Chapala Mexican Restaurant

Chapala Mexican Restaurant, 117 West Burnside, Chubbuck Idaho
9/16/08

Clean, bright and nice atmosphere. American/Mexican décor with soft Mexican music.

Salsa was spicy enough to ask for water, bean dip was mild with not too much spice/flavor. A very broad menu with a variety of normal fare and the not so normal. Chicken mole, Chicken Caritas, Arrow con Polo, 9 Shrimp entrees, three Shrimp & Crab. Regular and small portions, 5 salad options, 24 combo plates, offering a vegetarian burrito and tostada to Soppitos and Huevos Machaca.

Regular size portions are just that, enough for the big eater, enough to share with a friend, or the usual take home box. Nice flavor and texture with distinct aromatics.

Served on heated oval platters, with a nice arrangement, not heaped together but with enough space to see what you are eating. The sauce was enough to flavor the entrée but not enough to drown it out or cover the rest of the platter.

Regular drinks, and Shirley temples, Roy Rogers, Jarritos. Beer and alcohol free beer and a 12 oz margarita for $3.50 that is very pleasant.

Offering a lunch menu and also a generous appetizer list they also include your normal al a carte items at a modest price. A modest dessert menu and your first two bowls of chips, salsa and bean dip are on the house.

Prices range from $5.00 to 13.00 with most in the mid range of 8-9 dollars. You get allot for your money and the staff are polite and attentive. Located right off the freeway at the Yellowstone/Chubbuck exit easy off, easy on. Closed on Sunday

Revisit - Remo’s of Pocatello

Remo’s of Pocatello, 160 West Cedar, Pocatello, Id. 83201
October 2008
Wednesdays 5:00pm 9:00pm SUSHI
I have blogged about Remo’s general menu, this is a separate blog on their SUSHI presentation each Wednesday evening. They have a pleasant starter (appetizer menu) Miso Soup, Seaweed Salad, Edamame, an interesting fare called Ahi Fries with Asian Aioli. Your usual Tempura Vegetable platter and Pan seared Ahi Tuna Carpaccio. Prices are from $3.95 to $9.95.

There are 22 separate rolls available, but none feature truly raw fish, they are all slightly seared with the exception of the following two: Ahi Tuna Roll and the Las Vegas. They feature several that are fried in a Tempura type batter, some are traditional with a seaweed wrapper, and some are rice rolls (inside out).

A somewhat sweet fare is the Inari, bean curd pouches stuffed with rice and Kampyo served with a sweet and spicy sauce. The sauce does not deflect the sweetness of this item; however for a breakfast item (which is where our leftovers went) it is absolutely wonderful. Add a little chili paste to the sauce and it’s fantastic.

They offer a soft shell Crab, King Crab, Scallop and seasoned Sirloin combination of rolls. Two items offer you the choice of items added to the roll, and the combination of 5 sauces to accompany them. Sweet and Spicy, Asian Aioli, Gingered Soy, Siracha Aioli and Sweet Chili. The rolls feature the usual items, avocado, cucumber, carrot, onion etc. An interesting roll is the Chef’s special, which includes smoked salmon, shrimp, Siracha, fresh jalapeno, cream cheese and soy paper. You can also substitute soy paper for an additional cost per roll of $1.00.

Served with the traditional sides of Wasabi and Gari it is a genuine attempt to offer Sushi to the general public without a direct assault on their taste buds. Truly these are an offering of good rolls but tailored to the non educated pallet. For those who want to experience “strange oriental food” this is a good place to start, the subtle flavors and mild aroma’s and the easy taste combinations let the novice diner taste a new and exciting world of food.

Hopefully they will thirst for more and begin to roll their own rolls, to which there is no end of possibilities.

El Jacalito 5th Ave, Pocatello, Idaho

Open 7 days and most holidays, very casual dining atmosphere. Once the home of a Greek fast food eatery, El Jacalito has not spent a great deal on decorations but they do spend allot of time on their food.

They offer a nice variety of appetizers along with the usual chip and salsa for each table. The salsa’s consistency is more liquid than I like but has a nice taste and would appeal to the taste buds of most patrons. A choice of 5 salads, including your usual dinner salad one with shrimp, chicken avocado, chili Verde and taco surprise. I mention this because there are some among us who would like a salad and skip the beans and rice and this is a nice choice.

They of course feature a nice children’s menu with 4 Mexican dishes, a hamburger, chicken strips and pizza. They offer Caldos (soups) 7 choices, Huevos (eggs) 7 also and your usual combination plates, 14 total. Separate enchilada specials 9 in all, Los Doraditos (crispy ones) featuring taquitos, flautas, chimichangas. Not to forget sizzling fajitas, and tostadas to round out their menu.

Carne asada, chili Verde, caritas, steak picado and 15 Del Mar (seafood ) choices, featuring fish tacos, seafood enchilada, seafood nachos, garlic shrimp etc. A la carte items including French fries, non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. And their specialty of iced tea infused with cranberry juice. And let’s not forget Postres (desserts), you can order chocolate chip ice cream, flan, deep fried ice cream or banana Vallarta.

They have an all you can eat buffet on the weekend featuring the usual and some unusual items each weekend. The staff are friendly and attentive and the food suburb, owned by local residents they have been in operation for just over a year and offer a nice variety from your usual chain type Mexican food. They are passionate about cooking traditional regional dishes they learned from their parents and it shows. You get generous portions at modest prices and can also order to take out.

Gustav’s Pub and Grill - Portland Airport

My biggest pet peeve is not being able to sit down in a nice place, relax and enjoy some good food when traveling. When my flight stopped over in Portland I found and thoroughly enjoyed this Pub featuring German food. They have a nice bar with a good selection of hard liquor, wine and beer. You can sit at the bar or relax at a table and be waited on, which is quite nice after being crammed in a seat sized for a toddler and wedged between two line backers, well you know what I am talking about.

It is open fronted to afford the passer by to see what they have to offer, but the lighting is dimmed to allow you to relax and not remain wired. Now they are not a “restaurant” but a pub and offer pub food. Per it’s name, it’s classic German type offerings from soup to sandwiches. They offer Bavarian Bratwurst, Schnitzel, Munich Sausage, smoked Bier Sausage with Lentil soup and cheese bread.

Of course you can also opt for the usual French dip sandwich, classic bacon cheeseburger, grilled Reuben or smoked turkey sandwich. The early passenger can have a real breakfast of French toast, a Denver scramble, a lo carb breakfast or a Bavarian hunters plate, that comes with a plump chicken breast lightly grilled and topped with bacon and melted cheddar cheese and served with two eggs, German fried potatoes and toast. Sure beats McDonalds and the prices are modest the Hunter’s plate is only $9.99.

They have three salad offerings, a Caesar Salad, Waldorf chicken salad and the house salad with fresh greens, julienne beets and diced cucumber and choice of dressing including balsamic vinaigrette. When you order the sandwich offerings they include your choice of kettle chips, seasoned fries or a tomato cucumber salad. Now since I had a shorter than normal layover I did not want to stuff my self so I ordered light, the grilled chicken sandwich which is served on a toasted Kaiser roll with herb cream cheese, grilled onions, red and green peppers on a bed or red leaf lettuce.

Grilled to perfection the taste was succulent as it was not dried out but moist, the cream cheese added another depth of flavor and the aroma of the grilled onions mingled with the peppers to give that needed crunch and taste to complete the experience. I selected the seasoned fries which were cooked to a nice golden brown and served “hot”. A generous portion of chicken and fries enough for a large eater and more than enough for the smaller eater and even enough for an in flight snack since they also offer to go containers.

They have four locations, Portland (two locations), Clackamas and Vancouver, WA. Well worth looking for if your taste buds are looking for a wake up call.

Oliver's, Pocatello, Idaho

If you are a vegetarian, traveling with one or just would like the option of selection, then Oliver’s is the place for you. They were the forerunners of vegetarian food back in the 80’s and served up perhaps the first garden burger, of course made fresh.

The vegetarian lunch fare includes humus sandwich, a grilled eggplant parmesan sandwich, vegetarian chili, lentils and lentil stew. Dinner features spaghetti, a garden burger dinner, spinach cheese ravioli, steamed fresh vegetables, hot chili pasta or a homemade vegetarian lasagna.

They offer classic diner food, 36 sandwich choices along with15 hot sandwich combos. Dinner includes fried chicken, chicken fried steak, meatloaf, chicken strips, fish and chips and spaghetti; let’s not forget the pot roast, baron of beef or turkey. A complete breakfast menu and a few not so traditional offerings, Huevos rancheros, boneless trout and eggs, vegetarian Huevos and my personal favorite, hummus and harpers brand toast and eggs.

Several choices of salads from a classic house or a salmon supreme, chicken salad, or the famous Cobb and a nice fruit and veggie plate. They offer a diner selection of sodas, ice tea and coffee and even a vanilla or cherry coke or beer and wine. The dessert menu offers ice cream floats, ice cream, banana splits, cheese cake, pies, carrot cake to home made cookies and brownies.
A classic diner motif with booths and counter seating they also have a dining room for a more quite eating experience or for larger groups. Oliver’s offers catering for business lunches, seminars, picnics wedding receptions. They have a brown bag special for working person. This box lunch special includes a sandwich a choice of vegetable salad or fresh fruit, potato chips or hard egg, a fresh baked cookie or home made brownie or carrot cake. And they deliver.

The food is homemade quality and the emphasis is on freshness, they have been a corner stone in the community for decades. If you want truly good food, friendly service and good prices, then Oliver’s is your place. Come hungry leave your business card perhaps you can be the lucky winner of a free meal.

College - Idaho Falls, Idaho

College in Idaho Falls, Id November 2008
208-524-0875

Located in the historic old town section of Idaho Falls, just a block from the falls; College offers “ingredients and techniques from around the world”. A small dining area offers intimate conversation but also can accommodate parties of 6 or larger. They have an impressive wine list to be purchased by the glass or bottle.
First courses include Yukon Gold potato chips with melted gorgonzola cheese or a pouch of goat cheese with pistachios and port soaked cherries and figs, or perhaps some smoked duck of foire gras on grilled Texas toast to name a few.
Second courses offer a traditional Caesar salad, or an organic mixed field green salad or maybe a homemade lobster bisque and of course the soup du jour.
Entrees include grilled filet of beef, braised Colorado lamb shanks, oven roasted quail, lobster ravioli or fresh fish of the day. You can also dine on locally raised buffalo rib eye with pinot sage jus or they offer a vegetarian creation upon request. Prices start for first course at $7.50-`$13.00, second courses start at $7.00 -$9.00 and entrees are from $17.00 to $34.00 with the fish at market price. To round out the dinner you can opt for a selection of three sides of curried vegetable couscous, petite beans or roasted corn and cilantro mash.
You are welcomed by an amuse bouche creation of the chef to start your palate thirsting for more. We sampled the Yukon Gold potato chips and large shrimp sautéed with garlic, shallot and basil. Both courses were delicious, the chips with the melted cheese was a unique combination and created a taste sensation for your mouth. The shrimp snapped when bitten and the garlic shallot infusion with the basil created a wonderful aroma and taste treat. Second course we chose the Caesar salad, although not dressed at table side it still represented a good Caesar.
Entrees included the braised lamb shank, which you could cut with a fork and the taste with the cumin yogurt was superb. I must mention that the shank its self was of good size and satisfied my son’s appetite. I chose the special of the day which was a wild mushroom stroganoff which I whole heartedly enjoyed. The entrees are large enough to satisfy most appetites but you can always add one of the sides to round out your meal.
College offers “Passport Dinners” the chef’s choice from various countries, perhaps an Italian night or maybe a Latin flavored offering. These usually run around $45.00 per person and although reservations are not necessary you must call to secure a place for the evening. You can come anytime during normal dinner seating. These dinners are from early spring through summer only.

Coney Island Hot Dogs 250 9 St N. St. Petersburg, Florida

When one thinks of Coney Island Dogs, you automatically transport your self to the boardwalk in Atlantic City, where the term originated. However the taste is not confined to that location, one can experience the aroma, taste and delight in Florida. Nestled among the side streets of St Petersburg this establishment has been long serving up a taste just this side of heaven. Now the ambiance is just that of a locally owned and family operated cafe, some seating at the counter, a few booths and the menu, well it serves dogs, and I guess the question is, how many can you eat?
Their recipe is as close to the boardwalk taste as you can get, simmered to a texture and taste that delights every taste bud in your mouth. The dogs are just normal size dogs served between your normal buns, however it is the sauce that tells the story. It takes a real lover of chili dogs to sniff out this eatery. The aroma wafts from the small building as you amble down the sidewalk. As you enter all you can hear is the quite contentment of diners savoring each mouthful of their dogs.
Seasoned with the delicious chili and topped with onins, it offers you a delightful respite from the can of commercially prepared chili offered at your local grocers. As much as you savor each taste and try to ferret out each item in their recipe you cannot help but just sit back and gorge yourself with your dog. As much as one would like to list each ingredient and state the exact cooking time, I cannot. This is a family secret handed down to each generation, and sadly perhaps for the last time.
As with each passing generation, interests vary and children are not content to stay in a family business. As all children do they seek out their own individual fortunes and sadly perhaps to our disadvantage? For its future is in their hands and our only comfort for now is to gladly order up their delicious dogs and enjoy each savory bite

Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, Woodland Hills, California

Kabuki is set in the style of an oriental Denny’s, booth seating with glass front windows to let the outside in or let you view out. There is seating at the sushi bar to give you that birds eye view of your rolls being created. The decor is not that of your typical oriental establishment, but the flavor of the staff that routinely converse in their particular tongue remind you, you are in deed not in Kansas.

The menu features cold appetizers from tofu, crab rolls, mussels on the half shell, asparagus beef to mention just a few. You have an assortment of salads, around fourteen or so, from seaweed, tuna, octopus, seafood and a yummy vegetarian watercress yuzu salad featuring romaine, watercress, daikon, cucumber, endive and sesame seeds served with yuzu dressing.
They have luncheon specials and dinner from your usual teriyaki beef or chicken tempura, barbecue ribs, pork loin to the more unusual sushi combos and a boat dinner which is ordered for two or more giving you a sampling of the favorites. There is the oriental version of fajitas, the Hibachi Dinner served to you on a sizzling hot plate; you can have beef, chicken or seafood.
There are some special entrees featuring seared tuna, shrimp or scallops and to round it out the soups, noodles and usual sides are offered. I am not much for dessert but marveled at the choices offered, from ice cream, tempura ice cream, napoleon, sorbet and apple tart roll, not too bad.

Last but not least the sushi menu, eighteen Kabuki sushi combinations, twenty two Kabuki roll combos, they have a premium sushi and chefs special of thirty one favorites and eleven types of sashimi available. Choices range from the usual tuna, halibut to snapper, mackerel, smelt egg, sea eel, bean curt to sea urchin. The sashimi offers some unusual items like, giant clam, fatty yellow tail and albacore for a seafood lovers delight.
You can dine in or call in for your order to go, this time we ate in. You are offered edamame at the start of your meal with tea or drink of choice. Our table offered a wide assortment of sushi, rolls, seafood and tasty seafood udon noodle soup, all prepared quite well and presented by knowledgeable staff. The items were all tasty and quite pleasing to the eye, not to forget that you get your moneys worth as the menu is quite generous.

Golden Corral, Pocatello, Idaho

Golden Corral,800 Yellowstone, Pocatello Id
A grill and buffet offers the ability to eat all you want or order a meal. For a modest price you are offered a full salad bar, regular iceberg, romaine and a mix of mescaline greens, all the various accompaniments and the ability to add fresh fruit, cottage cheese, macaroni salad or potato salad. There is a potato bar that offers chili and cheese, broccoli and cheese sauce and for the purest just potato, butter, sour cream and chives.
The grill offers, chicken, meat loaf, pot roast, ham, roast beef, fresh mashed potatoes (not processed) several types of vegetables, fresh sauteed mushrooms and breads and rolls. You are continually toped off on your drinks and there is a dessert bar with pies, pudding, and ice cream to delight just about every one.
You can find your own table and a waitress starts you off with your plates and continually monitors your table taking away used dishes. The atmosphere is light and friendly, basically a busy and a bit noisy family style dining establishment. The food is good quality and flavorful. If you are a big eater this is the place for you, and if you just like a salad I suggest you try their salad bar, you will find just about everything you look for.

Brownstone Restaurant, Idaho Falls, Idaho

Located across from the falls this quaint red brick building invites you in to sample its food and to gaze at the gleaming stainless steel and brass brewing kettles. They brew their own beer and offer it proudly to those who have the desire to taste their flavors; you get a generous glass for a modest price.
The menu features a usual assortment of pub style entrees, from sandwiches, fish & chips, hamburgers and a few main course entrees. There is a salad bar for both vegetable and fruit lovers. Seating is on wooden chairs on un-carpeted floors but the noise level is contained.
We sampled four luncheon items, the Reuben Sandwich, which comes with fries, fried shrimp with fries and cole slaw, the chicken sandwich & fries and fish and chips with cole slaw. I might mention that their portions are larger than usual and the fries are the plank type and you get a more than generous portion, crispy and hot. Each item was nicely presented and the quality and textures was suburb.

You have a choice of serving sizes with the fish two or four pieces, I found the two servings along with the slaw and fries was more than enough to satisfy my hunger. The chicken sandwich was a large breast lightly seasoned, served atop a larger than normal size bun, the reuben was served on dark pumpernickel amply stuffed with corned beef. You got four nice sized pieces of shrimp, which were fried to a golden brown and not over done. I need to mention the cole slaw, which does not have the usual heavy mayonnaise type dressing; it was more of a vinaigrette type dressing, which not only cleansed your pallet but also added just the right crunch and coolness to complement your entrée.

The atmosphere is subdued with ample windows to add just the right amount of light. There appeared to be a small stage perhaps for evening music. The staff was courteous and well knowledgeable about their menu items and their suds. Not being big beer drinkers we were offered a taste of the "brew" to see if it meet with our approval.