JOS HU A R OPER
Cobby’s crew has been making the subs up right for three decades.
BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT
BEST LOCAL SANDWICH SHOP
Bittercreek Ale House
Multiple locations, cobbys.com
246 N. Eighth St., 208345-1813, justeatlocal. com/bittercreek
Cobby’s
Three things characterize a trip to Cobby’s: the order-by-number menu, free chips and fruit, and a sandwich from folks who’ve been at it for more than 30 years. That’s right, for decades, hungry patrons have been lining up in front of the overly tall counter to indulge in one of the shop’s signature sandwiches. And when we say lining up, we mean it—the smart customer preorders before waiting in the lunch rush. But for those who brave the line, the serve-yourself potato chip dispenser awaits, parked conveniently next to the fruit display. If you play your options right, you can cover the entire food pyramid in one meal. Cobby’s has been feeding Boise since 1978, and Boise has been loving it. SECOND PLACE: ZEPPOLE BAKING CO. THIRD PLACE: DELI GEORGE
BEST LOCAL COFFEEHOUSE
Flying M Coffeehouse 500 W. Idaho St., 208-345-4320, flyingmcoffee.com There are a variety of things the “M” in Flying M might stand for: milky lattes, malleable brownies, masterful coffee roasting, minty hot chocolate, myriad funky gift shop selections, matchless biscotti, multicolored jewelry, melted tomato pesto turnovers, mobile street art, mistyeyed book readers, marbled cakes, methodical coffee servers or mesmerizing modern art. While some might think it stands for Meyers, as in the last name of longtime owner Lisa Meyers, we think it stands for the sound that escapes your lips after you take a sip of one of the M’s hot, artfully foamed cappuccinos, “Mmmmmm.”
Hammer. Nail. Head. Bang on, with this one, readers. All three winners in this categor y typify exactly what this categor y is about at its core: local food. You could have nominated any independent restaurant in Boise, but instead, you chose the three local restaurants that have, in our not so humble foodie opinions, demonstrated the most visible commitment to the local food movement. A-plus-plus. Run by proprietor David Krick, both Red Feather and Bittercreek share a similar mission: the abolition of industrial food one item at a time from their kitchens. In fact, other than pulling a carrot straight out of your own backyard garden, you don’t get more local than a Krick restaurant. From cheese to morels to meat to salad fixins, if you’re staring at a plate at Bittercreek or Red Feather, you can be sure your food didn’t travel far to get there. As for second place Cafe Vicino, chefs Richard Langston and Steve Rhodes regularly spin menus around whatever is in season and whatever is local. Best local restaurants? You betcha.
BEST WORST THING TO FIND FLOATING IN YOUR CHOWDER
Hair/Pubic Hair
What can we say, but you people are some pretty sick puppies. Seriously, tallying the votes in this categor y was enough to turn the stomach of the poor BW staffer assigned the task. Really? Booger wasn’t gross enough for you? No, you had to add some scabs and assor ted unsavories into the mix. Eww. And a human head? Honestly, if there were one of these floating around, we think there would be bigger issues to be concerned with than the contamination of your chowder. And the plethora of personal hygiene products you forced us to envision? Ugh. And because, like so many other people, we are visual thinkers here, there were some seriously disturbing images running through our heads for weeks. And, of course, then we had to wonder how they would get into the chowder in the first place, which led to an entirely new round of queasiness. And don’t even get us star ted on the other body par ts you suggested might end up in our food. We did find it amusing that many of you feel that clams, and the chowder itself, were the worst fate you could image a diner having to face. If you haven’t guessed by now, this was one of our fun questions for the year, but we’re going to have to reconsider it carefully before we ask you something similar. Hey, we’re all for creativity, but seriously, folks, sometimes answers like these are more of a call for help than a display of imagination. There are help lines for people like you. Don’t be afraid to ask. Seriously. SECOND PLACE: BAND-AID THIRD PLACE: TIE: FINGERNAIL AND LARRY CRAIG
SECOND PLACE: CAFE VICINO THIRD PLACE: RED FEATHER LOUNGE
SECOND PLACE: JAVA THIRD PLACE: DAWSON TAYLOR
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| SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 6, 2009 |
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