FOOD/DINING THE LIFT BAR AND GRILL—This sweet State Street spot always tempts traffic jammers with its ridiculous drink specials. Tuesday night is Holy Oly night, with 50-cent Olympia cans from 4 p.m.-close. And if you need something to soak up all that cheap booze, gnaw on a plate of State Street nachos or one of the dive’s many vegetarianfriendly dishes like hummus, fish tacos or the portobello and sun-dried tomato sandwich. Weekend breakfast is a hangover cure from the gods. 4091 W. State St., 208-342-3250. theliftboise.com. $-$$ SU OM MADHUBAN—A daily lunch buffet and a huge menu including all the favorites. You’re gonna love the curry. A great place for vegetarians. 6390 W. State St., 208-853-8215. madhubanindiancuisine.com. $$ SU OM
SMOKE INN—Old fashioned style restaurant. They serve a wide variety of meat and fab fried food. 3912 W. State St., 208-3447334. $$-$$$
SUNRISE FAMILY RESTAURANT—Serves a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Also serves desert and bakery items. 7135 W. State St., 208-853-2037. $-$$ VIKING DRIVE IN—Burgers, fries and shakes on the go. The best way to go on a calorie bender. 3790 W. State St., 342-7289. $ WESTSIDE DRIVE-IN—From the mind of “Boise’s Best Chef,” Chef Lou, comes some of the most scrumptious diner delights for dine-in, take-out or frozen to take home for later. 1939 W. State St., 208-342-2957. cheflou.com. $-$$ SU OM
FOOD/DISH LEILA RAMELLA-RADER
MAZZAH—Visit the Med over lunch or drop on by for dinner. Gyros, hummus, falafel and baklava on the quick. Try the fatoosh salad—you won’t be disappointed. 1772 W. State St., 208-333-2566 404 E. Park Center Blvd., 208-333-2223. mazzahboise.com. $-$$ SU OM
SMOKY MOUNTAIN PIZZA AND PASTA—Big and airy bistro-style complete with checkered tablecloths. Restaurant boasts a big outdoor patio and an even larger beer selection. When you’re in the mood for a good, traditional pizza, this is the place. The pastas, starters, sandwiches and salads are equally delicious, and the list is as long as your arm. 1805 W. State St., 208-387-2727. smokymountainpizza.com. $-$$ SU OM
MERRITT’S COUNTRY CAFE—This 24-hour Boise mainstay is the place to land after a long night on the town. The “home of the scone”; serves up grub that turns the merely curious into regulars. 6630 W. State St., 208-853-1801. SU merrittscafe.com. $-$$ OM MONTEGO BAY—Montego Bay’s claim to fame is its outstanding patio—or layers of patios to be accurate—with levels cascading their way from the restaurant down to lakeside in the Lake Harbor development. Customers can find plenty to fill their stomachs besides boat drinks and beer thanks to the full menu. 3000 N. Lakeharbor Lane, 208-853-5070. montegobayidaho.com. $-$$ NAM KING—Neighborhood Chinese focused on wok cooking. 4624 W. State St., 208-345SU 0260. $-$$ NORTH END CHINESE—The best drive-through Chinese downtown has to offer. 1806 W. State St., 208-343-1080. $-$$ PAPA MURPHY’S—Take-andbake pizza chain. 1736 W. State St., 208-336-0011. $-$$ SU OM PIZZALCHIK—PIZZa sALad and CHIcKen. Get it? Perfect robust salads, plus delicious original pizzas and whole chickens roasted in a 6,000-pound stone-hearth oven. Many toppings made in house. Good beer and wine complement great food at this oddly located and oddly named eatery along State Street. 7330 W. State St., 208-853-7757. pizzalchik.com. SU OM $-$$ RAFIKI—7,000 square feet of space for kids to play in while adults enjoy some peace and quiet in the deli or coffee shop. 6202 W. State St., 208-8532626. rafikiplay.com. $-$$ OM
32 | NOVEMBER 17–23, 2010 | BOISEweekly
There’s nothing plain about the basic naan at Madhuban.
NAAN AT MADHUBAN Naan at Madhuban. That sounds like the beginning of a haiku and if a bit of food ever deserved some poetry, it is Madhuban’s soft, warm naan bread. Naan is a ubiquitous Indian side dish, but at Madhuban, the fresh-baked versions can serve almost as a meal in themselves. Where most naan is often just plain white clay-oven cooked bread, Madhuban offers a variety of both savory and sweet options. MADHUBAN For less than $5, you can 6930 W. State St. order garlic naan (which is also 208-853-8215 baked with coriander) or one of the stuffed naan, including onion, lamb, chicken, aloo parotha with mildly spiced potatoes and a paneer kulcha stuffed with homemade cheese. On the sweeter side, try the coconut or the kashmiri, which is filled with raisins and cashew nuts. And if you want something simpler, the lachha parotha is unleavened, layered, whole wheat bread with butter; the tandoori roti is simple clay oven-baked wheat bread; and the poori is that same wheat bread, only deep-fried and puffy. But what if you’re a naan purist and want plain, simple naan on the side? Then visit Madhuban during lunch and sidle up to the buffet. There you can have all the naan you want to scoop up fragrant basmati rice or the leavings of vegetarian samosas. You can wrap it around some crispy fish pakora or sop up lamb masala or any one of the other rotating dishes on the ridiculously low-priced buffet ($7.99 per person for all you can eat). That Madhuban has one of the best selections of naan in town is naan-negotiable. —Amy Atkins
WWW. B O I S E WE E KLY. C O M