The Foodie Issue




Any coffee or espresso drinker will know this phrase: that first sip moment. It's usually in the morning before any hurriedness takes place. There's a moment for you before the sun rises, before all those bedheads come downstairs, before the logistics of the day take over the conversation between you and your lover. Of course this isn't everyone's first sip magic but you get the idea.
When Johnny Cash was asked what his idea of par adise was, he answered with this famous quote: “This morning, with her, having coffee.” It really makes you think, doesn't it? Of all the places in the world or adventures to be had, sometimes the most divine moments are saved for those tiny slices of the day when something decadent awaits, which is all the better in good company.
I am so pleased to feature Florabella in this month's "Foodie" issue because while the food is a special treat, I really needed to shed some light on the moments they create in their cafe. I became a mom of two this past summer and let's just say that my first sip moment was a bit harder to capture, and enjoying it with my husband was a long shot. My son was about 3 weeks old when we pulled up to the cafe and I hurried inside to order some lattes and a brioche. The bold chairs, the patterned tile, the fresh flowers, and the sunlight streaming in, illuminating it all, encouraged a big and deep sigh. The espresso machine whirred, steamed, dripped. And voilà! A delicate design was poured into existence. A swan. Unbelievable.
If I didn't need a moment like this, the patience needed would have aggravated me. The cafe is not grab and go. It's sit, watch, listen, indulge. And that's exactly my style. When I make my way back outside, I see my husband waiting with the window down, a big toothy smile. I hand him his latte and I sit in the backseat with the kiddos. My older son takes his vanilla steamer and we all take that first sip. Magic!
CHELSEA LYN AGRO, EDITOR @MVLMAGAZINE
PUBLISHER
Mike Tucker | MTucker@CityLifestyle.com
EDITOR
Chelsea Lyn Agro | Chelsea.Agro@CityLifestyle.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Marla Huggins | Marla.Huggins@citylifestyle.com
MARKET SUPPORT ASSISTANT
Jace DeWalt | Jace.Dewalt@CityLifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Amanda Tucker
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Chelsea Lyn Agro, Camilla Petersen, Emma Trotter
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Rick Szczechowski
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
The Missoula Children's Theatre presents the "Shakespeare Trunk Show" program where everything in the play must fit inside the only set piece: a trunk! A Midsummer Night's Dream is the adventure of four young lovers, a group of actors who shouldn't quit their day jobs, and some impish fairies clumsily playing matchmaker. It explores the complexities of the human and inhuman heart in a whimsical style of magical realism. Enjoy a night out on Saturday, October 5 at 5 and 7 p.m.
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The Lisa Tate Glass Studio in Florence will have over 2,000 hand-blown glass pumpkins for sale on Saturday, October 5 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and again on Sunday, October 6 between 10 a.m and 3. p.m., or when pumpkins are sold out. All glass pumpkins come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes and all are made by Missoula and Bitterroot glass blowers. Live glass-blowing demonstrations will also be held at 21718 Kesa Lane in Florence.
Take part in the 2024 Montana Brewery Running Series Season by entering the fun run on Saturday, October 12 at 10 a.m. It'll be a day filled with running, cider (from Western Cider!), football, and good vibes. The 5k course starts and ends at Western Cider on North California Street. A portion of all proceeds from this event supports local nonprofits.
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On Sunday, October 27 at 10 a.m. Bat Week begins! Build a home for our furriest flying friends: bats. Kits, tools, and know-how will be provided. Just bring your enthusiasm and your Halloween costume. The bat house workshop is the final installment in the MUD NWF Habitat Stewards workshop series.
Bob Powell is no stranger to a great meal in a great setting. It won’t surprise you that he owns Montana Club and also the new club in Missoula—Tap Club, located on North Reserve where the old Perkins used to be.
It opened last October, exactly a year ago, after a long and tedious construction process that began right before Covid-19 rocked our world. Lighting fixtures were built overseas and everything came to a standstill, but Bob and his architect were committed to patience for the unique vision they had in mind.
“It was a brand new venture for us, top to bottom,” said Bob. “We’ve been building Montana Clubs for the last ten years or so…the customers know what a Montana Club is when we show up in a city, and Tap Club was just brand new. Every single piece of Tap Club was new for us from the design to the potential menu to staffing and uniforms—all of that stuff that we had polished.”
They knew that Tap Club would be a different breed entirely. “We’d been thinking about a concept. The brewery concept is popular and from a personal standpoint we didn’t want to just do a brewery with a basic hamburger and French fries type of thing,” said Bob. “We wanted it to be really special and really unique because Missoula is a competitive market.”
But there is one thing that remains the same from Montana Club: the quality of food. “In all of the projects that we’ve done, food is always at the forefront of what we do,” said Bob. Sure, liquor, ice cold beer, and gaming are pieces of the
"We really like to do an outstanding job on food that we make. Much like the Montana Club, pretty much everything on his Tap Club menu is hand done. We’re really trying to localize Tap Club.”
puzzle but it’s the food that is at the core of it all. “We really like to do an outstanding job on food that we make. Much like the Montana Club, pretty much everything on his Tap Club menu is hand done. We’re really trying to localize Tap Club.”
All summer, chef Shaun Mazur used farmers market produce and burgers and steaks from Heart Bar K Ranch, a small family ranch in the Frenchtown Valley. And the best part? His wife Mel is a professional pastry chef. She bakes all of the Tap Club buns from scratch. “There’s really no comparison to a bun that’s baked in house,” said Bob. “I couldn’t buy anything that would be remotely close to the
freshness and the quality of what she’s baking out there every morning at 6 a.m.”
Bob refers to Tap Club as the last best thing that he’s done. “Our thing is food, sports, and music. Those are the things that people really like—quality food at a good value is a really important thing,” said Bob. “And we all know how people like their sports and we all know how people like music, and so our goal was to do a really great job on all three of those categories.”
Chef Shaun has creative liberty at the Tap Club kitchen and he’s currently working on classic artisan pizza. “We call ‘em Tap pies,” said Bob. There’s a pickle pie that is
“The quality of beer that is being produced in Montana is second to none."
Missoula brewers but the ones around the state.” And of course beer and great food pair perfectly with large televisions and a superb sound system, especially when football season has arrived. “What’s happening is people are really wanting to watch sports there, and we didn’t really build it as a sports bar per se, but it’s a great place to watch sports. We have the NFL package and it’s a great environment to eat quality food and watch your favorite sports.”
mind-blowing and a must-try menu item. And a brisket pie, too. “All of our meats are smoked in house,” added Bob. But what would the Tap Club be without its beer? With 37 beers on tap, Montana brewers are getting the attention they deserve all under one roof.
“The quality of beer that is being produced in Montana is second to none,” said Bob. “That’s been awesome—being able to support not only the
The Tap Club’s claim to fame is placed on value. What it provides, the people behind the scene, and the experience that can be had there are hard to beat. “Value is not always about how much you pay for your product. Value has to do with what’s the quality of the product? Did you get enough to eat? What kind of environment are you enjoying it in? What’s the service level? To me, that all makes what I consider to be a good value,” said Bob. “We’re not a brewery, we’re not a sports bar, we’re not a casino or a restaurant—we’re kind of the best of all of those things.”
ARTICLE BY CAMILLA PETERSEN
The first company to mass-produce the TV dinner was the Swanson company that sold ten million trays in 1954, its first year of production. Following the lean casseroles of the 1930s during the great depression and the wartime meatloaves of the 1940s, American families welcomed progress and prosperity with frozen meals, canned foods, and cereals. With the advent of the television, the family substituted the round-the-table family dinner with TV trays. We may blame our expanding waist lines, poor metabolic health, and addiction to the screen on the industrial giants of the 1950s, but is there something else lurking under the surface that we are not addressing? Libraries are written on the
subject of nutrition and what constitutes “healthy” foods, and we know screens are an ever-present distraction. The pivotal antithesis to the processed and quick food, and to the distractibility of the television is the powerful entity of the Family Dinner.
Reading about the French Paradox, we may focus on the wine and the butter and wonder about the low rates of heart disease. We may look toward the Greeks or Italians to explain longevity with plenty of olive oil and fresh produce.
But the one experience that heads every health statistic is the family dinner. Family dinners in Europe occur with strict regularity and whether on weekday or weekend, dinners take time and precedence. It is time for the family to come together. The dinner is prepared, served and enjoyed. It is the fulcrum that binds the family, allows for daily conversation, and involves preparing fresh and wholesome food together. And interestingly, is the one key ingredient for longevity, wellness, and overall health.
In February of 2015, a Canadian family physician published a “Systemic review of the effects of family meal frequency on psychosocial outcomes in youth.” Surveying 1783 articles, the researchers concluded that frequent family meals were associated with increased self-esteem and school success, decreased substance use and violent behaviors in adolescents.
We all want the best for our kids, for our families. We work long hours, drive our kids to every activity and sport, we travel, we eat rushed meals before heading off to the next thing. Maybe we slow down for a change. Maybe we cancel some planned outings.
"Maybe we plan for a regular family dinner: cooked, served, and enjoyed as a family."
Maybe we plan for a regular family dinner: cooked, served, and enjoyed as a family. The first step on a path of wellness and longevity.
Camilla Petersen is the owner of Petersen Concierge Medical, a curated bespoke private medical practice, providing wrap around personalized medical care for its clients.
“You can eat more of the budino because it’s not so sweet on your pallet—a lot of it is washed away by the acidity of the lambrusco." Alcy Magana
On your next night out at Florabella, why not let chef Charles Kuhnhofer and wine director Alcy Magana order for you?
Start with the farm cheese. “It’s our housemade ricotta, and you get the house-made focaccia that the baker comes in way too early in the morning to make,” Charles said. “You smear bread through the cheese and it’s a damn mess, but it’s the funnest thing to start a meal with here.”
For dessert, the richly textured chocolate budino with a glass of sparkling red lambrusco.
“A perfect pairing—one entices you to have more of the other,” Alcy said. “You can eat more of the budino because it’s not so sweet on your pallet—a lot of it is washed away by the acidity of the lambrusco. It feels like I’m in my raspberry patch and it just rained.”
It’s no accident that so much luscious flavor comes together at Florabella. They emphasize fresh, local, sustainable ingredients and madefrom-scratch food.
“It makes it easy to be really enthusiastic about what we’re doing here, when the forager or farmer who sold it to me was wide-eyed telling me about the products,” Charles said.
“The biggest focus for us is to offer beautiful food, a beautiful dining experience, in a beautiful space in a beautiful neighborhood,” said co-owner and operator Ben Burda. “‘Bella’ is pretty, and ‘flora’ is flower. We’re this gem in the Rose Park neighborhood of the Garden City.”
Ben and Charles both mentioned prioritizing paying a living wage and offering benefits.
“The degree to which we try and take care of people is something I’ve not seen in many other places around town,” Charles said. “Everyone I have here is really excited to be on the clock, and you can taste it in the food.”
The restaurant also aims to be welcoming to everyone. Alcy said it’s important that the wine list showcase the diversity of Italian wine, at a variety of price points, while remaining approachable.
“Our goal is to take the average consumer and get them a little outside of what they think they like,” she said. “You don’t know anything about wine? We’re here to celebrate that with you.”
A particular little-known grape has been standing out to Alcy recently—Fiano di Avellino. “It has this waxy viscosity and a three to five minute finish—better than most chardonnays, and you’re getting so much more value than you ever would domestically,” she said.
“We also have non-alcoholic wine,” Alcy added. “You can drink it out of one of our bulbous glasses and have a sensory experience.”
The sensory experience of Florabella’s cuisine is matched by its visual appearance. One immediately striking thing about the interior is the large pink sculpture that hangs from the ceiling. Made of stainless steel cables and polycarbonate sheets that evoke calla lilies, it was designed by Virginia-based artist Kendall Buster, then built and installed by Wolf Magritte, a local industrial design firm that specializes in large-scale art and artifacts.
“It took a team of three or four of us close to a week to install it,” said Luke Boehnke, principal
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We’re restaurant people from Montana trying to make it a more livable place for us and everyone we know. Ben Burda “ ”
of Wolf Magritte. “A predefined grid that we installed on the ceiling had cables suspended from it, and then all of the points on that grid corresponded to individual strata on the sculpture, and all of those points were milled into the sculpture in advance. Most of the magic is in the planning.”
Beyond capturing the eye, the sculpture also functions to soften sound, brighten the space, and lower the eye line.
“We had an opportunity to start over,” said Ben, reflecting on the building’s previous incarnation as Caffe Dolce. “People mentioned it was very cavernous. It lacked intimacy. We wanted to bring it down
to earth, and the flower deflects sound laterally across the space. It accomplished light as well—that piece of art makes the whole space illuminated but you’re not sure from where.”
In contrast to starting over on the inside, not much changed on the outside. “We wanted to honor the architecture,” said Ben. “Everyone says that’s a beautiful building.”
In the warmer months, the patio beckons and flower boxes are full to bursting. Cut flowers and live plants bring the outside in as you enter through the main door. The eye might be drawn to blue lights under the bar, or the warm pink and red tile accents
on the floor, but it could take a couple visits before the average visitor notices the murals on the walls.
“You don’t want art to be too much the focal point, but it’s nice when people actually look at it,” said local artist Parker Beckley.
On the restaurant side, next to the open kitchen, a woman in a white dress gazes sultrily at the viewer, holding a smoking gun and a cigarette. “FLORABELLA” in yellow block letters pops against a bright red background.
“We thought, Florabella is probably a person, right?” Ben said. “You can decide if she is a villain or not.”
“This was a fun project because it started with a pun: spaghetti western,” Parker said, adding that pulp art was also an inspiration for the piece, while Ben mentioned that many elements of the space pay homage to Milan. “We wanted to make something that felt like it existed before, like you’d find it at an old barn out in the Italian countryside.”
On the cafe side, a pig stands on one foot on a cheese wheel, rolling down a slackline.
“He’s got a bottle of wine and it’s at least half gone,” Parker said, adding that the mural had been a late addition shortly before opening in late 2022. “I like the challenge of working in different styles, trying to match different
vibes, especially in places like restaurants where they’re coming at you with a palette and different elements in mind. There’s no time for this to really be approved.”
“When you micromanage an artist, you’re going to get your version of their art, and what you’re paying for is their art,” Ben added. “I felt it was important to give him a little inspiration and let him go.”
Ben, who grew up in nearby St. Ignatius, acknowledged that challenging the status quo can inspire fear. “Missoula likes the way it is, and I like the way it is,” he said, noting that the restaurant adjusted course in response to early feedback. “We went from a little hoity-toity fancy in the beginning, and we learned what people want, which is maybe just a little simpler.”
“We’re restaurant people from Montana trying to make it a more livable place for us and everyone we know,” he went on. Ben was previously involved with opening Plonk (2013), Boxcar Bistro (2021), Bar Plata (2022) and Tres Bonne (2023), and his Florabella business partner Drake Doepke also opened SakeTome (2017) and Michi Ramen Bar (2018). “But we didn’t go on this wild journey to resurrect a beloved institution for ourselves. We did it for the community.”
“Missoula really can be a food town if the people are behind it,” he added.
BRINGS BREAKFAST LOVERS TOGETHER
"It should feel happy and fun and funky and it should give you positivity for your week,"
— BEN BURDA
“It’s always got to be a little extra,” said co-owner Ben Burda. And that’s his signature really: beautiful yet funky. Tres Bonne, aptly named with a nod to The Bon Marche that sat across the street for a long time, is a stunning sight to behold. The name is French but the food is American, and their big game is brunch.
Ben took note of what was happening in Missoula. “There are very few places—love Paul’s Pancake Parlor and love Ruby’s— but there were very few places to get breakfast.” If you don’t want to cook for yourself before the hour of noon, you’re probably going to get grab-n-go from the Good Food Store or you’re going to end up at a fast food place.” And he’s right—the options are limited, especially for those who love to dine out a few times a week.
“There’s a brunch scene in New York City...in Austin, Texas...in San Diego, there’s a little brunch scene in LA. There’s pretty much no other brunch in the country, which is crazy, where it’s actually a thing—a scene,” said Ben. Creating a brunch experience was the exciting challenge.
The South Higgins location used to house El Cazador and the space didn’t offer a lot of natural light. “It’s dreadful and dreary six months of the year—it should feel like summertime every day,” said Ben. “It should feel happy and fun and funky and it should give you positivity for your week,” said Ben.
Anyone could see Ben blush when he admitted to Pinterest being the main source of inspiration for the bright and whimsical space. “I truly hate to include that that’s where a lot of the inspiration came from because it’s not romantic at all,” said Ben. “We found this place...called Morning Glory. It is irreverent in every way, it’s extra in every way.” Taken aback by the ridiculous nature of that restaurant, Ben knew that Tres Bonne needed to be bold but also its own animal entirely. And the menu needed to find its way as well.
“There’s what you theorize the menu to be, and what you theorize the concept to be and the execution of that, and then there’s what it’s actually going to be,” said Ben. “And this is because we do not live in a city with vast culinary talent and 5 million people that you can make yourself what you are without any feedback from your guests—it doesn’t work that way here. If you aren’t preparing food for Missoula, then you will have no one to eat at your restaurant.”
Ben listened to Missoula and delivered. The menu concept has evolved, undergoing an overhaul this past spring. “Now we know what we are. Our staff is amazing. We’re really lucky and they’re really good people,” said Ben. “We just want to give the guests something that they actually want to show up for, maybe more than once a week.”
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• Cutie Mandarin Oranges
• Celery Sticks
Peel the cutie mandarin oranges and cut celery sticks into 1-inch long sticks.
Cut each slice of celery into thirds or fourths and insert celery sticks into the center of the peeled oranges.
• Oreos
• Candied Eyes
• Chocolate Chips
• Pretzel Logs
Break pretzel rods in half and stuff them into the Oreo cookies to form the spider legs. Melt the chocolate chips until smooth.
Use a toothpick to place the melted chocolate onto the Oreos where the eyes will go.
Immediately place the eye candies onto the melted chocolate. Place the Oreos in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.
ARTICLE BY SAVANNA JAGGEARS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGORY JAGGEARS
Spook-Cuterie is a cutie Halloween snack for pre- or post-trick-or-treating. This spooky spin on the classic charcuterie board will excite the kids and provide a few nutritious nibbles before they fill up on too much candy. Whether you bring this to the school party or set it up while everyone gets in their costumes, fun MUMMY-ries will be made.
• Nutter Butter Cookies
• White Melting Chocolate
• Mini Chocolate Chips
1. Gather together the items.
2 .Arrange and style according to your party aesthetic.
3. Add extra items, such as crackers, chips and cheeses.
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 15-second increments. Stir between increments until the chocolate is fully melted.
Dip the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place the coated cookie on wax paper to dry.
Press the mini chocolate chip to make the eyes and mouth before the chocolate dries.
• Bat Shaped Cookie Cutter
• Blackberries
• Candied Eyes
Place the cookie cutter on the charcuterie board and fill with blackberries. Place candied eyes to make the eyes of the bat.
4. Fan out additional fruits and veggies.
5. Celebrate and make the days leading up to October 31st memorable!
OCTOBER 1ST
Beekeeping and Hive Management
Lifelong Learning Center | 6:00 PM
This class is a continuation of the Beekeeping Basics course. You will learn the specific management skills for setting up and maintaining your hive throughout all seasons. Caring for your bees and how to harvest the honey. Class fee is $80 and meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays for four sessions at 6 p.m.
OCTOBER 2ND
The Hohnstead Glamping Cabins | 10:00 AM
Ever wonder what it would be like to have a scavenger hunt on a 100-acre property? Now you don't have to! This hunt will take you on a 2-hour long adventure through the forest and mountains of this property. Along the way, you can split wood, pan for gold, use a slingshot, guess riddles, and identify trees and wildlife. Call 406.233.9119 for any questions. Begins at 10 a.m.
OCTOBER 6TH
Great Burn Brewing | 12:00 PM
Yoga at Great Burn Brewing from 12 to 1 p.m. every Sunday! This class is a relaxing hatha yoga style class and good for all levels of ability. Class is $15 and begins at 12 p.m. Bring a mat and any props you may need to be comfortable. Sign up in advance by calling 406.317.1557.
OCTOBER 6TH
Caras Park | 12:00 PM
Come celebrate 31 years of our sister city relationship with Neckargemünd, Germany in Caras Park between 12 and 5 p.m. Eat German food, listen to music and enjoy each other's company.
OCTOBER 12TH
Lifelong Learning Center | 11:00 AM
Need to unwind in a supportive space while learning the techniques needed to manage the effects of stress? You'll practice intentional breathing, gentle movement, mindfulness, meditation, and deep relaxation. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or pad/blanket and anything you need to support comfortable sitting and lying down positions. Class fee is $20 and begins at 11 a.m.
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OCTOBER 13TH
XXXs Higgins to Hip Strip and back downtown | 6:00 PM
Get into the spooky season spirit with another neighborhood witch walk! Put on all of your favorite witch/warlock/sorcery gear and take a stroll around the town. Walk starts at 6 p.m.
OCTOBER 15TH
Montana Moonlight Studios | 2:00 PM
A selection of children's stories (picture books) will be read in Spanish, or both Spanish and English. Babies through preschool age will have early exposure to a new language. Toddlers are free to walk or play while hearing the Spanish language. Each parent is responsible for their own kid and the class fee is $10. Class begins at 2 p.m.
OCTOBER 15TH
Lifelong Learning Center | 4:00 PM
Want to learn the most artistic form of fishing? This class is for experienced and inexperienced fly-fishing enthusiasts who want to catch more fish. You will learn how to identify bug life along with corresponding flies and the many different species of fish in Montana. Class fee is $58 and meets on Tuesdays for three sessions at 4 p.m.
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Special Thanks to City Lifestyle magazines, FUEL, Angel Flight West, PEAK ATP and MyHMB Supplements & to The LifeGuard Group for Sponsoring our 2023 Climbing Adventures