Summary
Sad that we'd be unable to participate in an authentic, eat-withyour-hands-over-a-newspaper-covered-table, brain-sucking crawdad massacre, we opted for the next best thing. My date chose the brisket ($13.99) and a bowl of gumbo, and I decided on the shrimp and crab cakes ($14.99) with a side of potato salad in place of soup. The gumbo Was hot and hearty with chunks of sausage, ham, a scoop of undercooked rice and a hushpuppy thrown on top for good measure. With teary eyes, my date paused between spicy bites to proclaim: "The only way to cool your mouth down is to keep eating it."
We were both surprised when our main dishes arrived. My native-Texan heart was shocked to discover that my date had only consumed brisket served roast-style and hadn't anticipated a mound of thinly sliced meat swimming in barbecue sauce. And I thought that the "shrimp and crab cakes" would involve both grilled shrimp and crab cakes. Instead, they turned out to be two deep-fried lumps of breadcrumbs, peppers, ground shrimp and crab meat. After the confusion subsided, we dug into our entrees and were pleasantly surprised. My date noted that the brisket was tender with a tangy, slightly liquid-smoke-heavy sauce. The shrimp-and-crab cakes (as I might suggest the menu phrase it) were rich and filling with large chunks of shrimp. The potato salad was made the way I like it: not too creamy with a hint of mustard and lots of chopped pickles. Though it took us a while to brave our sickly looking sides of rice and beans, we both agreed that we were wrong to judge the wellspiced and garlicky legumes by their covers.My favorite parts of the meal were the sweet tea and the key lime pie ($4.50). I think I died and went to pie heaven. I ordered an extra piece to take home to my husband. The graham cracker crust had just the right amount of sweetness to blend with the tart, creamy lime filling. It was, perhaps, the best piece of pie I've ever had. I was surprised that the peach cobbler ($3.50) we tried didn't go over quite as well. Isabel's favorite dessert was the sweet potato pie ($4.50). She scowled when she had to share it. It was really sweet and pretty darned rich, and she was glad that everyone else preferred the key lime pie.See the full content of this document
Extract
Chef Roland's
CHEF ROLAND'S
CHEF ROLANDS1221 W. Boise Ave., 208-344-4387. Open for lunch Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner Tues.-Sat. 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and brunch Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays.On one plate then the other ... BW sends two critics to one restaurant.Halfway down Boise Avenue, nestled in between apartments and student duplexes, is a lone, street-side eatery. Though it...See the full content of this document
Sponsored links
