Comments on: Puerto Vallarta is dependably delicious

By: CR67

CR67 — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:44:02 +0000

LOL at the Sizzler comment! I have to agree with you there. They’ve got the worst food in town.
But of course, that’s just my opinion.

By: CafeDelSol

CafeDelSol — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:24:07 +0000

If I’m going to pay fifty bucks for a meal in Idaho Falls then both the food and service had better blow me away. The only place I’ve eaten where the meals were actually worth that much is the Collage.

The Cellar - nice try but still second best in my opinion. Nice presentation and good service but I wasn’t overly impressed by the food.

Hawg Smoke - Great food and atmosphere but sslllooowwwwwwwww service. (Is it even open now?)

Sizzler (Just kidding. I wouldn’t let my dog eat that food).

By: Nemesis

Nemesis — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:39:38 +0000

I heard Dave was ill and not running Hawg Smoke as much, so if he’s up and going, I should visit. I like his style.

I also like Johnny Carino’s, it may not be authentic Italian but it’s good service (usually) and they have several dishes that I really enjoy. I like their food better than OG.

I’ve never been there but I’ve only heard good things about Cellar’s.

For fast food, I like the Gang Plank on Holmes/Elva.

For Chinese food, I tend to go to the Great Wall on 1st St. I’m not a fan of the buffet line but they have a good fresh stir fry (Mongolian Style) that I enjoy. For regular Chinese dishes, I like Canton in the strip mall on 17th.

For food from India, I travel to Poky to visit Sanju’s on Main St. He is a good host.

Volunteer, for the most part, what one person likes another may not enjoy (and I’m not talking menu items per se). Let us know when you find a place YOU really like, and why!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:00:27 +0000

Hawg Smoke Cafe….the cook is a biker. The food is awesome. The atmosphere…interesting and not what you would expect…..maybe this is the weakest link. Try it out though.

By: CR67

CR67 — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:48:39 +0000

The Cellar

By: Volunteer

Volunteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:42:10 +0000

I hope you don’t mind if I try to refocus this discussion.

What is the absolute BEST restaurant in Idaho Falls? Let’s skip talking about those who can’t do it right. What about those who can? YOU tell ME what is the BEST restaurant in the city.

I want to know so I can go there, pay them money and have a great time and not be insulted or pi**ed off because somebody did something wrong.

Just tell me what it is, I want to know!

The Volunteer

By: CR67

CR67 — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:34:26 +0000

Good try, but an “owner” wouldn’t make a scene in front of everybody and tell the maitre di’ that he “doesn’t wait for a table anywhere” and then demand to see the manager. An owner would walk in and quietly announce his presence and nicely ask for the manager. And no….it wasn’t the “Napolean Dynamite” kid either. It was just some jerk that thought he was better than everyone else and was trying to show off in front of his date. He was obviously over compensating for a lack of something else. A real man wouldn’t act like that, no matter how much money he has. Especially at a restaraunt like the Olive Garden. What a sad life he must live.
But thats just my opinion.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:14:28 +0000

I think it was the local owner not from here by the way.arrived in a limo, manager new he was coming.

By: Nemesis

Nemesis — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:26:19 +0000

If I had witnessed that scene at the Olive Garden I would have asked for the manager and told him off, then left and never returned. If he wants to give angry whiny line-jumper folks preferential treatment he doesn’t deserve my business.

I have always hated that behavior in any business. Whenever I have a poor service or poor food complaint, I make it a point to tell the manager or the server, but I always refuse any free offering they make because I want my point to get across. I didn’t make the comment to get free food, and free food won’t make the situation better.

I’m afraid sometimes they just think the complaint was not valid, that I was only angling for a freebie. However, if I refuse the offering, they may take me seriously and realize that my reason to complain was a genuine effort to notify them of a situation that they may not be aware of.

If they treat me with respect I will return to give them another chance. If they dismiss me they have lost my business.

On the flip side, I am quick with praise to a manager, too, and even emails to corporate HQ.

By: ISU/UI Alumni

ISU/UI Alumni — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:09:42 +0000

CafeDelSol-
As much as I hate to say it, the last two meals I had at Buddy’s were crappy as well. That was my college hang-out back in the early eighties and the food was really good. When I moved back to the area about 10 years ago I couldn’t wait to eat at Buddy’s again. It wasn’t as good as I remembered it and at this point it’s just plain sub-par.
What do you do? Go to Buddy and ask what happened - why does your food suck these days?
On the bright side, Portneuf Valley Brewery is serving some innovative dishes as is the new place (can’t remember the name) next to the food co-op on First St. in Pocatello.
I’m definitely going to give the London a try this weekend.