Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

10 May 2007

The Milky Way – Boise

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May 8, 2007
Cuisine: American

205 N 10th St # 101 *CLOSED*
Boise, ID 83702

Phone: 208-343-4334
Website: www.milkywayboise.com/

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Squaw bread with butter (complimentary)

Entree I: Grilled Black Forest Ham and Swiss Cheese with Dijon mayo on whole wheat bread served with House Salad – tomatoes and cucumbers tossed in a Sherry vinaigrette ($7.25)

Dessert: Lemongrass Cardomom Crème Brûlée ($5)

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Conjuring up Idaho in my head, I pictured an agricultural landscape with countless miles of potato fields and farmers tending to their crops in denim overalls and straw hats. Imagining the food scene in this unfamiliar state, I saw myself eating spuds at every meal prepared in a plethora of ways—au gratin, mashed, fried, baked, stuffed, and scalloped.

Although Idaho and potatoes will always be synonymous with one another in my mind, the offerings in Boise are much more interesting than I anticipated. Downtown Boise contains a fair number of chains, but also boasts Thai restaurants, a few sushi joints, and even a handful of Basque eateries. I haven’t been able to sample much of the fare due to work, but am thoroughly impressed by the variety and quality of eats available in this town. Maybe we are the United States of Arugula after all.

I read rave reviews about The Milky Way prior to arriving in Boise and headed there for a casual lunch on my first day in the city. With temperatures in the mid-80’s, I could not resist dining alfresco on their front patio. The menu consists mostly of classic American comfort foods like meatloaf and macaroni and cheese with a few twists thrown in such as braised beef cheeks and shrimp and scallop potstickers. In an uncharacteristically unadventurous mood, I chose the Grilled Black Forest Ham and Swiss Cheese sandwich.

I was brought a small loaf of squaw bread to munch on while waiting for my entree. The bread was freshly baked, subtly sweet, and tasted like a cross between rye and whole wheat. I liked it quite a bit. My sandwich arrived not too long after.

The sandwich and side salad were both simple and delicious. The whole wheat bread had a tinge of sour and was toasty without being greasy. The cheese and ham were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. The Dijon mustard added some zing; I’ll have to start adding mustard to my homemade grilled sandwiches. The salad was fresh and evenly dressed.

For dessert, my waitress recommended the Lemongrass Cardomom Crème Brûlée, which sounded fabulous. I find crème brûlée irresistible even though it has become commonplace—there’s just something about tapping through the sugary shell and reaching the creamy custard that gets me every time. There were definite notes of cardomom within the crème, but the lemongrass was unfortunately not strong. The candied sugar crust was beautifully golden and thick. The crème brûlée was satisfying, but I would have enjoyed it more had the custard’s temperature been even and the shell uniformly scorched.

Restaurant Review

08 May 2007

Rouge – Philadelphia

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May 2, 2007
Cuisine: American (New), Bistro

205 S 18th St, Philadelphia 19103
At Walnut St

Phone: 215-732-6622
Website: none

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Roll with butter (complimentary)

Pan Seared Crab Cake – Provençal fish soup, potato rouille, baby fennel, garlic confit ($17)

Rouge Burger – Gruyère caramelized onions and pommes frites ($15)

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With spring definitely in bloom, my friend James and I met up for a leisurely lunch at Rouge. The weather was perfect so we opted to dine alfresco even though it meant waiting a short while. We landed a table close to 18th Street, which fortunately wasn’t too busy this weekday. Exhaust and eats would have been a terrible combination.

In July 2005, Alan Richman of GQ ranked the Rouge Burger #4 on his list of “The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die.” Glancing at the menu, I quickly settled on the famed burger because I love a well-executed burger and I aim to eventually eat all twenty someday! By the way, Rouge’s neighbor Barclay Prime holds the #3 spot on the list with their Kobe Beef Sliders.

After spying a fellow diner’s Rouge Burger, I decided that it was too hefty for one and chose to split it with James. For our second entree, James picked the Pan Seared Crab Cake. As we waited for our food to arrive, we were brought out delicious rolls with pads of butter sprinkled with coarse salt. The afternoon sun softened the butter nicely, which ensured a smooth spread.

The entrees were brought out simultaneously, but I reached for the burger first because it looked so inviting. One bite and I was in beefy heaven. The meat patty was moist, flavorful, and measured over an inch thick at it’s widest (which James found a little challenging). The brioche bun was flaky, sweet, and bravely held on tight to the enormous patty. The cheese and caramelized onions were great too, but overshadowed by the almighty beef. The burger was so satisfying that I skipped on the ketchup, lettuce, and tomato. Our only complaint was the limp pickle spear.

The frites served with the Rouge Burger reminded James in appearance (not taste) of Boardwalk Fries. Every frite from top to bottom in the conical holder was crisp and salted nicely. In this case, ketchup was in order.

I moved on to the Pan Seared Crab Cake after a couple bites of my burger. The crab cake was petite, lightly packed with chunks of crab meat, and seared ever so slightly. James thought the tastiest parts of the crab cake were more aggressively seared. In hindsight, we should have asked for the crab cake to be delivered as an appetizer because the flavors were far too mild to be eaten side by side with the burger. The fish “soup” was lackluster, but next to the Rouge Burger, what isn’t?

Click below for Alan Richman’s complete list: “The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die”

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Restaurant Review

07 May 2007

Bonté – Philadelphia

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April 29, 2007
Cuisine: Belgian, Desserts & Bakeries, Coffeehouses

922 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19107
Btwn S 9th St & S 10th St

Phone: 215-238-7407
Website: www.bontewaffles.com

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Belgian Sugar Waffles – made fresh, served hot, just like on the streets of Belgium ($2.75)

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Bonté currently boasts three locations in Center City on 17th, 13th, and 9th all along Walnut Street. Perhaps the city should consider changing the street’s name to Waffles Street? Now, that would be rad. Since I live on Waffles Street, I walk by Bonté often and would have tried it sooner if their most convenient location on 13th wasn’t always closed when the mood struck.

On our way to the Italian Market one Sunday afternoon, The Astronomer and I took a snack break at the Bonté on 9th. For our inaugural tasting, we chose the plain waffle. White chocolate, dark chocolate, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and pecans are available mix-in options for an additional sum.

Approximately five minutes after placing our order, a piping hot waffle was brought to our table. It smelled delicious, but the charred spots were somewhat off-putting. One bite and it was obvious that the “authentic” Belgian waffles made at Bonté have little in common with the Belgian waffles we’re accustomed to.

First off, Bonté’s waffles are made from a dough rather than a batter. I peaked behind the counter and saw the waffle artist pressing pre-made dough onto the hot iron, which explains its density and irregular shape. Whereas regular waffles are consumed with maple syrup, Bonté’s have sugar crystals within the dough providing plenty of sweetness and a great crunch. In terms of texture, Bonté’s waffles are stiffer and denser than their fluffy, batter-made counterparts. The interior of Bonté’s waffles is wonderfully flaky.

The waffles cooked up at Bonté are special and delectable. With three ridiculously convenient shops, I’m going to start making Bonté a habit because their waffles sure are tasty.