Editor's Letter

This season is full of historic muses. Greek goddess Persephone, abducted to the underworld by Hades, returned to earth armed with new green plant growth, or the Germanic goddess Eostre, who sprung the name Easter, was a fetching pagan fertility goddess of humans and crops. Our old friends are stylishly back, like bulbs you planted and forgot about until they pop out of the dirt.

This city is expanding fast, as are Treasure Valley diners' tastes and desires for foods from whence they came. New investors, visionary chefs, and entrepreneurs are paying attention to all this. The new kids are bringing their A-game; that passion goes a long way.

If you’re reading this in an hours-long line of cars in Meridian, waiting on a burger, fries, and shake, take note—our new Man Eats Boise columnist Alan Heathcock gets down, dirty, and prosaic with Boise's best burger finds that require no queue, only an appetite.

I talked with Seattle entrepreneur and chef Ethan Stowell, whose take on Italian food honors the classics but infuses the bountiful wealth of Pacific Northwest ingredients for a presentation and vibe that create the hottest seat in town at Tavolàta.

The Castoro family is making the old new, and we’re talking to them about taking on the new Flatbread, which will still serve up delicious woodfired pizza but with more options.

Really, passion and knowing where the holes are in the marketplace is how our cover star, Dan Landucci of Paddles Up Poké, became a casual dining rockstar too. He took a chance on himself under the guidance of his most significant mentor, who also happens to be family.

Ready for dinner? Check out our features on Wild Root and Saint Lawrence Gridiron, two superb spots run by Dan Watts and Samantha Foster off restaurant row.

In the mood for dessert? Learn about The Chocolat Bar, where handmade chocolates are edible art thanks to Trish and Jason Stack, now with a successful Eagle location.

And, speaking of confections, travel to the aptly named Sweet, Idaho, where destination dining has become a destination lifestyle too. Paul Anderson of Anderson Reserve presents a beautifully wrought Cigar Silo luxury humidor where you can mosey up to the bar, light a cigar, and stay a while.

House of Wine's Kathryn House McClaskey gives us a fabulous wine 101 education on the nuances of wine tasting, and Gina D'Orazio-Stryker’s years of cooking for Hollywood notables pays off with her new venture, a fresh food meal prep service, which utilizes farm-to-table ingredients from the best local vendors.

Caldwell culinary sleuth Heather Hamilton-Post is on the scene, taking us to the historic town with many food finds. We look at Eagle's rise in craveable spots and the growing vegan dining-out options that will surprise you, too.

Our celebrity for spring is Food Network star Brooke Williamson, a bright, shining star seen on Bobby Flay's Triple Threat. Diving headfirst into chef-dom, Williamson learned by doing more than formal culinary school, which paid off. Now, she’s got a successful restaurant in California and a career as an ace competitive chef. Her lobster roll recipe, which she shared with all of us, is a winner, too.

Spring has sprung. Dive in.

April Neale

Editor