sekelmaan's Profile
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Update:
Well, its been a year out here in the wild west. Here are some updates.
Chalongos--Out of business, this is very very sad. Good news though, someone (same owners maybe?) is opening up a fine dining Mexican place called Cielo in the same spot. Hurry!
Cielo--Soon to try.
Cowboys BBQ--After much press and asinine drama they went out of business shortly after they opened.
Red Roof Cafe--Out of business. There is another flat grill lunch counter place in there now.
Los Cazadores--Which was my favorite Mexican place has really blown it the last couple times we were there, over cooking food, switching to american crap cheese from queso fresco. We have stopped going there.
Cafe Zydeco--I don't know why I hadn't found this place earlier. Cajun food. And I have to say not that bloody bad! I have been to NOLA dozens of times and certainly consider myself versed in the food there and I am not going to say it is as good, but I have now had the shrimp po' boy three times, a crayfish po' boy and the gumbo. I like the sandwiches. They actually make a killer reuben po' boy, it is delicious! The gumbo is ok. I had to sour it up and spice it up a little, so ie a little bland. Beignets on saturday mornings. They are all right, hot fried dough with sugar is hard to screw up. My one severe criticism is the chicory coffee which is dreadful and has no chicory taste.
Mediterranean Grill--Going on M-Day so I'll let you know how it is albeit a buffet.
J&J Sandwich Shop--Great little place. Nothing fancy, but big and affordable sandwiches with LOTS of bacon. I get the Kid for 10 bucks, can't finish it, it has like 5 meats including a half pound of bacon. Get the spicy sauce. No seating, just a walk up window.
https://www.facebook.com/JJSandwichShack
12 West Supper Club--Remember when I wrote about the Chef that had an e-mail list and was cooking a fine dining meal on an ethnic theme once a month? She now has a space and a facebook page. No, I still have not gone. Yes, I am convinced that it just has to be good. If nothing else check it out if you are coming to the area to support the local chef movement thing. Here is link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Your-Local-Chef-Enterprises-Inc-12-West-Supper-Club/246753198711781
So where do I go often?
-Cafe Zydeco for po' boys.
-Windbag for a burger, but also had a very nice NY strip there recently.
-I get my fried chicken, creme brulee donuts and red velvet cookies all at Van's Thriftway. Also, as I stated before, they have the best butcher in town.
-Chubby's. Still. The. Best. Steak.
-J&J Sandwich Shop.
-Bullmans for pizza. The Flathead and the buffalo chicken appetizer pie with Gorgonzola.
-Steve's Cafe for the corned beef and eggs. Also some good home made sausages.
-Coffee Shack is still my favorite. Super service.
-Planet Gyro-The alexander is the way to go there with sweet and spicy sauces.
Till next time Montana and good eatin'!
Denver, The Big List
Thanks! Great additions.
I wanted to add a Japanese Market that I found out about: Pacific Mercantile
http://www.pacificeastwest.com/
Something else I just thought about, what about steaks? Especially with a good long dry age on them?
Denver, The Big List
Hello Denver,
How are you doing? I am headed into town this weekend and have been doing some research on the food scene. This was going to be just for me, but I went OCD and decided this might be good to publish.
I very much appreciate feedback, comments, criticisms, etc. This is by no means complete, but my first go around at trying to gauge the food scene in the area.
Good boulder list: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679036
Good Denver list: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/670760
African:
Tasty kabob
East African
Best in area:
Frasca in Boulder
My Kitchen in Boulder
Burger:
My Brothers Bar (JCB burger)
Cheesesteak:
Taste of Philly
Ted’s
Pats
Chinese (authentic):
East Asia Garden
Ocean Forest Café
China Jade
Lao wang noodle house for Dan Dan Noodle, potstickers and dumplings (amazing). 945 S federal blvd ste d denver co 80219
The Empress
Chinese Dim Sum:
Star Kitchen
Kings Land Seafood Restaurant
SuperStar Asian. (All really good, all carts, all inexpensive. King's Land is the largest)
Heaven Star dim Sum
Cajun:
Bayou Bobs (better)
Café Evangeline
Delis:
Jimmy & Drews
Yellow Deli
Ethiopian:
Arada Ethiopian
Abyssinia ethopian
Nile Ethiopian
French:
Z Cuisine
Greek:
Fat Greek café
Italian:
Panzano
Japanese:
Sushi Den
Izakaya Den
Sushi sasa (frontrunner? Has omakase)
Sushi katsu
Sushi Tazu
Sushi Tora (boulder)
Amu (boulder, izakaya)
Korean:
Seoul bbq
Han kang (Korean bbq)
Markets:
Star market
H-Mart 2751 South Parker Road, Aurora, CO (303) 745-4592 • hmart.com
Mex (authentic):
El Taco de Mexico
Los Carboncitos
Tortugas
Tortisimas
Tacos y Salsas
El diablo
(If you travel down Federal Blvd. from 52nd to Evans you will pass dozens and dozens of them. The 38th Ave corridor has lots of choices too, my favorite for carnitas being La Fonda.)
Misc/Trendy:
Beatrice and Woodsley
Black Pearl
Lola
Vita
The Living room
Deluxe
Pizzer:
New York pizza
Anthony’s pizzeria
Jersey boys
Marcos
Polish:
Royal bakery
Salvadorean:
Pupusas Sabor Hispano
Thai:
Thai Basil
Thai Pot
Udon Thai
Viet:
Ba Le (bahn mi?) 1044 S. Federal Blvd.
New Saigon
Baker's Palace @ 550 S Federal Blvd (bahn mi)
Parallel 17
Viet Pho:
Pho Duy at 945 S. Federal,
Pho Duy at 120th and Main in Broomfield
New Saigon near Federal and Alameda.
Pho Golden on Old Golden Road
Wings:
Wild Mountain Smokehouse for wings
Woody’s wings
The Piper Inn
Lucianos’
Cherry Cricket
Thunderbird burger (xxx wings) out of business?
Golden Flame
Notes:
For Korean and Vietnamese, head to Aurora, for a great Hawaiian/Japanese market, go to Sakura Square, for Vietnamese and Chinese head to Federal and Alameda, go North on Federal for good Mexican. Greek and more Mexican are on East Colfax. There are a number of Indian, Middle Eastern and African restaurants and markets in Aurora as well.
Z Cuisine, Frasca, The Kitchen, Rioja, Duo, Fruition, TAG, Table 6, Root Down and ChoLon are all top-end restaurants, many with farm to table, local ingredients. (Fruition's chef actually has his own farm outside of town)
A big thank you to the following hounds from whom a lot of this list is taken:
Rlm, LurkerDan, tatamagouche and mynameisterry
Romanian in Denver?
Are there any Romanian restaurants in Denver or the nearby areas?
Thank you.
De Xao Lan Recipe Wanted.
This is a great idea. Thank you. I will have to make some mods, but that is definitely a great start.
De Xao Lan Recipe Wanted.
I am wondering if anyone has a recipe for this they are willing to share. I am living in a remote area these days and am having a craving. I have found a couple recipes online, but not in English. Thank you very much.
The Best of Tucson
Report:
Com Tam Thuan Kieu: This is excellent Vietnamese. We had com tam, bun cha ha noi, cha gio, pho tai gan and bun bo hue. The soups were not as great as the entrees, but I kind of expected that based on the their specializing in com tam. The com tam was awesome and they have tons of variations.
Yamato: I was blown away by this sushi place. It was excellent. It got better as he realized that we would eat anything. We had strictly sashimi but that included very good uni, fluke wings, monkfish liver pate, jellyfish and cured salmon. He cures the salmon in house and it is amazing. I would buy it by the side if I could. It was far superior to any gravlax or smoked salmon products I have ever had. I was very very surprised at how good this food was.
Taqueria Pico de Gallo: As recommended their home made tortillas were great. The fish tacos were very good and by far the best taco at this place. The real treat was the coctel de elote. I had no idea what it was but I ordered it and it was amazing. I would say this is one of the best finds I have had in a long time. They also had the pico de gallo fruit cups with lime and chile pepper on it which was a great treat.
La Fuente: (This was not my choice, my hand was forced.) I didn't like anything here, even the people who weren't food enthusiasts were disappointed in their meals. I highly do not recommend.
Taqueria Apson: Outstanding taqueria. Killer pastor and tripa and razurado. Make sure to ask for the grilled chiles.
Azadero y Taqueria Sonora: Very good menudo. Excellent chicharron and tripa tacos.
Zemam's: I was pretty disappointed in this meal. The doro wat was bland stewed chicken. The dish should be mostly berbere and a small bit of chicken, a lot of flavor, this had none. The shiro wat tasted like flour. The lamb tibs was the best thing on the plate. Next time I will try Cafe Desta.
Zinburger: I had the Kobe (actually Wagyu) burger med rare. It came med rare. They grind in house and it was good. I would prefer a bit more seasoning and maybe a little thicker patty though I truthfully barely finished it. Wife had a special, choice, medium with mushrooms and blue cheese, was cooked properly and tasted good. The hand cut fries were good. The salted caramel shake was fantastic. It was like liquid dulce de leche coming through the straw with bits of sea salt crystals in it. Amazing.
Takamatsu: We had Korean BBQ. The kalbi, bulgogi pork belly were good. The rib eye was not marinated and came out bland and flavorless. The sides were fine, sort of limited, but nothing special. One very weird thing was that the wait staff didn't cook the food. I have never seen that before and do not think it is traditional, but no real worries as I cook good too. ;P I tried my wife's fish soup. It was outstanding. Very strong and fishy with whole anchovies in it and tofu. I highly recommend it.
The Best of Tucson
1) Azian Korean BBQ and Sushi just opened up a few weeks ago, and you can get all-you-can-eat sushi and grill at your table Korean BBQ for $25 per person. Excellent upscale atmosphere, a fun date night sort of place. The Korean BBQ is delicious and comes with all of the fixings, and the service is top notch. Sushi is pretty good as well.
2) Gelato: Go to Allego instead. An Italian runs the place and he puts a truly unique and delicious spin on gelato. The pineapple basil sorbetto and salted caramel gelato are to die for.
3) Obregon no longer sells tacos, just Sonoran dogs. However, you might want to stop by Las Brasas a block down 22nd to have one of their grilled Sonoran dogs - avoid everything else on the menu.
4) Vietnamese: Ha Long Bay is okay, but if you want a real Vietnamese experience like you would get in San Jose, I'd go to Com Tam Thuan Kieu adjacent to Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket on Orange Grove and La Cholla. Be sure to get a banh xeo as an appetizer.
5) Steak: McMahon's is overpriced and not very good. Try the Silver Saddle to see a part of Tucson's history along with a great, wood fire cooked steak.
6) Pho: Pho #1, IMHO, has the best broth in town. A complete dive, but the pho is worth it.
7) Bakery: I've got to agree with JTomWilson on Beyond Bread. Nadine's is a great kosher bakery - their potato knishes on Fridays are to die for, but get there early as they only make 12.
8) For Ethiopian, I know a lot of folks on here will say Zemam's, but it's not my favorite place.
9) Dim Sum: If you've ever had dim sum in SF or NYC, Gee's will disappoint. Be sure to go early though - right when they open on Sat./Sun. - or you will be waiting a while for not-so-fresh dim sum.
10) Jamaican (I know you didn't mention this): Cee Dee Jamaican Kitchen has some killer jerk chicken, brown stew, oxtail, and other Jamaican specialties. Be sure to get some rum cake or coconut drops for dessert.
11) YOU MUST HAVE BREAKFAST AT POCO AND MOM'S. New Mexican Hatch green chiles on everything, and it's excellent. Ask for meat on whatever you'd like, every item is fully customizable. The sour cream green chili sauce is a locals-only secret that is delicious on their famous chile rellenos.
12) If you are looking for a fun, unique bar, be sure to stop by Kon Tiki - a tiki bar virtually unchanged by time since opening in 1963. Lethal drinks (and tasty non-alcoholic drinks) with a Polynesian theme menu. They just don't make places like this anymore.
Hope this helps. I've lived here for 8 years (I'm not a snowbird - I live and work here) after stints in LA and San Jose. The cuisine here is good, simple, honest fare with a proud emphasis on family owned and operated restaurants.
In checking the menu at Com Tam Thuan Kieu, I noticed that they did not have de xao lan. They mostly specialize in com tam, bun, and banh hoi dishes. That said, I wouldn't miss it if I were you.
If you're looking for dry aged steak, then yes, go to McMahon's.
Yoshimatsu has the most expensive sushi in town, and it's all right. Yoshimatsu is better for their massive selection of Japanese dishes, all done to a healthier level - so if you are looking for okonomiyaki or katsudonburi, that is your place. Sushi? Not bad, but as I said, very pricey for what you get. If you are interested in an authentic Japanese sushi experience, you'd be hard pressed to do any better than Yamato at 1st/Grant. Chef was born and trained in Japan, and makes rolls to order - meaning, if you order spicy tuna or negihama, he will chop the fish for your order - I've never seen that anywhere else in town.
The Best of Tucson
Great report. Thank you!
Are the Zinburgers large patties? Cooked to order? Was the meat ground in house?
The Best of Tucson
Thanks Bitchin'.
I like the menu at McMahon's better. I love dry-aged meat and that bone-in dryaged NY strip is right up my alley. Is there a better steak in town, regardless of scale?
Bella Luna looks nice. Thanks for the rec.
The Best of Tucson
I knew I'd get hell for that La Parrilla Suiza though I didn't realize it was a chain. I saw it somewhere in CH, but the best Mexican threads are tough. Lots of opinions there and none really stand out other than Cafe Poca Cosa and I did not enjoy my one meal there some years ago.
Thanks very much for your responses JT!
The Best of Tucson
Ok. I went and did some due diligence. I know, I shoulda started there. Here is my best of list. What do youse think?
Restaurants:
Afghani: Sultan Palace (possibly halal, mixed ratings on zabihah.com
Bakery: Frog's Organic Bakery
Bosnian: Chef Alisah
Burgers: Zinburger (inexpensive), McMahons/Kingfisher (expensive)
Chef Driven: Feast and Janos
Dim Sum: Gee's Garden
Gelato: Frost Gelato
Greek: Athens
Italian: Tavolo
Korean: Seoul Kitchen
Mexican: La Parrilla Suiza (upscale)
Mexican (Mole): Elviras in Tubac
Mexican Seafood: Mariscos Chihuahua (shrimp culichi)
Pizza: Brooklyn Pizza
Pho: Pho 88 (over Saigon Pho)
Steak: McMahons and Chad's
Sushi/Japanese: Yohimatsu
Taqueria: Taqueria Apson/Asadero y Taqueria Sonora (Chicharron tacos)
Thai: Bai Tong
Vietnamese: Ha Long Bay (over Miss Saigon)
Food Trucks:
El Nene's
Angela's
Alfonso's Carnitas Jalisco
Jamie's Bitchen Kitchen (Cubano)
The Rolling Chef
Molca's (Tortas)
Baja Mar (Cocteles)
Obregon (Tacos)
Farmer's Markets:
Sunday Market at St. Philips Plaza
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
I have been (*cough*) dieting so not going out as much. However I couldn't resist a new BBQ joint in Helena:
Cowboy BBQ: This is where The Edge used to be on US12 heading west just before the last stoplight in town. This is very good cue. Homemade sauces, sweet, hot and extra hot (kept in back and you have to ask Jim, the owner, for it-I don't think the waitresses know about it). We tried the chopped pork which was very good and the sausages which are made in town just for this joint and were excellent as well. They handcut the fries and make everything from scratch. On Fridays Jim gets a case of fresh Luheeseeana catfish shipped to him and on weekends runs a fried catfish special till its gone. I have not tried it, but I cannot wait. Oh, yeah, SWEET TEA! (If you haven't lived in the south you won't appreciate it...) At this time I highly recommend, if my mind changes after I try again, I'll let youse know!
The Best of Tucson
I am headed to Tucson for a long week in a few days. I live in rural Montana and am looking for some great food. What are your opinions concerning the best of the following:
Southwestern:
Mexican:
Taqueria:
Posoleria:
Mole:
Chinese (traditional):
Korean:
Japanese/Sushi:
Vietnamese:
Indian/Pakistani:
Burger:
Steak:
Ethiopian/African:
Caribbean:
Peruvian:
Salvadorean:
Anything else notable? Especially, homemade, fresh, passionate made food or ethnicities I have not listed or things unique to the area?
I know the food truck show was in town last weekend and I missed it, what food trucks stand out?
Thanks!
Green chile cheeseburgers in New Mexico
Probably not the answer you are looking for but if all others fail, I had a Sonic burger in NM that came with green chiles. Have a good trip!
Tucson-Artisan Cheese
I am looking for good cheese in the Tucson area. A counter where they are knowledgeable and let you sample as much as you want. What recommendations do you have?
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Update:
Helena:
Chester's Chicken (in Heritage Grocery, East Helena)--This was very good fried chicken. Very crispy and moist in the middle, I also thought it was buttery, which really made me happy. (Disclaimer: I have a cold so I could be hallucinating flavors, but it was great sick food with some homemade mash and gravy.)
Hunan--This is a new Chinese restaurant on Prospect across from the mall. It is in a casino where there was a Chinese restaurant before. The buffet looked pretty abysmal, but a friend (and chef) recommended it. We ordered off the menu. Though it is Americanized Chinese, it was very good for not being traditional/authentic Chinese. We had good potstickers, the sauce was quite sweet, but they have Sambal chili paste so we put a bit in and it was great. Very nice and freshly made egg drop soup. Note that small soups are very large and one is enough for two people. Lastly we shared a pork egg foo young. A fun dish we enjoy once in a while, it was pretty good. It also had a unique sauce that we liked, not the typical brown sauce, but an atypical dark brown sauce.
Los Cazadores (3000 Canyon Ferry Road, East Helena, MT 59635)--This is a nice little Mexican place out in the boondocks. I tried their mole which is homemade and it was above average (I am a mole nut! Above average is rare.) Their salsa was great, but extremely heavy in the garlic. If you do not like garlic do not eat it. The garlic actually makes it spicy. We ordered some kind of Enchiladas ranchero or supreme or something. It came with two sauces, a red and a green. The red sauce was amazing!! This is the reason I am bothering with this place at all. It was rich and spicy and complex. We asked the owner (un Mexicano) what was in it and he confirmed cumin, coriander but would not talk about the other stuff. The second time we went we got only that sauce, the green sauce is forgettable. My wife got the cheesecake chimichangas. How can this be bad?
Billings:
Cafe DeCamp--All I really can say is I found the best food in Montana so far. This place is amazing. It is small, chef-owned. They local source as much as possible. It just has a few seats and is in an industrial neighborhood, but damn can they cook. We had an Indian inspired mulligatawny soup which was delicious, heavy on the turmeric and with coconut milk. For lunch we had a lamb burger, a bison burger and wagyu corned beef. I personally thought mine was the best, the lamb burger, it came with a gorgonzola marscapone (seriously) and though it was a tad overcooked, it was still juicy and delicious. The buffalo burger was also excellent, but the two ladies thought the wagyu corned beef was the best of the three. I will not argue that it wasn't excellent, but I am from NYC... We also had a devil cake (chocolate) cupcake with a black pepper frosting, almost a meringue. It was amazing. Not being a desert person, this was unlike anything I have ever tasted. It was mildly spicy and sweet and lightly black peppery and chocolatey and, and... Amazing meal. Highly highly recommend.
-----
Los Cazadores
3000 Canyon Ferry Rd, East Helena, MT 59635
El Rey de Chivito - Fast Gourmet inside of a Gas Station, DC
Can you mail me one please.
Billings MT: Anything Chow-ish?
The answer is Cafe DeCamp. I will post in my ongoing post later, but it was fantastic. Best meal in Montana so far.
St. John's Kitchen in Fall River-Any Info?
Very sad news. I did make it there late last summer. I was very disheartened to have made the trip from Hopkington on a Monday only to find she didn't cook Monday's. At least I have a good story.
Billings MT: Anything Chow-ish?
Heading to Billings this weekend. I would love some good food. What is good/great in the area? We love ethnic food. We love anything that is made from scratch and with love and passion. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Excellent list, thank you! Now I need excuses to go both north and south!
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Thanks for the feedback guys! I really appreciate it.
Hey Jeebs, where should I go in Butte? I wanna get back to Great Falls just to get to that Korean grocery store. Have you tried the Korean restaurant up there? I heard there was one. I read about Goodes and I'd love to try Bayou Grill.
FYI: If you go to the DC/NoVA area the CH'r to read is: Steve (We just moved from the area.)
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Update:
Helena:
Bert & Ernie's--Weird place. I was told it was a wine bar/fine dining establishment and indeed there were a bunch of old (rich?) white people there and the menu was pretty pricey but it was more like a run down Irish pub inside. We had wings, fried portabellas, two burgers and a french dip. Wings were gross, small, heavily breaded, over cooked. Fried portobella strips were the only thing everyone liked. Hamburgers were over cooked and nondescript. The french dip was foul. The meat in the center was cold, the cheese wasn't melted, the mushrooms were canned. Lastly, the service was terrible, it was slow and he had the audacity to be haughty, he actually rolled his eyes at my wife when she asked for the grilled rye bread on her burger instead of white. Do not recommend.
Overland Express--Went here again and had the recommended chicken nachos and dragon wings. The wings were overcooked and way too salty. The nachos were a gloppy mess. Had a burger, it was overcooked and bone dry. Service was non-existent. Place is filthy, looked in kitchen and it is disgusting. Do not recommend.
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Update:
Helena:
A Taste Of the City--Went last Saturday night. It was an odd place with only a few tables. It is in a house of Hwy 12 near the stadium. We got there around 1700 and left a couple hours later and were still the only customers. The waitress told us that they were moving to East Helena in the coming months. The food: Fried calamari and rib-eye egg rolls for appetizers, for entrees we had a Niman Ranch filet, a rib-eye and the lamb chops. The calamari was gross. It was fishy and in so much oil that the little breading couldn't adhere to the squid. Rib-eye rolls were okay, though I felt like I was eating little chunks of someone's left over rib-eye. My lamb chops were from a fresh kill I think. They were tough and flavorless-very disappointing. The rib-eye was pretty good, but was served with the most ridiculous presentation I have ever seen (my wife actually laughed out loud. They took the entire rib-eye and rolled it up and shoved asparagus in it giving it a look that reminded me of the walrus guy in star wars. The filet was the winner of the three but was served with a very dry potatoes au gratin.
Karmadillos--Out of business
Chinese Kitchen--This is a takeout place on Hwy 12. It is better than average Americanized chinese. Probably the best we've tried in Helena. I have a hope that they will make some more authentic food for me over time. I will start trying to impress upon them I want it.
Dive Bakery--Update: Went back there and asked for them to make us crepes fresh and they looked at me like I was an idiot. They did not want to do it so we walked out. Will not return or recommend them.
Lolo (Missoula):
Lolo Creek Steak House--This is 10 miles or so out of Missoula. I was looking for a smaller, less expensive and not corporate place for dinner. I found it on line. I don't think any of their steaks are over $30. It is a nice big cabin with dreadful dead animals all over the walls. They have a cool iron grill in the middle of the room over charcoal where you can watch your steak cook. The service is great and friendly. They are a family run joint (though the owners appear to own most of Lolo). Food: Cocktail shrimp, salads, rib-eyes and brownie sunday. Cocktail shrimp were fine, nothing special, obviously made earlier and refrigerated. Salad were sad, my caesar had brown wilted lettuce in it, the house was the typical pile of iceburg. Each steak comes with a potato and a slice of Texas toast. Nothing special there. The steak comes and I look at it and I am already disappointed. It is small, thin (maybe 1.75"-2" thick) and with no char, barely any grill marks. It is choice like all their meat so when I cut into it there was not a lot of marble, but the temperature was a perfect medium rare. Then I took a bite. Whoa! What a shock, dry-aged! And from what I could tell for a while. I asked the waitress and she, said, "What is dry-aging?" She sent over the manager and he confirmed that the meat is dry-aged for 21 days before it comes to the restaurant and then for a few more days at the restaurant. So not the best meat, but it had some of the best flavor in a steak that I have had outside of New York at Lugers or the Diner. Considering the dry-aging, I think this place is a steal. Next time I will get a T-bone and nothing else. Yes, that means desert was bad too. The brownie was warmed up and turned into a brick we couldn't cut it with our forks. But what a steak!
Helena, MT Restaurant Reviews by ALEDM
Hey thanks Ale. You pretty much went to every place that I haven't been to yet. Looking forward to getting around to them. I will report, as usual. ;)
Montana Food Adventures--Ongoing & Long!
Hello Mountain States! I am an NYC and DC transplant to Helena, Montana (originally from Denver though, does that get me some street cred?). I have been exploring food here in this amazing state. It has been my experience that there is not a lot of information on places to eat and a lot of misinformation as well so here is my documentation attempt. I have the intention of an ongoing post that will document my findings mostly in the Helena area, but I will comment on other places as I travel.
I have put each category in order based on my liking. Ish.
Helena Food Scene:
Chubby's--(Clancy, outside of Helena)--So far, this is the best steak in the area. An 18oz ribeye inevitably comes as a 24oz ribeye. Always cooked perfectly, medium-rare comes medium-rare. The wings are also the best in the area that I have found, lightly breaded, heavily sauced, crispy and not dry. I had a burger one night and was very disappointed, dry and overcooked. Note that they do not serve food before 5pm or on Sundays.
Chalongo's--This is likely my favorite spot in Helena. Near downtown, without a sign. It is a tiny little place that serves authentic Mexican street tacos. I think they are fancied up a bit, such as the al pastor comes with a little pineapple, etc. But they are two small corn tortillas, made in house, with a little somethin' somethin, al pastor, carne asada, carnitas, barbacoa y nopales (pickled cactus). They don't offer limes by default so be sure to ask for them!
Lucca's--This could be Helena's finest restaurant (that I have tried at least). It is definitely the most elegant and with the best service. It is Italian. It was quite a while ago and I don't remember everything we had, but I remember leaving very happy.
Windbag--A great little place on the walking part of main street (Last Chance Gulch). It was a brothel until the '70's. Now they have decent food. I have enjoyed a fried vegetable plate which is enormous and is crispy and awesome, asian wings are very good and the burgers are my second favorite in town after Silver Star.
Bullman's Wood Fired Pizza--Weird building and space. No atmosphere and tepid service but really good brick oven pizzas. Not Neapolitan pizza which is fine with me. It is definitely the best pizza I have found in Helena. My favorite is the Flathead.
Bagel Co.--This is the best (only) bagel place in Helena. I lived in NYC for a decade and all I have to say is I am happy to be able to get a fresh made bagel here in the wild west.
Early Bird Cafe--This is a great little place. Simple homemade food. Breakfast is their best bet. Everything is scratch made. They have excellent biscuits and decent sausage gravy though under seasoned. Heading into its third decade.
Steve's Cafe--This place is oft considered Helena's best breakfast spot and the line can attest to that, especially on weekends. It is decent home made breakfast food.
Sud's Hut--This is excellent fried chicken. They call it broasted which I think is pressure cooked in oil, which allegedly reduced the oil in the chicken, but the waitress could not explain how. Horrible service.
Planet Gyro--A decent gyro for the middle of nowhere. 85% beef and 15% lamb.
The Rib Shack--This trailer north of town is a welcome addition to the food scene in Helena. They smoke their own ribs, brisket and pork (sliced) which all comes with a side of slaw and beans. The slaw and beans are bought and so is the BBQ sauce, but the sauce is pretty good, tangy and sweet. The brisket and pork could be great, they are tasty and fatty enough, but they pre-slice it in the morning so it always dries out. The ribs are very good, not pre-sliced and make them the big winner. They are not fall off the bone, they are toothsome yet come off easy. The meat is pink all the way through and has a good smoke to it.
Toi's Thai--A Thai restaurant that people drive for hours to enjoy. It is only open for dinner and reservations are strongly recommended as it is a tiny place, but they do takeout. I had a very nice Thai beef salad. The pad thai was standard. Having just moved from Northern VA I have been very spoiled with incredible Thai food. I am sure I will love this place in another year.
Emiliano's--Probably the best of the Mexican restaurants but still lacking. They have great homemade salsa and chips. The rest of the fare is good and home made, but relatively standard Americanized Mexican/Southwestern. I think it is owned by gringos. The fajitas were pretty good when we tried them, we preferred the beef. Chimichanga was a fried thing with some dried chicken made better with their excellent salsa.
Staggering Ox--This is a weird place. Loved by locals, they have a huge menu of "sandwiches" which are more like little bread bowls with a little meat and a bunch of iceburg lettuce in it. I have tried it twice and both times I have been underwhelmed, mostly by the amount of protein and size of the sandwich. I really wanna like it! They have some great things like horsie sauce which is blue cheese and horseradish! It is a very cool scene, there is a sit down in the back, a coffee bar, they have bands and a gaming room. I will keep trying it, maybe I will find a sandwich I like better.
The Dive Bakery--This is kind of a strange place. They have a bread of the day, but mostly they make sandwiches and crepes. We tried a couple crepes, one savory, one sweet with nutella. The fillings were fine, but they had pre-made a stack of crepes which were coldish and just made them nearly inedible. If I go again, I will ask for a fresh made crepe. That should make them much better.
No Sweat Cafe--This is a nice local granola/hippie place. A lot of veg options. They have a hamburger. It is made with 10% pork sausage and therefore is cooked all the way through. It is tasty, but gets a little dry. I wanna like this place and although they are very nice the service is absolutely dreadful. The second time I went in I waited fifteen minutes to be greeted. Another ten to get a coffee. What should have been a 30 minute meal took an hour and a half. A place like this could be much busier and better if they could get people through, say, during their lunch hour.
Brewhouse Pub & Grille--Awesome calamari. Most likely frozen, but it is the thick steaks, not the little tiny rings, lightly seasoned and battered and deep fried to tender prefection served with a chipotle mayo type sauce. Wife had an ahi sandwich, didn't get passed the first bite. I can't remember what else we ate and so must have been underwhelmed. They allegedly have excellent beer, but as a teetotaler cannot comment.
Silver Star--This is kind of an expense account place. I think it is pretty over priced for what one gets, especially at dinner. At lunchtime they have probably the best burgers in town, 10 bucks, but they are cooked to order and the meat is ground in house.
Riley's Irish Pub--I have been here a couple times. They have decent wings, maybe my second favorite in town. I also had an Irish lamb stew which had good flavor but the lamb was dry and hard to chew.
Godfather's Pizza--Dreadful pizza buffet. Do not recommend.
Taco John's--One step above Taco Bell. One small step.
Sara's Blue Ribbon Porkies--Ahh the porkie. A Montana oddity. A pounded or minced piece of pork, pattied, dipped in wet batter and deep fried. I have tried a couple with equal results in which I can't really discern any flavor or texture, the bread and the patty and everything just blened in with one another, like a poorly made crabcake sandwich. I haven't found one I like yet.
Shelly's--This is another weird place. Think red and white grandma kitsch. Horrid service, we were ignored for a good 15 minutes and there are only a dozen tables. My second attempt at a porkie, same tepid results. No one of the three of us liked our food and the other two were locals.
Overland Express--I had an unmemorable lunch here and do not recommend it. A couple tasteless sandwiches.
L&D Chinese Buffet--Affectionately known by locals as "Lost Dog", this place is just not as horrible as I want it to be. It has a couple decent items if one gets them right as they come out of the kitchen like the roast pork and vegetables in brown sauce, a little sweet, a little spicy. A not that bad egg drop soup! The one thing about them as far as being a buffet is that they are busy so the food turns over quick during meal times.
Montana City Grill & Saloon--This is a big place in Montana City near Helena. I had a very dissapointing steak here, thin ribeye, overcooked. Their house salad comes with canned shrimp and canned crabmeat on top of it, I highly recommend asking to leave it off.
Red Roof Cafe--Strange little place. Had an ok breakfast here, but the guy cooking and waiting was off. He was ranting about trying to close and customers coming in and so on...smile and nod...
R-B Drive-In--This is owned by the same people who own Red Roof. It looks equally dirty and disheveled. Had a flat grill burger, it was ok, basic diner/drive-in style burger, good onion rings and a good chocolate shake (something hard to mess up anywhere).
Jade--Chinese is something that is lacking here, at least good or traditional Chinese. This is a dreadful restaurant that serves the worst of Americanized Chinese.
La Casa Fiesta--About along the same lines as Emiliano's. Average Americanized Mexican food. I would go to Emiliano's as I preferred the salsa there.
Melaque Mexican--A very bad Americanized Mexican place. Everything is canned and packaged. I did not like anything I had there.
Places still to try:
Montana Club--
Chinese Kitchen--Takeout place.
Benny's--A contender for best restaurant. I know she is very much into local and organic ingredients. I have not yet been.
Mediteranean Grill--
Blackfoot River Brewing--
On Broadway--
Pita Pit--
Wok & Roll Sushi Bar--Looks decrepit. Unlikely I will enter the premises.
A Taste of the City--
Karmadillos--
Local chef monthly dinner--I have not tried this yet due to timing. It is some local chef's that do a dinner once a month. Two months ago it was Cajun/Creole. This month is Korean. Next month is southern Italian. The menu's always look amazing. There were renting the Red Roof Cafe kitchen, but are moving to the Caretaker's Cabin in Reeder's Alley for Italian dinner on Sept 10th. There is a mailing list. If you want information on it e-mail me and I will send you her name, the woman who organizes it.
Helena Groceries:
Van's Thriftway--The best grocery store in town. They have decent produce, today I saw they had FRESH NAGA JOLOKIAS!!! The best butcher that I have found in town. An excellent bakery with daily fresh made donuts, breads and pastries galore. They also have a very good fried chicken in the deli.
Park Avenue Bakery--Very nice little bakery.
Helena Coffee/Candy/Misc Scene:
Coffee Shack--Helena's first drive-thru cafe (self-proclaimed). This is my favorite place in town. They are fast, friendly, remember me and my order every time and have a large selection of sugar-free flavors.
General Mercantile--This is an amazing place. I would say if one only had for one stop in Helena this would be it. The guy has been there for some 45 years I think. It is an amazing nook and cranny kind place with all kinds of candy and toys and oddities. It has a lot of sentimental stuff and gag stuff but without being kitschy at all. They also have good coffee. There are tables hidden throughout where one (or two) could have very private and hidden conversations. I love it here.
Parrot Confectionary--This is an amazing candy store and soda fountain. It is nearly 100 years old. The real treat is to go into the kitchen and talk to the candy maker. I don't know if it is always the same guy, but the one we had was incredible. Gave us a full tour, while he worked, let us try tons of candy, showed us ancient machines and devices, explained about good chocolate and on and on. This place is a treasure.
Big Dipper Ice Cream--Good creamerie. Fun flavors and home made. Can you say anything bad?
The Donut Hole--Old school donut shop. Home made donuts and gut wrenching black coffee. Another treasure.
Fireside Coffee--This was an odd kinda place on the way out of town. I remember a lot of grey hair.
Hastings--Interesting place. It is a chain, but I think maybe just in Montana. They have an all right cafe, but are ridiculously slow. Takes like 10 minutes an order. They also have books, DVD rental, game rental and other odds and ends.
Firetower Coffee House--I initially liked this place, but had a couple service problems and no longer go there. I went in 10-12 minutes before and was told that they were no longer making coffee and was refused coffee. I was in retail for a long time and this is completely unacceptable.
Great Falls:
Jaker's Bar & Grill--Very mediocre, corporate chain kind of food. We went on a recommendation and were disappointed in everything we ate. Over-cooked burgers, etc. Won't return.
Kim's Oriental Market--What a find! Fresh made kimchee! I stocked up on my Korean chili pastes and she had a couple Thai sauces. It is a small place, but whoa! Great to have stumbled upon her.
Missoula:
Vietnam Grill--I had a nice bun bo hue here. They have left out the blood and tendon and don't have the shrimp paste, but I understand that those are unpalatable to people unfamiliar with the cuisine. Frankly, knowing that I can get Viet food only 94 miles a way makes me incredibly happy. It is one of my favorite cuisines. (Now where is my korean, ethiopian, spanish, peruvian, japanese...)
Vietnam Noodle Restaurant--Again. Very happy to have actually two Viet restaurants near-ish me. I had bun thit nuong cha gao here. It wasn't great compared to what I have been used to. Wife had a pho dac biet. The protiens were Americanized (no tendon or tripe) and a little overcooked, but the broth was truly excellent! I actually bought an extra pho to go and used the broth to make my own soup at home over the weekend. Yum!
Craig:
Izaaks--This is high on my list of places to try. It might be one of Montana's best restaurant contenders.
Joliet (near Billings, on way to Beartooth Pass):
Quickstop Drive In--A wickedly messy diner style burger (The C & R Special) dripping with greasy goodness with awesome onion rings and a huge chocolate shake. You will likely never be near there, but it is definitely one of those places in which Guy Fieri would stop and have a bite.
Cravings/desires/need to find:
Japanese/sushi. Traditional chinese. Korean. Ethiopian. Central/south american. French. A good burger (Ray's Hell Burger please). Anything else unique, unusual, made with passion, etc...
Livingston:
Fancy place in a hotel here that looked good at some point.
