3 minute read
Editor's Letter
Dear Readers,
This issue celebrates the European feeling that seeps into Boise during the warmer months, when we’re free to enjoy food and drink on the rooftops, illuminating us with golden light and extending our happy hours long past dusk.
We live in a vibrant valley, blessed with mountains and clear rivers, reminiscent of Spain and Italy and the Basque country for those who have been there. Summertime is patio season, with tables ready for dining in laid-back, dog-friendly social scenes with million-dollar views. That said, Boise and the Treasure Valley are flooding with new places that provide fresh tastes.
The big news comes from sophisticated visionary Diane Hendricks and her Wisconsin-based Geronimo group. This summer, they reveal the Hotel Renegade, risen from the former Alefort parking lot and exuding a last-century glow with an intimate, supper club scene. Chef Reno Rodriguez takes the reins for three spots within to discover intriguing cocktails and menus.
Our Basque Block boasts the iconic Leku Ona with its secret rooftop patio. And don’t miss another bestkept secret patio, Chef Zee's Rooftop, where Chris Zahn offers a special event space, lunches, and catering that rivals an unparalleled foothills view.
This issue celebrates the art of making—the homebrewer and the secrets of building a great pizza. We look at Sun Valley's growing reputation as the epicenter of Idaho's food cognoscenti with the Sun Valley Culinary Institute bringing Chef Kian Lam Kho for his second residency.
Karuna Kava owner Ben McQueen is also sharing secrets—and the ancient beverage, Kava, that serves the health-conscious. KB's Burritos expands to the Warehouse in the BoDo District. You’ve never had mahimahi tacos as good as this—even on the beach in Baja!
The Castoro family opened a third culinary masterpiece, Coa Del Mar, which is this issue’s cover feature. Here, you’ll find land and sea combined in inventive dishes by Executive Chef Enrique Martinez working alongside Chef Tamara Vinson, the accidental and phenomenally talented pastry chef profiled in this issue.
Boise’s fine dining godfather, Rex Chandler, shares milestone wisdom from 50 years of exemplary dining service and ongoing awards from national and international culinary groups. Lucky for us, he chose Boise as the home for his namesake restaurant.
And don’t miss four-time James Beard and Emmy award winner, Chef Andrew Zimmern’s return to FLAVOR. Talking about his latest docuseries for PBS, “Hope In The Water,” he explores creative solutions and blue food technologies to feed us and save our threatened seas and fresh waterways. Read, eat, drink, and enjoy!
