There were a few points that had me thinking this day would never actually come. The list took a long while to whittle down, and grew a few times along the way. But dammit, the time has come to finish what I started, and here we are. Tacos are gone, opinions have been cast, time to close this thing out. So, without further adieu, the superlatives.
Overall Winner - Bittercreek Ale House
This should come as little surprise, I loved these tacos and knew they'd set the bar really high. While others came close, no one toppled them. There was a lingering question about the menu status, but it appears that they have transitioned to the standard menu. The fish may have changed, and I may have to give them another try to confirm greatness. Once the budget recovers that is. Yeesh, July was $$$.
Best Fish - Reel Foods
Rice flour breading and a chipotle honey glaze on some premium fish. Pardon my language, but holy shit this fish was good. I expected greatness and was not disappointed. My only real gripe here is these are not always available. So looking forward to getting more of these in my belly.
Best Not Fish - El Habanero
To refresh your memory, two corn tortillas, cabbage, pico, avocado, jack and cotija cheese, chipotle sauce, and a lime wedge for each taco. Nothing super out of the ordinary, just the standard with minor tweaks that brought them up to great.
Best Chain - Rumbi
These had a distinctly Hawaiian flavor to them with pineapple, jalapeno ranch, and coconut...something. Super good side of rice too, and there's always at least a $1 off coupon out there for the taking. These guys have locations in Idaho, Utah, and Arizona, so readers outside of the valley can give them a try too.
Best Taco Truck - El Habanero
I went into their not fish accolades above, but they were all around great, and they tied for second for a reason. They're an absolute bargain and a great choice for a quick lunch in West Boise. I've already recommended them to probably half a dozen colleagues.
Cheapest Taco - El Gallo Giro
$1.50 a piece for their little tiny ones. Pretty much one-biters, but not bad. If quantity is what you want, you can get essentially all you can eat for like $25.
Most Expensive Taco - Highlands Hollow
$11.95 for a single taco. Yowch. I mean, it wasn't really a taco as much as it was a super weird quesadilla, but by definition, it's a pricey ass taco. You can get just shy of 8 tacos from El Gallo Giro for the same price. Your call (get 8).
Honorable Mention - Tin Roof Tacos
These guys ended up tied for 5th with The Matador, Fresh of the Hook, The Shed, and Barbacoa. All solid options really, and to be fair, the others are likely a bit better for just fish tacos. However, of all the stops on this tour, I have not returned to any venue more than I have to Tin Roof. I've lost count, but I'd wager that I've been to Tin Roof at least monthly since the original visit in May. It's such a great all around taco joint. My girls love the breakfast tacos, my vegetarian mom likes the veggie options, and I haven't yet found a better post-mountain-biking stop for a beer and satisfying meal. I was literally there yesterday.
Though I could probably squeeze a few more categories out of this tour, I'm going to call it there. Always happy to give a personalized recommendation if you want one, but that's a solid mini-tour of the tacos in this town. Go get some! And if anyone wants to kick in for a trophy for Bittercreek, let me know.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Monday, July 31, 2017
El Tenampa - Back Where We Started
I didn't realize how many taco stops there are in the area around the Edwards 21 theater. It might actually be the Edwards 22, I forgot. And I'm not sure if they include Imax. Anyway, neither here nor there. Nato's, Legends, McGrath's, Twin Peaks, and Black Bear are all a stones throw from each other. Maybe not literally, depends on your arm I guess. Oddly enough, kind of in the center of these is El Tenampa, the last stop on this tour. I started this thing 16 months back at Legends, it seems fitting to end it right across the parking lot.
Presentation - It took me a bit to figure out how I missed this place. Google helped with that, they just opened in January. Another restaurant younger than this tour. The remnants of On The Border remain both inside and out, but the decor is nice enough. It was crazy cold inside, which was just fine because it was 99 degrees outside. There was a table of bitchy ladies with weak significant others behind me, which I don't actually mind too much. It relaxes me a bit if I have designated people to hate. Pro wrestling and NBA final reruns on TV. Just an all around odd visit, can't say I'm surprised. And a fine plating to boot. Also a cool beer bottle chandelier. 3/5
Aroma - Good. Fish taco-ey. 3/5
Value - $12.29 for three average size tacos and a side. Eh, I've had worse. Not bad tacos, not particularly filling. 4/10
Fish - Not memorable, but not bad. Grilled white fish with a mild seasoning, a couple bigger chunks per taco. Right down the middle of that old winding road. 5/10
Not Fish - I think there's a straight mis-translation on the menu. Cucumber? I laughed out loud when I read that, and was really looking forward to seeing how they pulled that off. Short answer: they didn't. I think that was supposed to read cilantro, which was on there. Also queso, which was not listed. I'm kind of surprised that this was the first appearance of queso (on a taco that is, it was a side at Joe's Crab Shack). I quite enjoyed that addition. Wicked juicy lime slice too. The not fish side of these tacos were pretty on point. 8/10
Overall Taste - It's interesting to see how different places have come around to different scores. Los Mariachis scored a seven with great fish and ok not fish. These guys did the switcheroo, yet here we are. 7/10
Bonus Points - I'd love to find a reason for one, and the hodgepodge of things going on while I was eating was almost enough, but not quite. +0
Overall Overall - 30/50
I walked back into the oppressive evening heat, surveyed the surprising amount of tour stops in the lot, and got a little sad. I've had fun with this and I will miss it. I'm surprisingly not sick of fish tacos, and even on this, the 63rd and last stop, I found a different variation on a common theme that I enjoyed.
I'm certain I missed at least one stop, so here's my challenge for anyone still hanging in on this thing; if you know of a stop that I haven't found in Boise proper, you have the rest of the week to tell me. Friday, August 4th at 11:59:59 PM, the tour is officially done. And there will be prizes. Stay tuned.
Los Mariachis - Meeting Number Six
I had five meetings this morning. Production meeting. Project meeting. Leadership meeting. Boss meeting. TSA Precheck meeting. None particularly excited me. However, meeting six, which didn't make it onto my work calendar, did. It was the penultimate meeting in a long series of meetings. It came with tacos. It was Los Mariachis.
Presentation - Rather unassuming storefront. I wasn't sure what to expect going in. The interior was actually pretty decent. Typical beer signage but more carved seating and cool tables. And loud spanish music. And lights without lightbulbs. And a wandering toddler. Odd, yes, but it came together. Simple plating, decent service. 3/5
Aroma - Pretty standard and by the book. Smelled as such. Yup. 3/5
Value - So here's a conundrum. Their menu isn't online, so I called and asked if they had fish tacos. They do. However, not on the menu. The pic above is just to acknowledge they have a menu. With weird giant schooners of shrimp and stuff. So I had no idea what they cost ($9.50 for a pair) or what was on them (fish, pico, cabbage, white sauce). I kind of want to disqualify them here, off the menu kind of means they don't exist. But whatever, I guess I'll let it slide. But still average. 5/10
Fish - I had trouble telling if these were grilled or fried. I settled on fried, but I don't fully know how they did it. There was like no breading, but the fish was wonderfully crunchy and crisp, and still pretty moist. Solid seasoning, nothing standout, but something about the fried-ness was just solid. 8/10
Not Fish - Dead on by the book. Two corn tortillas, pico, cabbage, white sauce, and a slice of lime. Nothing about it was extraordinary but it following the formula worked just fine. 6/10
Overall Taste - The fish brought these up to a pretty solid place. The rest was just fine, but the fish made for a solid 7/10.
Bonus Points - The aforementioned toddler was pretty cute, but not quite worth a point. Try harder next time tiny one. Maybe bring me some guac. +0
Overall Overall - 32/50
Didn't quite make up for meetings one through five, but not a bad lunch stop either. And then there was one.
Presentation - Rather unassuming storefront. I wasn't sure what to expect going in. The interior was actually pretty decent. Typical beer signage but more carved seating and cool tables. And loud spanish music. And lights without lightbulbs. And a wandering toddler. Odd, yes, but it came together. Simple plating, decent service. 3/5
Aroma - Pretty standard and by the book. Smelled as such. Yup. 3/5
Value - So here's a conundrum. Their menu isn't online, so I called and asked if they had fish tacos. They do. However, not on the menu. The pic above is just to acknowledge they have a menu. With weird giant schooners of shrimp and stuff. So I had no idea what they cost ($9.50 for a pair) or what was on them (fish, pico, cabbage, white sauce). I kind of want to disqualify them here, off the menu kind of means they don't exist. But whatever, I guess I'll let it slide. But still average. 5/10
Fish - I had trouble telling if these were grilled or fried. I settled on fried, but I don't fully know how they did it. There was like no breading, but the fish was wonderfully crunchy and crisp, and still pretty moist. Solid seasoning, nothing standout, but something about the fried-ness was just solid. 8/10
Not Fish - Dead on by the book. Two corn tortillas, pico, cabbage, white sauce, and a slice of lime. Nothing about it was extraordinary but it following the formula worked just fine. 6/10
Overall Taste - The fish brought these up to a pretty solid place. The rest was just fine, but the fish made for a solid 7/10.
Bonus Points - The aforementioned toddler was pretty cute, but not quite worth a point. Try harder next time tiny one. Maybe bring me some guac. +0
Overall Overall - 32/50
Didn't quite make up for meetings one through five, but not a bad lunch stop either. And then there was one.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Fiesta Guadalajara - About As East As They Come
Final 3! In theory at least, I think I've already said that. I set a goal to finish in July and by George, I intend to, even if it means 3 stops in one day. It did, today, for what it's worth, the last of which was Fiesta Guadalajara. I honestly forgot how far away this place is, might as well be going to Mountain Home. There are actually two locations in Meridian and Eagle that are probably closer, but that's not Boise and that would be cheating. Rations and spare parts packed, we hit the road.
Presentation - I actually used to work right up the hill from this location and have been in a couple times. The interior is pretty nice, the chairs have "FG" carved into them and the decor is clean and not tacky. Service was fine, nothing to write home about but not bad. The plating was nice. And enormous. And lava hot again. What's up with that? All around above average. 4/5
Aroma - A bit on the fishy side, but not bad. Perhaps a bit mild too. 3/5
Value - 3 tacos and a side of rice and beans for $14.25, which was a dollar more than the website menu had them listed for. The plate was filling but as I'll get into, the ingredients weren't particularly great or unique, so it was a bit on the pricey side. 4/10
Fish - Kind of a big issue here. Comparing the menu to the picture, there's a pretty glaring issue. Deep fried? Not so much, definitely grilled. There are other menu issues, see the not fish section for those, but this was a big one. Not a lot of seasoning, prep was fine but it was on the boring side on top of not being as advertised. 3/10
Not Fish - The menu claims five things. Deep fried pollock? Nope. Flour tortillas? Nope. Cabbage? Yes. Avocados? Yes. Jalapenos? Nope. Two for five, that's a hard F at 40% correct. It's one thing to make a forgettable taco, but another to advertise it as something else entirely. And these really needed a sauce, they were pretty dry. The avocado helped, but just a bit. 3/10
Overall Taste - They were plenty edible, I've had worse tacos this month. Just not a lot too them really, boring and overpriced. I hit them for menu discrepancies above, so just below average here. 4/10
Bonus Points - If the tacos completely mismatched the menu I'd have given them one. Swap the avocados for asparagus and the cabbage for kale or something whackadoo like that. But alas, nah. +0
Overall Overall - 21/50
Start chanting. Final two! Final two! If I can swing two more taco stops tomorrow without a heart attack, we can put this thing to bed and I can make some fun arbitrary awards to hand out. I suppose you can send over any locations I've still managed to miss before then, but be warned, I may punch you.
Presentation - I actually used to work right up the hill from this location and have been in a couple times. The interior is pretty nice, the chairs have "FG" carved into them and the decor is clean and not tacky. Service was fine, nothing to write home about but not bad. The plating was nice. And enormous. And lava hot again. What's up with that? All around above average. 4/5
Aroma - A bit on the fishy side, but not bad. Perhaps a bit mild too. 3/5
Value - 3 tacos and a side of rice and beans for $14.25, which was a dollar more than the website menu had them listed for. The plate was filling but as I'll get into, the ingredients weren't particularly great or unique, so it was a bit on the pricey side. 4/10
Fish - Kind of a big issue here. Comparing the menu to the picture, there's a pretty glaring issue. Deep fried? Not so much, definitely grilled. There are other menu issues, see the not fish section for those, but this was a big one. Not a lot of seasoning, prep was fine but it was on the boring side on top of not being as advertised. 3/10
Not Fish - The menu claims five things. Deep fried pollock? Nope. Flour tortillas? Nope. Cabbage? Yes. Avocados? Yes. Jalapenos? Nope. Two for five, that's a hard F at 40% correct. It's one thing to make a forgettable taco, but another to advertise it as something else entirely. And these really needed a sauce, they were pretty dry. The avocado helped, but just a bit. 3/10
Overall Taste - They were plenty edible, I've had worse tacos this month. Just not a lot too them really, boring and overpriced. I hit them for menu discrepancies above, so just below average here. 4/10
Bonus Points - If the tacos completely mismatched the menu I'd have given them one. Swap the avocados for asparagus and the cabbage for kale or something whackadoo like that. But alas, nah. +0
Overall Overall - 21/50
Start chanting. Final two! Final two! If I can swing two more taco stops tomorrow without a heart attack, we can put this thing to bed and I can make some fun arbitrary awards to hand out. I suppose you can send over any locations I've still managed to miss before then, but be warned, I may punch you.
Taco Veloz - Treasure Hunt
So after Carniceria Coalcoman I stopped by Taco Veloz, mostly to confirm the menu pic on the Facebook page was correct and they didn't have fish tacos. Menu pic was indeed correct, but I asked anyway. Yep, they have tacos. What do they cost? I'll guess at that shortly. Where are they? Here's how that hunt went. They're not at Fairview and Alumbaugh like the internet would have you think. They're not in the old Los Betos near Fairview and Orchard. They're hiding over on Overland, next to Whitney United Methodist Church just east of Owyhee. Hours? Who knows. I think I caught them opening at ~1PM. But I got tacos, and that's what matters.
Presentation - It's a taco truck. It's also hot as balls outside today, so tough start. It was bearable sitting in the shade, but I'm glad this is the last taco truck on the list. Did you know this is the 32nd day in a row over 90 degrees in Boise? Yeesh. Service was fine, they didn't have any diet soda so I opted for water. Plating was a styrofoam container, as is the taco truck way. 2/5
Overall Overall - 33/50
This was stop number 60 in almost 16 months. Yeesh. 3 to go, potentially done this month. Provided I don't find any more places that is. Which feels inevitable...
Presentation - It's a taco truck. It's also hot as balls outside today, so tough start. It was bearable sitting in the shade, but I'm glad this is the last taco truck on the list. Did you know this is the 32nd day in a row over 90 degrees in Boise? Yeesh. Service was fine, they didn't have any diet soda so I opted for water. Plating was a styrofoam container, as is the taco truck way. 2/5
There was only one guy inside, I was tempted to bum rush and finally get the inside truck picture. But I didn't want spit tacos.
Aroma - The guy asked if I wanted everything, I went with yes. It appears that included onions, tomatoes, red cabbage, avocados, and a green salsa. They smelled pretty tasty. 4/5
Value - I have to guess here. Two tacos and a water was $7.42, so $7 plus tax. If water was a buck, tacos are three bucks each. If two bucks, two fifty. I'm going to assume it's the former, so tacos are three bucks. Not small, good ingredients, solid value. 7/10
Fish - Grilled chunks hiding down under all those ingredients. Not too much, not too little, and cooked fine, but a bit basic. The not fish helped a lot here, by itself the fish was on the boring side. 5/10
Not Fish - These were full tacos with solid and fresh tasting ingredients. I liked the green salsa a lot, a bit of spice. Two corn tortillas each with a super juicy lime chunk for each. Tomatoes could have been chopped up a bit more, everything was overall on point though. 8/10
Overall Taste - Yep, just fine. For some reason this and Coalcoman have been a welcome respite from some kind of meh sit down tacos. These were fresh and all the veggies helped fulfill my delusion that somehow this isn't bad for me. Bugger off Cheesecake Factory menu, these are like 200 calories tops. 7/10
Bonus Points - Maybe if finding the place wasn't so damn hard, but nah. +0
Carniceria Coalcoman - Que?
This is another one that was completely off my radar. Carniceria Coalcoman is tucked back in a strip mall near Fairview and Orchard and I literally had no idea it was there. In another odd coincidence there is a closed Los Betos in the same parking lot that's being converted into a permanent home for Taco Veloz. Maybe, I think it's been a while since said conversion started, so who knows if it'll be done any time soon. Still, three tour stops in various states of openness within a stones throw of each other. Also, Los Mariachis is right down the street. Woo tacos!
Presentation - The majority of the signage inside was in spanish. Same with the menu. Tacos pescado for reference. I can stumble my way through spanish, but this is Boise, the staff spoke english. It felt pretty authentic overall. Quick and friendly service, simple plating, nothing fancy but all around fine. 3/5
Aroma - A unique recipe and a unique, but good smell. A bit spicy, maybe some citrus in there. Good. 4/5
Presentation - The majority of the signage inside was in spanish. Same with the menu. Tacos pescado for reference. I can stumble my way through spanish, but this is Boise, the staff spoke english. It felt pretty authentic overall. Quick and friendly service, simple plating, nothing fancy but all around fine. 3/5
Aroma - A unique recipe and a unique, but good smell. A bit spicy, maybe some citrus in there. Good. 4/5
No menu pic. Half forgot, half didn't feel appropriate.
Value - Two bucks a piece ala carte, $7.99 for a pair with rice and beans. I went with the latter. Rice and beans were good, next time I'd go 3 tacos and maybe a bag of chips. 6/10
Fish - Doesn't that look like crab? Or maybe shrimp? I confirmed, it's white fish. Pretty decent really, nice spice and cooked well. Maybe pan fried or something? I think it was cooked in whatever liquid was on the tacos. Good. 7/10
Not Fish - I'm not 100% sure what all was in there, the menu . No sauce, but not dry. Peppers, pico, it was really mostly fish, but the little addition that was there was good. Single corn tortilla per taco, no limes. I really enjoyed the rice and beans too, the beans were runny so I really just mixed it all together, did not disappoint. 7/10
Overall Taste - I have no idea if these are more authentic or not, but they aren't too close to the standard I've come to arbitrarily judge things to. Pretty good though, and honestly a pretty welcome change since I'm mashing in so many tacos in these last few days. 7/10
Bonus Points - Nothing I can come up with really. +0
Overall Overall - 34/50
Down to four. I thought it was three, and then I had a double lunch today. Read the next entry to learn more. Is this many tacos healthy? Who knows. Probably doctors. But I want to be done this month, and this month is just about gone. So here we go!
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Chapala - Tacos Del Lago
Did you know Chapala is named after a lake in Mexico? Me neither, their website told me. Are the fish tacos made from fish caught in Lake Chapala? Almost certainly not, but a man can dream. They have 4 Boise locations, the one on Vista is the highest rated on Google so we paid them a visit tonight.
Presentation - A lot of these local places are starting to blend. The decor is pretty similar, some advertising for Mexican beers mixed in with sombreros, parrots, and a handful of other things. Not particularly different here, but it works well enough. Good service, rather quick as I'll get into later, and a decent enough plating. One note, that plate was lava hot. Like, touch it 5 minutes after it was delivered and it still burns you hot. Yeesh. 3/5
Aroma - Another that I don't have much to say about, not bad but not a lot there. 3/5
Value - Three tacos with a decent sized side of rice and beans for $12.25. A decent amount of food, but as I'll get into I didn't love them. Average. 5/10
Fish - Grilled white fish, smaller chunks. Not a lot of seasoning, pretty light on the flavor. Not too fishy, probably cod or pollock, maybe tilapia. Anyway, pretty boring. 3/10
Not Fish - What is with the lemons? I don't get it, nor do I want to. Lemon may go with fish and chips, but fish tacos deserve lime. Two corn tortillas per taco, which were actually a tad on the heavy side, probably could have done with one. The pico and guacamole were both on the side, which is fine. Guac was pretty good. Missing...something. Maybe cilantro. And definitely needs more of a sauce, they were a bit dry. 3/10
Overall Taste - Despite the shortcomings, they were better than the sum of their parts. Still many improvements that would help them out. 4/10
Bonus Points - I've never had food come out so fast at a sit down restaurant. It was amazing, seriously like fast food speed. 4-5 minutes tops. That's worth a point. +1
Overall Overall - 22/50
For what it's worth the girls all had fine food, so the restaurant on the whole isn't bad, but these aren't worth the stop.
Presentation - A lot of these local places are starting to blend. The decor is pretty similar, some advertising for Mexican beers mixed in with sombreros, parrots, and a handful of other things. Not particularly different here, but it works well enough. Good service, rather quick as I'll get into later, and a decent enough plating. One note, that plate was lava hot. Like, touch it 5 minutes after it was delivered and it still burns you hot. Yeesh. 3/5
Aroma - Another that I don't have much to say about, not bad but not a lot there. 3/5
Value - Three tacos with a decent sized side of rice and beans for $12.25. A decent amount of food, but as I'll get into I didn't love them. Average. 5/10
Fish - Grilled white fish, smaller chunks. Not a lot of seasoning, pretty light on the flavor. Not too fishy, probably cod or pollock, maybe tilapia. Anyway, pretty boring. 3/10
Not Fish - What is with the lemons? I don't get it, nor do I want to. Lemon may go with fish and chips, but fish tacos deserve lime. Two corn tortillas per taco, which were actually a tad on the heavy side, probably could have done with one. The pico and guacamole were both on the side, which is fine. Guac was pretty good. Missing...something. Maybe cilantro. And definitely needs more of a sauce, they were a bit dry. 3/10
Overall Taste - Despite the shortcomings, they were better than the sum of their parts. Still many improvements that would help them out. 4/10
Bonus Points - I've never had food come out so fast at a sit down restaurant. It was amazing, seriously like fast food speed. 4-5 minutes tops. That's worth a point. +1
Overall Overall - 22/50
For what it's worth the girls all had fine food, so the restaurant on the whole isn't bad, but these aren't worth the stop.
Corona Village - A Chain Apparently
This morning started with a brick workout, which for those unfamiliar with triathlons is a bike ride straight into a run. Why it's called a brick is contested, but I like to think it's an acronym for bike, run, ick. They're kind of a pain and the long ones are exhausting. So tacos were definitely in order to recharge the motor a bit and Corona Village was conveniently on the way to Restore.
Corona Village is a chain it seems, with locations in the valley, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Few and far between, but a chain nonetheless. This location is on State street between Flying Pie and Club 44, and despite the proximity to the house I hadn't been until today. Not sure why. Also not sure why I missed it on the first search for tacos, but I caught it now. So yay!
Presentation - Pretty unassuming exterior and interior. I was called amigo many times, which was interesting. I've been called worse. The fish taco on the menu was a side, I asked if they did an entree version and the server obliged. Plating was fine. All around average amigo. 3/5
Aroma - The chipotle sauce was pretty aromatic in a good way. They smelled good. 4/5
Value - The entree they gave me was $10.95 for two tacos and a side of rice and beans. Tacos ala carte are $2.75 each. If I did it again I'd just get 2-3 of the tacos and the chips and salsa they give you up front, because rice and beans aren't really worth $5.45 in my humble opinion. Still not a bad deal. 6/10
Fish - One fried piece each. I'm coming to appreciate the diversity of the fried fish, and enjoyed the method here. Thin breading but I believe it was fried hot because it was pretty crispy. If I recall correctly they were cod, not too greasy with a balanced fishiness. Nothing bold about them, just done well and solid. 7/10
Not Fish - One flour tortilla each with cabbage, pico, and a chipotle sauce. Nothing exceptional, but the sauce did deliver on the smell. No limes, which they could have used. There was hot sauce on the table if you wanted to spice it up, I opted not to. I can see a few tweaks that would help, but not a bad example. 6/10
Overall Taste - A bit on the simple side without making a boring or bad tasting taco. Just fine for what they are and they hit the spot. 6/10
Bonus Points - Lo siento amigo, no hoy. +0
Overall Overall - 32/50
High middle is about right for these. A fine choice for a saturday lunch.
Cheesecake Factory - Mall Tacos...Again
As usual, administrative detail. Did you know we had a Moe's Southwest Grill here? They're a big chain elsewhere, but I had no idea there was one hiding in the Boise State University Student Union Building. Woo! Taco Called Wanda, here I come! Oh, wait, limited menu. No fish. Bwa bwa. On the plus side, they do have a "Stack" called "Wrong Duck", which is a less garbagey version of a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme. So, ya know, didn't leave hungry, but out of the tour they go.
Onto the point of this post, Cheesecake Factory! AKA, calm it down with the menu you nutballs. Over 250 items on that thing, it's a GD binder. The location is in the mall, well more attached to than in, but glommed on to the main building. Surprisingly not too busy on a Friday night, which was nice, no wait.
Presentation - You have to deal with the mall parking lot to get there, but eh, not that bad. Nice open interior with decor that the girls loved for some reason, plenty of room in the booth for them to fidget without getting annoying. Taco plating was good, holder and a side on each side. They list the calories on the menu, which makes me a bit sad. Overall good, especially for a chain. 4/5
Aroma - The crazy green rice was more aromatic with the taco. Cilantro and lime I think. Tacos smelled fine too, just a bit mellow compared to craze-o rice. 3/5
Value - Second most expensive tacos thus far. Not small, I was full, but not cheap. On the flip side I got an appetizer of Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets, which was $4.95 and pretty big and tasty. I'll give them a point back for that. 4/10
Fish - They were nice enough to give me half grilled, half fried with no guff at all. Either option was a single large piece per taco. The fried was pretty solid, a tad greasy but good flavor and breading. Oddly enough I slightly preferred the grilled, really good seasoning and flavor. A day after having them neither is crazy memorable, but both were good choices at the time. 7/10
Not Fish - Single corn tortilla per taco, no lime (bummer). The menu seems to list the ingredients in pico separately as tomato, marinated onions, and cilantro, which is odd. No cabbage, but the avocado and chipotle sauce were both solid. The tortillas, like the fried fish, were just a tad greasy. Much like the fish, nothing stuck in my brain today, but it was really solid at the time. 7/10
Overall Taste - Just all around solid. Balanced and fairly standard, but given the sheer volume of things the cooks have to make, I'm impressed that these aren't boring and meh. 7/10
Bonus Points - If I hadn't given them one for the nuggets already, they'd get one here. But such is the tour. +0
Overall Overall - 32/50
Two options at the mall, this and Cafe Ole. Straight taco comparison? Make your way across the lot to Cafe Ole. Want Cheesecake? Well here's your obvious answer.
Onto the point of this post, Cheesecake Factory! AKA, calm it down with the menu you nutballs. Over 250 items on that thing, it's a GD binder. The location is in the mall, well more attached to than in, but glommed on to the main building. Surprisingly not too busy on a Friday night, which was nice, no wait.
Presentation - You have to deal with the mall parking lot to get there, but eh, not that bad. Nice open interior with decor that the girls loved for some reason, plenty of room in the booth for them to fidget without getting annoying. Taco plating was good, holder and a side on each side. They list the calories on the menu, which makes me a bit sad. Overall good, especially for a chain. 4/5
Aroma - The crazy green rice was more aromatic with the taco. Cilantro and lime I think. Tacos smelled fine too, just a bit mellow compared to craze-o rice. 3/5
Value - Second most expensive tacos thus far. Not small, I was full, but not cheap. On the flip side I got an appetizer of Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets, which was $4.95 and pretty big and tasty. I'll give them a point back for that. 4/10
Fish - They were nice enough to give me half grilled, half fried with no guff at all. Either option was a single large piece per taco. The fried was pretty solid, a tad greasy but good flavor and breading. Oddly enough I slightly preferred the grilled, really good seasoning and flavor. A day after having them neither is crazy memorable, but both were good choices at the time. 7/10
Not Fish - Single corn tortilla per taco, no lime (bummer). The menu seems to list the ingredients in pico separately as tomato, marinated onions, and cilantro, which is odd. No cabbage, but the avocado and chipotle sauce were both solid. The tortillas, like the fried fish, were just a tad greasy. Much like the fish, nothing stuck in my brain today, but it was really solid at the time. 7/10
Overall Taste - Just all around solid. Balanced and fairly standard, but given the sheer volume of things the cooks have to make, I'm impressed that these aren't boring and meh. 7/10
Bonus Points - If I hadn't given them one for the nuggets already, they'd get one here. But such is the tour. +0
Overall Overall - 32/50
Two options at the mall, this and Cafe Ole. Straight taco comparison? Make your way across the lot to Cafe Ole. Want Cheesecake? Well here's your obvious answer.
Friday, July 14, 2017
The Shed - What's All This Now?
I will freely admit I had no idea that The Shed existed until about Tuesday night. Which is a bit ironic considering it used to be The Lift 2, presumably a progeny of The Lift, which was an early stop on this tour. To be fair it's well hidden, tucked back against the east end of Ann Morrison by a lot of student housing. Luckily a friend pointed out their daily special on Thursday was fish tacos. That's an easy choice to make, off we went.
Before I get into the review, it should be noted that these are not a daily menu item and thus, they're in a bit of an odd place. Should they end up towards the top they may need to be dealt with.
Presentation - Parking is a chore, but past that the place is pretty nice. It's not huge but it's laid out with a lot of seating. Patios front and back, booths, a nice bar, it's a decent ambiance all around. Service was quick and friendly and the clientele was fine, especially so close to campus. The plating was basic but just fine, overall it ended up being a really nice spot for a weekday dinner. 4/5
Aroma - Honestly a bit overpowering on the citrus, but with a nice bit of cilantro, kale, and fish behind it. Not great, but not bad. 3/5
Value - $9.00 for a pair of tacos with chips and salsa on the side. This is decent for a sit down restaurant as is, but two more factors bump it even more. The unique ingredients would usually pull a premium, and to be honest these tacos were monsters. Two big fried pieces each, literally a fistful of tacos. That said, great value. 8/10
Fish - Two fried cod pieces per taco. As I mentioned above, they were giganto. Like taco falling apart giganto. Not a horrible thing. Not too greasy, great flavor, not much to dislike here. If I have to find one fault, the breading was a tad heavy. Not upsettingly so, just a bit. 8/10
Not Fish - Unique here. Single corn tortillas (double would have helped with the falling apart issue) and no limes (or lemons, thankfully). Kale "superfood" slaw, which was pretty great. Cilantro-vin, which is apparently a thing? Peach mango salsa in excess. Seriously, too much salsa. Some fell off, more was brushed off. And the fruit wasn't quite ripe. Still above average and a bold and unique modification to the standard. 6/10
Overall Taste - I liked these. Minor flaws but another unique option, which is helpful when you realize there are >60 options in Boise alone. 7/10
Bonus Points - I made a point to try a bite of everyone's food. Why? Because I'm a dad and that's my right or something? I don't know, but I did. Great kids meals (quesadilla and chicken strips), great burger, and a solid happy hour menu.Very well rounded, we will be going back to try more of the menu. +1
Overall Overall - 37/50
37 puts them in a growing tie for 4th with some heavy hitters. Whether or not you can get these on a day to day basis is in question, but if you can, you will be making a fine choice. If not, get a burger, also a fine choice.
Before I get into the review, it should be noted that these are not a daily menu item and thus, they're in a bit of an odd place. Should they end up towards the top they may need to be dealt with.
Presentation - Parking is a chore, but past that the place is pretty nice. It's not huge but it's laid out with a lot of seating. Patios front and back, booths, a nice bar, it's a decent ambiance all around. Service was quick and friendly and the clientele was fine, especially so close to campus. The plating was basic but just fine, overall it ended up being a really nice spot for a weekday dinner. 4/5
Aroma - Honestly a bit overpowering on the citrus, but with a nice bit of cilantro, kale, and fish behind it. Not great, but not bad. 3/5
Value - $9.00 for a pair of tacos with chips and salsa on the side. This is decent for a sit down restaurant as is, but two more factors bump it even more. The unique ingredients would usually pull a premium, and to be honest these tacos were monsters. Two big fried pieces each, literally a fistful of tacos. That said, great value. 8/10
Fish - Two fried cod pieces per taco. As I mentioned above, they were giganto. Like taco falling apart giganto. Not a horrible thing. Not too greasy, great flavor, not much to dislike here. If I have to find one fault, the breading was a tad heavy. Not upsettingly so, just a bit. 8/10
Not Fish - Unique here. Single corn tortillas (double would have helped with the falling apart issue) and no limes (or lemons, thankfully). Kale "superfood" slaw, which was pretty great. Cilantro-vin, which is apparently a thing? Peach mango salsa in excess. Seriously, too much salsa. Some fell off, more was brushed off. And the fruit wasn't quite ripe. Still above average and a bold and unique modification to the standard. 6/10
Overall Taste - I liked these. Minor flaws but another unique option, which is helpful when you realize there are >60 options in Boise alone. 7/10
Bonus Points - I made a point to try a bite of everyone's food. Why? Because I'm a dad and that's my right or something? I don't know, but I did. Great kids meals (quesadilla and chicken strips), great burger, and a solid happy hour menu.Very well rounded, we will be going back to try more of the menu. +1
Overall Overall - 37/50
37 puts them in a growing tie for 4th with some heavy hitters. Whether or not you can get these on a day to day basis is in question, but if you can, you will be making a fine choice. If not, get a burger, also a fine choice.
Rolling Tacos - Mysterious
More administrative detail; remember when I said 4 more stops? I meant ten. Ten more spots. Oof. Check the list to see the additions, they are many. And for the love of God, if you know of one I'm missing tell me now.
There's a taco truck at the corner of Fairview and Five Mile, which is on my route when I go for a run over lunch at work. They have a big sign that says "Fish Tacos" waving in the breeze. But no obvious name on the truck. Or so I thought, could have been a product of my exhaustion induced haze because there are multiple places where the truck says "Rolling Tacos". They have been added to the list and I stopped by on Wednesday for lunch.
Presentation - Always tricky with a food truck. I may have been the first customer, there was little activity inside until they saw me waiting, at which point someone who may have been of legal working age took my order and handed me my Diet Coke. I accidentally knocked their tip jar off its precarious perch with a handful of quarters. It was a weird interaction. Anyway, "plating" was a foil wrapped tub. Worked fine, nothing fancy. 2/10
There's a taco truck at the corner of Fairview and Five Mile, which is on my route when I go for a run over lunch at work. They have a big sign that says "Fish Tacos" waving in the breeze. But no obvious name on the truck. Or so I thought, could have been a product of my exhaustion induced haze because there are multiple places where the truck says "Rolling Tacos". They have been added to the list and I stopped by on Wednesday for lunch.
Presentation - Always tricky with a food truck. I may have been the first customer, there was little activity inside until they saw me waiting, at which point someone who may have been of legal working age took my order and handed me my Diet Coke. I accidentally knocked their tip jar off its precarious perch with a handful of quarters. It was a weird interaction. Anyway, "plating" was a foil wrapped tub. Worked fine, nothing fancy. 2/10
No Interior Pic of the Truck. Someday...
Aroma - Dug these, the chipotle sauce and fresh red cabbage smelled great. 4/5
Value - The fish tacos are on the wrinkly neon green sign in the above pic. You may notice there's no price on there. I had to deduce it from the total cost. $6.09 for 2 tacos and a drink, which equates to 5.75 before tax. I'm going to assume this means $2.50 per taco with a 75 cent can of soda, possibly $2.25 each and a $1.25 soda. Either way solid for tasty tacos. The man-boy said two was a good lunch. I would get 3 if I did it again, just a bit light. 6/10
Fish - The sign doesn't specify, but they are grilled filets of a whitefish of some sort. Not overly seasoned but there's something there. The fish flavor was stronger on these than average, but not overpowering. Well prepared for grilled, no real complaints. 6/10
Not Fish - Flour tortillas, and thick ones at that. Almost pita thick. They worked. Super juicy lime slices, great fresh tasting pico and cabbage, and a really solid chipotle sauce as mentioned above. I had the first one as is, I added the salsa to the second one, which was really good. Spicier than the chipotle sauce with a nice smoky flavor. Dug em both. 8/10
Overall Taste - Not at all bad, among the better grilled options I've had. If the choice were mine to make I'd add a bit more seasoning on the fish and maybe some cotija cheese. Also chips, because sides. 7/10
Bonus Points - Tough category for a food truck. They get the normal +0
So there's a solid grilled option at Five Mile and Fairview, and a really solid fried option at Five Mile and ~Emerald. Those are both within about a mile of work. This is a good thing.
Monday, July 10, 2017
Jalapenos - Disappearing Flavor
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAIL: No more Gloria's, I drove by to confirm, the space is vacant. One down, but some searching today added FOUR MORE FREAKING STOPS! We're not done yet folks, I was hoping to finish this week but I don't think that's so doable anymore. Still targeting finish this month.
Jalapenos was a relatively late addition to the list. Not sure why I didn't catch them on the first melee search, but I did later, which is what counts. Or something. They're right around the corner from work, so it's a nice convenient lunch stop. I couldn't even bring myself to drive today, it's just so close. A quick 5 minute walk, and here we are.
Presentation - The patio is skinny and kind of odd shaped, but the inside is just fine. There was a bachelorette party (I think) in one area and it didn't bug me at all. There are a couple slightly separated dining rooms and a high top bar area which was where I ended up. The bartender was my server and kept up just fine with a pretty small lunch crowd. Chips and salsa came out immediately with food pretty quickly behind. The plating was...different. Two large plates, which I think is a first. Large plates for sure, two plates I think. Anyway, one of the higher points of this review. 3/5
Aroma - The first hint of something amiss. There was very little aroma. Not bad, just barely there. Mild citrus and fish. 2/5
Value - First off, LOL at "Mexican Tacos". I was really hoping for Armenian Tacos. Maybe next time. Anyway, $13.99 for 3. More expensive than average, especially considering the quality as I'll detail below. 4/10
Fish - I'm hoping by now that the photo above confuses the reader as it did me. WTF is going on? Three tortillas with fish chunks and lemon wedges. Some iceberg and pico on the side. DIY tacos it seems. I can deal, but odd. Anyway, it does highlight the fish, which almost looks undercooked. It's not, it's just super lacking in any seasoning. It's like the chef just used the fond in the pan from whatever he just cooked, no new seasoning. Surprisingly enough, it tasted like it too. Just nothing there. Not undercooked, but severely underprepared. I don't get it. 2/10
Not Fish - The rice and beans weren't bad. The lettuce was essentially solidified water. The pico had the least amount of flavor I've ever had in pico. The lemon helped a bit, as did some Tapatio hot sauce. But lemon? And flour tortillas? Ummm... 3/10
Overall Taste - Nothing wrong with them, but also nothing to them. I swear they forgot 2-3 ingredients. I finished them for the caloric value alone. And to not upset the bachelorettes or something. 3/10
Bonus Points - They had an unsecured Vizio TV that I could have used to cast something odd from my phone. Super tempting to throw some weird stuff up there. Japanese knockoff Barney or whatever. I did not. I perused a DIY school bus conversion instead, as I am often wont to do. Free wifi FWIW. +0
Overall Overall - 17/50
Well, new last place it seems. I can definitely say skip these. There's just nothing too them, my La Croix has more flavor. Onwards.
Jalapenos was a relatively late addition to the list. Not sure why I didn't catch them on the first melee search, but I did later, which is what counts. Or something. They're right around the corner from work, so it's a nice convenient lunch stop. I couldn't even bring myself to drive today, it's just so close. A quick 5 minute walk, and here we are.
Presentation - The patio is skinny and kind of odd shaped, but the inside is just fine. There was a bachelorette party (I think) in one area and it didn't bug me at all. There are a couple slightly separated dining rooms and a high top bar area which was where I ended up. The bartender was my server and kept up just fine with a pretty small lunch crowd. Chips and salsa came out immediately with food pretty quickly behind. The plating was...different. Two large plates, which I think is a first. Large plates for sure, two plates I think. Anyway, one of the higher points of this review. 3/5
Aroma - The first hint of something amiss. There was very little aroma. Not bad, just barely there. Mild citrus and fish. 2/5
Value - First off, LOL at "Mexican Tacos". I was really hoping for Armenian Tacos. Maybe next time. Anyway, $13.99 for 3. More expensive than average, especially considering the quality as I'll detail below. 4/10
Fish - I'm hoping by now that the photo above confuses the reader as it did me. WTF is going on? Three tortillas with fish chunks and lemon wedges. Some iceberg and pico on the side. DIY tacos it seems. I can deal, but odd. Anyway, it does highlight the fish, which almost looks undercooked. It's not, it's just super lacking in any seasoning. It's like the chef just used the fond in the pan from whatever he just cooked, no new seasoning. Surprisingly enough, it tasted like it too. Just nothing there. Not undercooked, but severely underprepared. I don't get it. 2/10
Not Fish - The rice and beans weren't bad. The lettuce was essentially solidified water. The pico had the least amount of flavor I've ever had in pico. The lemon helped a bit, as did some Tapatio hot sauce. But lemon? And flour tortillas? Ummm... 3/10
Overall Taste - Nothing wrong with them, but also nothing to them. I swear they forgot 2-3 ingredients. I finished them for the caloric value alone. And to not upset the bachelorettes or something. 3/10
Bonus Points - They had an unsecured Vizio TV that I could have used to cast something odd from my phone. Super tempting to throw some weird stuff up there. Japanese knockoff Barney or whatever. I did not. I perused a DIY school bus conversion instead, as I am often wont to do. Free wifi FWIW. +0
Overall Overall - 17/50
Well, new last place it seems. I can definitely say skip these. There's just nothing too them, my La Croix has more flavor. Onwards.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Sunrise Cafe - Books, covers, etc.
Less than a day from learning about these tacos to eating them at the Overland Sunrise Cafe. Pretty sure that's a record for this blog, but in a sprint to the finish, no holds barred.
I'll preface this by saying a friend manages the Sunrise Cafe chain in the valley and their breakfast is on point. This doesn't mean I got a discount or anything, but I do hope he reads this feedback and maybe tweaks them a bit. A few changes could go a long way here to bring them up to par with the rest of the menu.
Presentation - The inside is pretty standard for a breakfast focused place with some nice variety in seating. There's a bar by the kitchen, another around what looks to be a small fireplace against the front wall, and a nice mix of benches and tables. Service was good, never had an empty glass and the staff was all around nice. The plating was pretty bad, maybe a taco stand would have helped but they looked pretty sad and the pico definitely doesn't look fresh. Iceberg lettuce too, which is kind of floppy vs. a nice cabbage. Almost dropped it to a two, but the service just barely snuck it up a point. 3/5
Aroma - Another one that's not particularly good, but still appetizing. They smelled like tacos. 3/5
Value - $12.99 is not crazy for mahi mahi, but that's provided it's backed up with a nice not-fish set of ingredients. These were lacking in that category, as is I'd say they're a <$10 plate. Also, the menu wording implied a choice of french fries, which defaulted to...french fries. The other tacos had rice and beans, wish these had that option too. 3/10
Fish - It's hiding in there, but there's a nice layer of shredded blackened mahi mahi under that bed of lettuce. It was honestly decent, could have gone for a little more but the seasoning was solid and the shredding actually worked well to keep it evenly distributed. 6/10
Not Fish - Low point here. Single corn tortilla per taco, but they were pretty greasy. More sketchy taco truck than nice breakfast/lunch joint. No limes and the cheese mentioned on the menu doesn't appear to have made it onto mine. The pico was not great looking, but didn't taste bad. Iceberg is a no-go in my opinion, replace that with cabbage. The lime aioli was hidden (right on top of the fish) but had a good flavor. All in all a couple decent things mixed with some not so decent ones, below average. 3/10
Overall Taste - They were greasy, definitely fast food or taco truck style, but they didn't suck. Don't get me wrong, they weren't great, but they tasted better than they looked by a good margin. 5/10
Bonus Points - Nothing of note really. +0
Overall Overall - 23/50
Since there's a chance that someone that can change things will read this, my advice for making them much better:
-Drop the iceberg lettuce, replace with red or green cabbage
-1x lime slice per taco
-Less oil to fry the tortillas, I've found you can do it with almost none on a griddle if you're paying close attention
-Make or buy fresh pico with nice big chunks of onion and tomato
-A bit more fish per taco
-If you're going to include cheese, do so right up top
-Taco holders on the plate
-A side of the lime aioli
-Choice of sides, including rice and beans, chips and salsa, and since you're a breakfast place, something fun like homestyle potatoes or an egg
Incorporate those and I think these would bump an easy 10 points.
I'll preface this by saying a friend manages the Sunrise Cafe chain in the valley and their breakfast is on point. This doesn't mean I got a discount or anything, but I do hope he reads this feedback and maybe tweaks them a bit. A few changes could go a long way here to bring them up to par with the rest of the menu.
Presentation - The inside is pretty standard for a breakfast focused place with some nice variety in seating. There's a bar by the kitchen, another around what looks to be a small fireplace against the front wall, and a nice mix of benches and tables. Service was good, never had an empty glass and the staff was all around nice. The plating was pretty bad, maybe a taco stand would have helped but they looked pretty sad and the pico definitely doesn't look fresh. Iceberg lettuce too, which is kind of floppy vs. a nice cabbage. Almost dropped it to a two, but the service just barely snuck it up a point. 3/5
Aroma - Another one that's not particularly good, but still appetizing. They smelled like tacos. 3/5
Value - $12.99 is not crazy for mahi mahi, but that's provided it's backed up with a nice not-fish set of ingredients. These were lacking in that category, as is I'd say they're a <$10 plate. Also, the menu wording implied a choice of french fries, which defaulted to...french fries. The other tacos had rice and beans, wish these had that option too. 3/10
Fish - It's hiding in there, but there's a nice layer of shredded blackened mahi mahi under that bed of lettuce. It was honestly decent, could have gone for a little more but the seasoning was solid and the shredding actually worked well to keep it evenly distributed. 6/10
Not Fish - Low point here. Single corn tortilla per taco, but they were pretty greasy. More sketchy taco truck than nice breakfast/lunch joint. No limes and the cheese mentioned on the menu doesn't appear to have made it onto mine. The pico was not great looking, but didn't taste bad. Iceberg is a no-go in my opinion, replace that with cabbage. The lime aioli was hidden (right on top of the fish) but had a good flavor. All in all a couple decent things mixed with some not so decent ones, below average. 3/10
Overall Taste - They were greasy, definitely fast food or taco truck style, but they didn't suck. Don't get me wrong, they weren't great, but they tasted better than they looked by a good margin. 5/10
Bonus Points - Nothing of note really. +0
Overall Overall - 23/50
Since there's a chance that someone that can change things will read this, my advice for making them much better:
-Drop the iceberg lettuce, replace with red or green cabbage
-1x lime slice per taco
-Less oil to fry the tortillas, I've found you can do it with almost none on a griddle if you're paying close attention
-Make or buy fresh pico with nice big chunks of onion and tomato
-A bit more fish per taco
-If you're going to include cheese, do so right up top
-Taco holders on the plate
-A side of the lime aioli
-Choice of sides, including rice and beans, chips and salsa, and since you're a breakfast place, something fun like homestyle potatoes or an egg
Incorporate those and I think these would bump an easy 10 points.
Barbacoa - What are these, tacos for ants?
Yet another piece of administrative detail; a friend informed me that Sunrise Cafe has fish tacos. So this is a net zero progress post, knocked one off but added one on. Such is the nature of the tour.
As a lot of Boise residents may know, Barbacoa has an interesting history. It burned to the ground in 2010 and was rebuilt with a notably different layout. I've been to the before and after versions, and I have to say I prefer the new one. The layout is open and unique, with great decor and ambiance. Food and drinks aren't cheap, but aren't egregious either. They could go for a slightly better beer selection, but their liquor selection is impressive.
Presentation - There's a bar upstairs called the Luna Rooftop Bar with a limited menu. The hostess said they'd have tacos, so we went up there first. They do have tacos, but not fish, so we ended up heading back down to the main bar. No matter, the upstairs crowd wasn't quite my bag, I much preferred the folks inside. Solid and attentive bartenders, awesome decor as I mentioned above, and unique platings. I can't find much wrong with the place honestly. 5/5
Aroma - I'm not 100% sure what was on these as the menu isn't explicit. Fish, pico, cilantro, some sort of cheese (I say cotija, Christine says feta), and a white sauce. It smelled pretty good, regardless of what's on it. 4/5
Value - $9 for a "brick" of 5 tacos. A buck eighty per taco isn't bad, but it should be noted that these are tiny. I two-bit the first taco, did the rest in one chomp. With a side of tableside guacamole and one taco to the lady friend, I left pretty full for a late night bonus dinner. Not a deal, not exorbitant. 5/10
Fish - Blackened white fish of some sort with some good seasoning. Blackened is rarely my favorite preparation, but these were a notable exception. Great seasoning, perfect amount per taco, really good. Not as good as they could have been fried, but really good nonetheless. 8/10
Not Fish - Two tiny corn tortillas per, along with pico, cilantro, some tasty crumbly cheese, and a really good white sauce. Oddly enough a lemon on the side. I left that be. The came with a mini-side of coleslaw that was great. I could have gone for a bit more spice and some limes, but pretty good all that said. Unrelated, I cheated and got an Anderson Valley Summer Solstice instead of a Diet Coke. No regrets. 7/10
Overall Taste - Not gonna lie, I wish I got 10 instead of five, they were better than expected. Well balanced, medium fishiness (fishitude?), pretty close to traditional with just enough difference to be unique. Dug em. 8/10
Bonus Points - If the upstairs bar wasn't full of douchiness and empty of fishiness, they may have earned one. But nope. +0
Overall Overall - 37/50
Tied for fourth, not at all bad for a late comer. I'm not surprised they did really well, their kitchen is on point, if not a tad pricey. For a fancy night out, highly recommended.
Saturday, July 8, 2017
The Funky Taco - HIPPIES!
The Funky Taco has been on my radar for a bit, but they seem to emphasize the vegetarian and vegan options. Nothing wrong with that, but fish are decidedly alive. Before they're murdered and made into tacos for me that is. Point is, I thought The Funky Taco and The Tour de Fish Tacos were a venn diagram with no overlapping middle part. I was wrong.
It appears the fish options are occasional at best, but kismet put them at The Boise Farmers Market from 9-1PM today with ahi tacos on the menu, and me returning from a 10k in Eagle right around 9AM. It was a sign from above, eat some damn tacos.
Presentation - Ambiance is a bit odd, it's a trailer in a parking lot. A pretty bitchin Airstream for what that's worth, but they only control a pretty narrow radius around the trailer, so I won't fault them on anything outside their control. Cash only, which is irritating, but there is an ATM at the market so it was a minor delay at most. Tacos come in a tub, one per (they're big). Limited beverage selection, water and La Croix (more different fizzy water), so I opted for a coffee kombucha from the Idaho Kombucha tent right next to them. No diet soda that I could find, I had to improvise. I regret nothing. 3/5
It appears the fish options are occasional at best, but kismet put them at The Boise Farmers Market from 9-1PM today with ahi tacos on the menu, and me returning from a 10k in Eagle right around 9AM. It was a sign from above, eat some damn tacos.
Presentation - Ambiance is a bit odd, it's a trailer in a parking lot. A pretty bitchin Airstream for what that's worth, but they only control a pretty narrow radius around the trailer, so I won't fault them on anything outside their control. Cash only, which is irritating, but there is an ATM at the market so it was a minor delay at most. Tacos come in a tub, one per (they're big). Limited beverage selection, water and La Croix (more different fizzy water), so I opted for a coffee kombucha from the Idaho Kombucha tent right next to them. No diet soda that I could find, I had to improvise. I regret nothing. 3/5
No inside picture. The inside of the trailer appeared to be crowded with cooks. I didn't ask to go inside. Side note though, this is stop number 50 on the tour, and holy balls do I have a lot of fish taco related pictures.
Aroma - Honestly a little light given the oddball ingredients. Not bad, but I didn't get much wasabi. Oh, that togarashi though, that was something. I think. I don't actually know that I smelled it. Google says it's a Japanese chili pepper. If it was there, it was light. 2/5
Value - One taco is eight bucks. That caught me off guard. Luckily they're pretty giant, on 8" tortillas. I wasn't crazy hungry and two would have probably been too much. I'd equate it to about two average tacos, so call it 4 bucks per with premium fish. About average. 5/10
Fish - Ahi again! You can see in the picture, it's cooked through more than the McGrath's version. Some of the small pieces didn't actually have any pink, I'd call it more pan fried rare than seared. Still just fine. If there was togarashi, it was part of the fish seasoning, and was a bit light. Above average by just a bit. 6/10
Not Fish - Hat tip for all the bolditude. Fresh scratch-made corn tortilla, guac, wasabi, and some crazy ass veggies. All things considered the combo was way milder than I expected. I think these were legitimately healthy, which is not always the case. I can dig. 7/10
Overall Taste - They came together pretty well. I could have done with a bit more flavor, but they tasted like hippy tacos, which is exactly what they are. A distinct left turn from the norm for fish tacos, and not quite a home run, but plenty tasty. 7/10
Bonus Points - Nothing comes to mind, tough to get these if your're a food truck. +0
Overall Overall - 30/50
These guys occasionally have other fish options, they tend to announce them at least a day beforehand and are at the Boise Farmer's Market all summer. If I go back I'm going to try something else, they have some very unique ingredients and flavors. Funky, some might say...
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