's MilkyWay.
"Yep, they're done. It's a sad state of affairs for Downtown," said Andrae Bopp, chef and owner of Andrae's.
Bopp bemoaned the lack of support for local restaurants, saying "Here we have Bonefish Grill opening up, and these guys who are working their butts off, closing. It's disturbing."
Indeed.
More often than not local restaurants buy local meats and produce and hire local staff thus keeping/expanding revenue in our area. If you think the profits that Olive Garden made from your crappy frozen shrimp linguine are staying in the state -- you're out of your mind.
Shop local. Eat local. Drink local.
Updated
Right on cue the Idaho Statesman's comment section turned into a giggling pit of mutant 3rd graders seeing who can lob the biggest clump of crap without using their thumbs. As to how the conversation turned from the MilkyWay closing to boobs -- well, I'll never know.
The MilkyWay the venerable Downtown Boise institution is closing its doors for the last time this weekend.
The Milky Way to Close This Weekend
It's sad, but true. Boise will lose one its best-loved restaurants this weekend.
Saturday is your last chance to get a Ten Minute Martini and a plate of Jalapeño Shrimp Bites.
[...]
In an interview with BW today, Andrea Maricich, a co-owner of the restaurant with her husband Mitchell, A.K.A. "Milky," said the restaurant was struggling in today's economic climate.
"It's the combination of a bad economy and the rising price of food," Maricich said.
Make sure you read the whole post from BW; they are updating their story as they hear more.
Best known for their Jalapeño Shrimp Bites and award winning Ten Minute Martini The MilkyWay brought great food and wine to people for a very reasonable price. Easily one of the largest and definitely the most accessible wine list in the valley. It was almost the mecca of eateries in Boise -- someone from out of town asks you where they should go to while they are here; The MilkyWay.
Sad thing is -- if this is happening to such a popular dining establishment because of the economy, how are some of the other less popular (equally as good) dining locales faring?
The documentary "King Corn" will air tonight on PBS as part of the series "Independent Lens". "King Corn" is the tale of two college grads who follow an acre of corn from the field to the plate.
Almost everything Americans eat contains corn. High-fructose corn syrup, corn-fed meat, and corn-based processed foods are the staples of the modern diet. America’s record harvests of corn are supported by a government subsidy system that promotes corn production beyond all market demand. As Ian and Curt return to Iowa to watch their 10,000-pound harvest fill the combine’s hopper and make its way into America’s food, they realize their acre of land shouldn’t be planted in corn again—if they can help it.
It is airing locally here in Idaho at 10 p.m. (mtn. time) on both channel 4 and in HD on channel 470 (Yahoo! says it'll be in HD tonight at the same time, but my cable box disagrees).
You can find out more about "King Corn" here.
And some old people playing Wii Sports at 12 a.m.
We went to some of our friends house and had 5 pizzas; each couple was assigned a pizza and charged with bringing a vino that would best accompany the toppings. This was the second time we've done it and it's fast becoming a tradition.
Sorry, no pics of the pies -- we were too busy enjoying them.
Menu 1st pizza party.
Menu 2nd pizza party.
This is what happens when Chili's makes the claim that they serve the thickest bacon you've ever seen -- and a engineer who is also a foodie says; "Oh really?".
Turned out better than I thought it would.
Just in case you're wondering -- it's still really damn good.
I pretty much go with whatever specials they have when ever I go, so this time I kindly asked what specials were running... seared tuna and a bone-in cowboy style ribeye with blue cheese sauce. I kinda figured that it was the same as the regular ribeye that they serve -- it had the same sides, garlic roasted fingerling potatoes and crispy onions up top -- just bone-in and with the blue cheese sauce.
What he neglected to mention was that the sumabitch was 24oz of meaty deliciousness -- it literally covered almost my entire plate. Not that the size was a bad thing, although I think I only made it a quarter the way through; so the rest will be used as leftovers. Probably wine up on a baguette or wrapped in a corn tortilla shell.
It was a great -- if not huge piece of meat.
Updated
Speaking of... Patrick Orr has a post up about Idaho's own Grand Teton Brewing Company -- last night at Brick 29 I indulged in a glass or two of their Sweetgrass I.P.A., which is a great beer.
Make sure you support your local farmers. Visit Local Harvest to find a producer located nearest to you.
Canyon Bounty Farm, my place to go for veggie and herb starts will be opening up the greenhouse on April 19th this year. All of their nursery starts are certified USDA organic and they have a huge selection of heirloom veggies.
There was also a good interview with owner Beth Rasgorshek in an issue of The Cutting Edge, the newsletter for Seeds of Change -- it's from last year but still a good read.
For me? Herb-wise my staples are mint, basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, oregano, chives and rosemary. I'll also be picking up some jalapeño, serrano, and ancho chilies. Later in the season I'll get some of their heirloom tomatoes for some Insalata Caprese, a summertime favorite of mine.
We love ya, we really do, but until you get your beer & wine license back -- we probably won't be back.
I'm not sure what the issue is but House of Kim has been beer-less for the last 6 months, and frankly, if you're eating their Mandarin Spicy Chicken ya need a beer. I think I can now say that I'm kinda gettin' tired of being seated and asked what I'd like to drink only to hear that there is still no booze in the house (this would have been the 3rd time).
I don't like leaving restaurants before I've even eaten, but adults like adult beverages, especially with spicy Chinese food -- and I really don't like getting the runaround.
Still some of the best Chinese food in the valley for lunch. Download their menu here. (pdf)
I had to stop by Karcher Ranch Market on my home for some produce and saw something that I hadn't seen there in the dry chilies bin before; dried habaneros.
No idea what they'll be going into yet, but I'm sure it'll be good. And hot.
"We had two bags of pasilla, seventy-five chipotles, five bags of high-powered chiltepin peppers, a saltshaker half-full of guajillo powder, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, laughers, screamers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a bag of dried habaneros, and two bags of anchos. Not that we needed all that for dinner, but once you get locked into a serious chili collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the habaneros. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an habanero binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon."
*apologies to H.S.T.
Not as quick as the pizza, but still only about 30 minutes to get it to the plate.
I wasn't going to take any pictures but it turned out better than I thought it would. I wish I could have gotten a better picture but my wife was yelling at me to sit down. Let's just say my wife isn't as enthusiastic about taking pictures of warm food as I am.
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