NEWS/FOOD DISH/FOOD Restaurants get one chance to hit BW with their best shot. LEILA R AM ELLA- R ADER
Sink your fangs into this python-sized roll.
SAKANA SUSHI A countrified KD Lang sings over the sound system in this unremarkable, suburban dining room. A foursome sips large Cokes through straws as they nibble on iceberg lettuce. A toddler attacks a coloring book with crayons. A guy in overalls orders coffee. Then my miso soup arrives. Welcome to Sakana Japanese Sushi and Steakhouse in Meridian—and the ongoing evolution of sushi in America. In the early ’80s, sushi restaurants were small, cult-like jewels of Japanese gastronomy found only in large coastal cities, attracting eaters with fat wallets and a taste for the exotic. The focus was on raw fish prepared by highly trained sushi masters, served as precise, elegantly understated works of edible art. In the ’90s, sushi pushed inland from the coasts, from cities to suburbs, and began morphing into something more palatable to mainstream America. Today, sushi restaurants are casual, complicated presentations are common, and rich sauces, once antithetical, are nearly obligatory. An obvious result of this SAKANA SUSHI suburban sushi evolution is 1718 S. Eagle Road Sakana’s really, really big rolls. 208-888-6278 The menu has a regular assortment of sushi and sashimi— there are even a couple of underutilized teppanyaki tables near the back of a room that, with a rejiggering of accessories, could just as easily have been a sports bar or deli—but nearly everyone on this Saturday night is demolishing some kind of monumental, multi-colored roll. My waitress recommends I try the Evergreen, one of seven daily special rolls (all $14.95 with miso soup) with names like Playboy, Wow and Candy Cane. Traditionally, a single roll wouldn’t be enough for a meal, but the Evergreen is enormous. Unlike the standard rattlesnake-diameter sushi roll, it arrives python-size, electric green, spanning the length of a long, horizontal platter and flanked by double lines of sauce. I nearly need an unhinged jaw to get a slice into my mouth. But once there—if I erase all references to Japan—this mash-up of shrimp tempura, mango, raw tuna, avocado, king crab and rice wrapped in lime-colored soy paper is pretty damned tasty. A gooey, unfocused richness surrounding a satisfying, deep-fried crunch, it’s more akin to an American potluck than the distinct, singular flavors I associate with Japanese food. It’s ridiculous, but I like it. Hey, evolution happens. Even with food. If cuisines didn’t adapt to new cultures, the world wouldn’t be blessed with burritos, tiramisu or chicken tikka masala. —Guy Hand WWW. B OISEWEEKLY.C O M
“We’re just kind of in the stages of mak36 ing sure ever ything’s running and training and ever ything,” said Goldy’s co-owner Wanda Martinat. Aptly titled Goldy’s Corner, the new venture will offer espresso drinks, bakery goods, mimosas and wine, and aims to be a gathering spot for savvy out-of-towners. “We have people that stop by when they have breakfast here from out of town, they want to know where to go or what to do. If they have three to four days in the city, they want options,” explained Martinat. “So we’re going to tr y to make it an information center.” Goldy’s Corner will stock local pamphlets and publications, like Boise Weekly, and a chalkboard listing local events. In addition, it will have a retail arm offering Goldy’s merch—like its original seasoning and granola—and an array of other potential gift items from Think Boise First businesses. Goldy’s Corner will be owned by Martinat’s son Michael Hendrichs and is slated to open at 6:30 a.m. and close at about 9 p.m. “You’ll see all of the same faces here helping over there, but I don’t want to spread myself too thin and have two mediocre places,” said Martinat. In other expanding news, Pie Hole owners Jason and Russ Crawforth have entered a licensing agreement with Diversified Franchise Concepts, based in Eagle, to grow their popular late-night pizza business. According to a recent article in the Idaho Business Review, Diversified plans to open 12 new Pie Hole franchises in Idaho and neighboring states “based on foot traffic, nearby bars and a cohort of college students.” Two new Pie Holes recently flung open their doors in Moscow and Pocatello, and Diversified is looking at possibly opening restaurants in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Nampa, Caldwell and potential B-markets like Weiser and Ontario, Ore. They hope to eventually take the concept national. —Tara Morgan
10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION! Tuesday, June 21st THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND BUSINESS! FOOD SPECIALS BBQ Crab Omelet with hollandaise Free Mimosas on the patio
501 Main St. (5th and Main) Old Boise | 388-1198 BOISEweekly | JUNE 8–14, 2011 | 39