The Kilted Dragon (Review)

It isn't often anymore that I get to just go out for a few drinks.  The children are at that awkward age where they can't really spend the night at home by themselves, but babysitting them consists of more than watching a Disney movie and putting them to bed at 8.  Besides, I've always been what you could call "frugal," if you wanted to be kind.  Drinking in public doesn't make good economic sense, and before you point out that the same could be said of dining, I have to say they don't have the same level of upside.  But I am always tempted to make an exception for craft beer, and when the purveyors of that beer also make an appeal to my frugality?  Consider me sold.  

That's exactly what happened last week with the Kilted Dragon Brewery (9115 West Chinden Blvd, Garden City, Idaho 208-254-2012).  They had "kegs to blow."  They needed a place to put their newly brewed beer, but several kegs were sitting around almost but not quite empty.  The solution was a sale, announced through Facebook, Twitter, and probably other outlets as well.  Two dollar pints and eight dollar growler fills of the selected beers.  I'd never tried Kilted Dragon before, so despite my cold I called up my best friend and we made a plan to meet up after work.  He lives just up the hill from their shop, and he'd been trying for months to convince me to go.  I arrived first, and since it was still pretty empty, I was able to get my pick of tables, which was nice considering that the large windows on the western wall were letting in a searing block of sunlight.  I hid in the shade and started with what I considered to be the safest bet, the Knuckle Dragger Porter.  It was everything I hoped for and more.  Rich, malty, and strong, it almost derailed this blog post.  I knew I had enough money to try one of 

Not so much a bar as a brewery with a tasting area, you can see
behind the curtain as you drink. 

each of the beers on special and tip out the waitress, and that was it.  But with each sip of the wonderful porter I considered deleting the pictures I'd taken and simply drinking Knuckle Dragger the entire time I was there.  It was about this time my friends arrived, however, and after talking to beer geeks about beer I realized I could not hide behind one variety alone, especially as I'd never been here before.  I moved on to the Blue Steel IPA.  It was a pleasant beer, but one with an interesting flaw--it didn't, at least to my palate, taste like an IPA at all.  We passed it around the table and agreed it seemed more like a Heffewiessen.  It wasn't bad, not in the slightest.  It just didn't have the strong hop flavor I was expecting.  It's flavor seemed to cry out to be paired with lemonade, which is something I've said about no IPA ever.          

After that, it was time to try the Bonnie Heather Amber.  This was a pleasant beer, and seemed ideal for drinking in mass quantities.  It had a crisp finish that seemed to taunt the heat of the outdoors.  

The last of the beers being featured that day was the Highland Honey Blonde (the Frost Bridge Scottish Ale was drained before I arrived, and I arrived early, which must be a testament to that particular brew's quality).    It was a tasty beer, and while it seemed to lack the alcohol punch of the others, one thing really stood out to me.  Lots of beers profess flavorings, but never have I seen one so honest.  Every drop of the Blonde resonated with the taste of honey.  While I'll stick with the Porter if I'm looking to get drunk, little bells went off in my head while drinking this beer, and you shouldn't be surprised if you see a dessert recipe pop up with this sweet drink as a star ingredient.  

While the Porter was the star of the sale, my favorite beer that I got to try was the one I had last.  It was almost time for our party to disband; several of our number were already gone.  I'd bought all the beer I'd planned to buy, and my wife was on her way to retrieve me.  But I still had an empty glass in front of me, so my friend slipped up to the bar and got a pint of Hand & a Half Stout for us to split.  What a wonderful beer.  It was chocolaty and thick, just thoroughly delicious with a roasted accent (what I'd later learn was Sumatran coffee) and a bit of spice in the background as well.  At the last beer festival I went to, I got to try some mole beers, and there was a similar element to Hand & a Half, but while those beers were good (well, some of them), they were a bit heavy handed in getting across their mole theme.  With no promise of heat on the label, Hand & a Half was allowed to be subtle, and the balance was just right.  I can guarantee that at the end of August when it's time for my birthday and the question comes up of what I'd like to get snockered on before going to see "World's End," I'm going to go and get myself a growler of Hand & a Half.    

I've talked at length about the beer--with good reason, as it's the star of the show--but perhaps a few words about the establishment itself are in order.  Kilted Dragon is a small tap house, but it is arranged in a very open manner, and I always felt comfortable, even as it started to get busy.  Everything is clean and comfortable.  Better yet, they have shuffleboard!  One of my favorite bars used to be the Iron Gate, which was located in the University Inn on the corner of Boise State's campus, but that  lovely institution was bulldozed in the name of progress, the place where I spent my wedding night now an economics building.  Every time I went there, I'd spend hours playing shuffleboard.  I decided to keep my cold to myself and not touch it this time around, but seeing the beautiful table in the corner of Kilted Dragon is a selling point that will help keep me coming back.  Another would be their dedication to entertainment.  We happened to be there on a quiet night, but the Kilted Dragon's event page is filled with bands, food trucks, and more.  This is important, because it helps to offset the one negative I have to say about the Dragon.  It's location stinks.  Maybe not in the affordable rent department, and I understand that's pretty damn important, but as for coming in on a regular basis for drinks?  It isn't really close to any major neighborhood, so walking there isn't an option (though it's not too terribly far from the Greenbelt by bike).  More importantly, there isn't a whole lot going on as far as neighbors are concerned.  There are no restaurants, no theaters, nothing but a Wonder Bread outlet store, a gym, the Garden City DMV, and a gas station.  If you wanted something to do while you sobered up, or something to keep your DD entertained, it's not there.  I credit the owners for realizing this and making the effort to import those things to do and eat, as it is sorely needed.  Maybe eventually they will expand to a more formal pub and eatery like another up-and-coming Garden City brewery, Crooked Fence, just did, but in the mean time it is good to see they are aware of their handicap and actively working to mitigate it.  Speaking of the owners, they were both on site during my visit, and the one who wasn't busy brewing was out being social and greeting guests, even challenging them to shuffleboard.  That's nice, and adds to this community feeling that is seeming to develop in the "new" Garden City (maybe it's even time to begin retiring some of my meth jokes).  Despite being off the main drag, the Kilted Dragon is well worth your business if you like good beer.     

UPDATE:  It's not often that a little guy like Catfish's Dishes gets a scoop, but the kind folks at Kilted Dragon liked my review and decided to pass along a bit of insider information.  The sale I attended is about to become a regular thing!  Every Wednesday they'll be having keg blowouts, with $2 pints and $8 growler fills.  So now you don't have to wait for some magical sale to find out that what I've been telling you is true, just drop in on a Wednesday and you'll get to try this great beer on the cheap.  

                                         

Tango's (Review)

The last time I was in the building that now houses Tango's (701 N. Orchard St., Boise, ID 83706 (208) 322-3090) it was a rundown donut shop catering primarily to the bums who'd made their way to the neighborhood by bike and bus to get to the two day labor centers within a block of the place.  I'd seen the area change in passing; as I moved from being one of those bums on the bus to an employed father of two with a car, I didn't often have need to be in that part of Boise, but I did notice the day labor centers move, one just down the street, the other gone completely.  I noticed the donut shop shutter it's windows, and after a long period of dormancy, Tango's take it's place.  Still, I was surprised when I asked the man working the counter how long they'd been open and found out it had been six years.

The Griddle (Review)

Another blog, another restaurant review.  Another BREAKFAST review, no less.  But don't worry; I haven't forgotten about cooking.  I just didn't take my camera into the kitchen much over the holidays.  I'll let bigger fish in the blogging sea tell you how to make candy cane pancakes or eggnog creme brulee.  I spent a good long time just enjoying being with my family, and as a result hardly logged on to the computer at all.  One of my New Year's resolutions was to treat Catfish's Dishes more like a real job, but I couldn't justify working over the holidays when everyone was together at last.

Northern Lights Cafe (Review)

It was supposed to be the bookend to a perfect morning; we'd woken up late after staying up into the wee hours of the morning with our Dungeons and Dragons group, and then snuggled with the children until nearly lunch time.  We listened to Christmas music and talked about which presents we'd like to see under the tree. Then we piled in the car, Boy and Girl grinning from ear to ear about the first serious snowfall in the valley (which had occurred while they slept,) and ran a few light errands.  Nothing better to top it off than a trip to the Northern Lights Cafe (650 E. Boise Ave, Boise, ID 83706 (208) 424-9111,) a cozy little breakfast place that we used to visit every Sunday when the children were still toddlers.

Romio's Pizza and Pasta (Review)

Have you ever been to a restaurant, and after you finished eating your first instinct was to tell everyone you know exactly how much you loved it?  That's exactly how I felt after dining at Romio's Pizza and Pasta (8125 W. Fairview Ave, Boise, ID 83704 (208) 658-1550.)  

Food Truck Rally!

I don't know how long Boise has been having food truck rallies; presumably they appeared sometime shortly after food trucks became all the rage on Food Network. I do know that "gourmet" food trucks have been around for at least a couple of years, having seen them around at various events (beer festival, I'm looking at you,) but as for the rallies? I first heard of them when I moved to the day shift at my "real" job, and began being able to use Twitter. (Sidebar: for any of you who use Twitter regularly and can't imagine your social media experience without it? Not that interesting on the graveyard shift.) Between fellow local foodies and such entities as the Boise Weekly and Radio Boise--both of whom are affiliated with said rally--I began to hear about it quite a bit.

Looking Ahead

It's been a busy month here at Catfish's Dishes.  Apart from this past one, I have been managing to post multiple blogs in a week, and readership has gone up quite a bit.  Next week, I get even more of a bump as one of my recipes will be featured on a guest post at Macheesmo.  The Mandarin Orange-Dark Chocolate Won Tons are one of my favorite recipes, and a completely original creation by yours truly, so it will be great that a wider audience gets to experience them on October 3rd.

Burger N' Brew (Review)

While blogging is a good excuse to go out and try new things, sometimes it is important to just go eat somewhere you love.  That is why, when I made a quick fifty bucks by participating in a focus group, I took Wife down the street to Burger N' Brew (4295 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83703 (208) 345-7700) instead of looking for the next big thing.  Well, that and I had a coupon from the Town Planner calendar.

DK Donuts (Review)

So..................................................................................................................who doesn't like donuts?

DK Donuts & Little Bean Espresso (1300 W State St, Boise, ID 83702 (208) 385-7480) has a special place in my heart.  For about a year I lived just across the street, in a dilapidated house that contained no less than four raging alcoholics at a time.  My place was in the basement, where I avoided much of the drama in exchange for mildew.  I didn't have much money at the time, and most of my food came in the form of Ramen noodles or canned food graciously given by churches.  Still, everyone needs an occasional treat, and mine was DK.  Every other weekend, said basement would be filled with a collection of my nerd friends, where we would stay up late into the night playing Dungeons and Dragons.  After the party had slain the heroes (because of course, everyone wanted to play as the bad guys,) we would venture over to DK, where plenty of fresh donuts could be found in spite of the late hour.

The Sunrise Cafe (Review)

While my "real" job is as steady as can be, Wife often finds herself in flux.  Not that she is ever worried about being laid off, thankfully; her employment is more solid than that.  But working in child care, her hours can vary pretty wildly, especially during the summer.  Kids vanish for summer vacations, then come back with siblings who are normally in elementary school.  Some checks are small, and others....well, let's just say others prompt us to go out for breakfast on a Saturday morning.

It was that way last Saturday, when we came out from under a little financial dark cloud and decided to celebrate by getting something to eat.  We knew we'd have a great breakfast at the Egg Factory, but I'd already written about it.  That meant leaving the neighborhood, hitting a chain, or going to either Merrit's or The Sunrise Cafe.  The former is well known in town for being the "Home of the Scone" (despite the fact that what they serve, while amazing, is actually a sweetened fry-bread, not the hard English tea-time snack,) but the latter, in my opinion, has often gone unrecognized for having the best biscuits around.  Wife didn't care, so I voted biscuit, and we drove over to the Sunrise Cafe (7135 West State Street, Boise, ID 83714
208-853-7400.)

Quick Bite: The Lunch Special at Papa Joe's

Truth is, as much as I've loved working on Catfish's Dishes, I haven't had much time lately.  Big changes have been transpiring at the job I'm actually paid to do, and sneaking in some editing during shift hasn't been an option.  However, I knew I needed to get out my camera as soon as I decided to eat lunch at Papa Joe's.

One of the transitions at work has been that for the last three weeks, I've been coming to work in the daytime, after eight years of working the graveyard shift.  So while my goal is to always brown-bag it, on the days that I need to eat out my options have exploded a hundred fold.  I'm no longer stuck between Burger King, Los Betos, and the WinCo deli.  There are tons of options, even within walking distance.  So last Friday when I forgot my lunch in my haste to organize my Dungeons and Dragons maps for the weekend, I decided to give one of those options a try.

Quick Bite: The BFD at Q's

Usually, I don't write about restaurants unless I have the opportunity to give a full review.  This is a time intensive and expensive process, because I don't feel I can accurately describe what a restaurant is like unless I've tried at least three or four items on their menu.  For instance, I had to scrap a would be review of Salt Tears Coffee House and Noshery simply because (after a decadent breakfast with the wife,) I haven't been able to afford to go back for lunch, and now that I can I don't really remember what I intended to say about the first meal.  Apart from some meager ad revenue everytime somebody clicks on the links littering the corner of these pages, I don't profit from doing this, so reviews have to take a backseat to everything else; they're really just bonus content whenever I am lucky enough to be in the position to go out to eat a bunch, and that hasn't been much of a thing lately.

Boise's Best Breakfast: The Egg Factory (Review)

Before I begin to discuss the food served at The Egg Factory (6882 W State St Boise, ID 83714 (208) 853-2037, with two other locations in the Treasure Valley) let me take a minute to address hyperbole.  I'm not a fan.  Perhaps it's because I have young kids at home, but I don't really care for it when people casually say that things are "the best," "the greatest," and the like.  I don't get a sense for how good something is if you run around like Gordon Ramsey, saying that everything that passes your lips that you don't actively hate is "the most amazing" whatever-it-is.  I just want this to be clear when I pronounce The Egg Factory Boise's best breakfast.  To be fair, I haven't eaten at every single restaurant in Boise, but I have eaten at perennial "Best of Boise" winner Goldy's, hangover staples like Merritt's and The Capri, chic coffeehouse/eateries and truck stops.  The Egg Factory tops them all.

Gyro Shack (Review)

Wife was having a bad day week, and to be perfectly honest, so was I.  Boy has reached the age where he believes it possible to talk his way out of homework, and despite being a nine year old with a high school reading level, he ended up with a "D" in reading due to lazy and incomplete work.  The "stern parent talk" that happened at the end of the semester seemed to do the trick for a week or two, but he was right back at it, hiding away bits of his worm journal so he could claim to be done with his assignments and play the Wii.  Sunday started with the revelation that he had several weeks of work due on Monday, and each successive day revealed more hidden homework.  Only time will tell if the punishments leveled-from a missed meeting of the chess club to the first spanking handed out in over a year--will make an impact on him, but it was clearly weighing on us. 

It was with this crushing wall of negativity as a backdrop that I decided to relinquish my pocket money and take Wife out to eat.  I'd won a whopping ten dollars on a bet, and while I had intended to save it to feed my obsession, I felt I had to do something to perk Wife (and myself) up. 

Bar Gernika (Review)

I've been broke enough long enough that I feel self concious when people offer to give me things, but that being said I'm only human, and being able to turn down a free meal is a talent I don't have. Such was the case Saturday morning. Wife and I had been out hitting the yard sales, with Boy reading his comics irritably in the back of the car, but our end destination was my Mother-in-law's house, where Grandpa intended to take Boy to an airshow in Nampa. Wife and I had intended to return to the sales, but soon she was helping her mother assemble a file organizer kind of like this one, and I was drooling over a Pampered Chef catalog, admiring Himilayan salt and knives that presumably don't suck.

By the time we were finished, we didn't really have time to do much but eat lunch before visiting our friend in the hospital. Not wanting to go home, we contemplated having lunch at Mother-in-law's, before realizing that anything worthy of our efforts would take longer than we had. I had the feeling one of us was seconds away from putting up the white flag of surrender to Top Ramen, when MIL said the magic words. "I'll spring for lunch."

Los Betos (Review)

I wasn't sure if I should review Los Betos. It is, after all, part of a chain of restaurants. But this was the first time since I started working on this blog (other than some Papa Murphy's pizza the wife brought home) that I had the opportunity to eat out, and I was itching to review something. That, coupled with the fact that it's not exactly a franchise giant (and after all, Boise's own beloved Flying Pie has two stores, which technically means that it's a chain as well) was enough to make it official. The small group of Mexican fast food joints based out of somewhere in Utah would be my first.