Tag: boise restaurants

#FoodTruckFriday: MakyJames Grill

by boisebucketlist, posted in Food & Cuisine, Food Truck Friday

Food truck culture is here and present in the Treasure Valley. As you’ve seen on @boise_bucketlist, I have shared photos of the deliciousness of some of the local food trucks.  After checking out my share of food trucks, I thought to myself: why not do #FoodTruckFriday? As the universe would have it, soon after I thought about this idea, I was tagged in this photo of an all-mighty burger by a food truck called MakyJames Grill. With my interested piqued, it only took a matter of time until I was right in front of their food truck, ready to feature them for my FIRST EVER #FoodTruckFriday feature!

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About MakyJames Grill

During my lunch break this past Wednesday,  I headed over to the SKYES section of HP  to meet with James and Mary — mother and son team who owns & runs the MakyJames Grill truck. This isn’t Mary’s first time at the food truck rodeo. Prior to her being the Queen of Grill Master here in the Treasure Valley, Mary used to run a food truck which sold custom and unique waffles.  Due to Mary’s love for comfort food, it only makes sense she transitioned into a grilled-based food truck. Think about it: juicy burgers or chicken breasts with a side of crispy fresh fries = comfort food Americana.

 

 

Wondering where the name MakyJames came from?

Makalyn is one of Mary’s sons. Around friends and family, Makalyn goes by “Maky”

James is Mary’s other son. He typically goes by Jimmy, but for the purposes of the food truck it’s James

Maky + James = MakyJames Grill Truck

Mother and Son: Good Combination?

Mary and James thought it’ll be a worthwhile venture to combine forces given their unique experiences.

Mary: prior food truck and business experience

James: marketing and communication experience

Makes sense, right?! It’s a win-win.  And it appears to be a successful partnership.

MakyJames Grill: Where Art Thou?

If you’re on the hunt for MakyJames Grill Truck, you can currently find them at the HP location in Boise, near the SKYES complex. MakyJames also appears at local food truck events as they pop up. Most events are advertised through the Southern Idaho Food Truck Association — acts like a middle person to help coordinate food truck events.

Want MakyJames at your next event?

  • email them at makyjamesgrill@gmail.com

  • Direct Message them on Instagram or Facebook

  • Call them at 208-914-0735

BOI Bucket List Review

I want you to close your eyes and imagine a warm summer night BBQ: smell of charcoal filling the air, sounds of meat sizzling, family chatter. Now imagine your mom preparing this juicy delicious burger, topped with melted cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes & red onions — all on a soft and warm burger bun. The type of burger you know is prepared from the heart and joy of feeding your loved ones with a perfected grilled piece of work.

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That’s how Mary grills her burgers.

You witness how grilling comfort food is Mary’s passion. Mary prepared me a special version of the Western Burger:

  • large beef patty
  • thick strips of bacon
  • slices of avocado
  • fresh lettuce, tomato and red onions
  • melted cheedar cheese
  • two crispy onion rings
  • BBQ sauce

Let’s not forget the side of crispy fries hot & ready when served. Mary asked me if I wanted ketchup or homemade fry sauce. I opted for the FRY SAUCE! (note: I knew nothing of this thing called fry sauce until I moved to the Mountain West. Now, I’m hooked!)

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James and Mary instructed me to go to my car & eat because it’s best when eating the burger HOT & FRESH. I followed said directive, headed to my car, and took my first bite.

WOW

WOW

WOW

I’ll admit: the burger could not completely fit in my mouth. But boy, that first bite was juicy, packed with flavor, and brought me back to this time of family summer BBQs. I see why she’s the Queen of the Grill.

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And let’s chat about the homemade fry sauce. Mary did share her secret in giving it its unique flavor (which I won’t share ;))

All I could say while slowly chomping away at this Western Burger was OMG, OMG, OMG! This is ahhhhmazing!  It didn’t matter that slices of the avocado was spilling onto the fries. It didn’t matter my hands were dripping, and messy, and absolutely worth licking.  It didn’t matter that I was (thankfully ) sitting privately in my car because it would have been utterly embarrassing to eat in front of others.

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If you want that authentic burger fresh off the grill, made from the heart of Mary to the point where you think you’re her family, stop by MakyJames Grill. As James said, EMBRACE THE MESS!

MakyJames Grill: What’s On Your Bucket List?

At the end of our conversation, I asked James what would be the first place he would suggest to someone visiting Boise for the first time?

MakyJames Grill!

I laughed and said, what would be the 2nd place he’d suggest.

Definitely Camel Back because of the view you get of Boise.

Grab your MakyJames Grill burger, eat in your car, then drive over to Camel Back to burn it off + get an awesome view of Boise!

Want to be featured on my @boise_bucketlist Food Truck Friday? Email me at theboisebucketlist@gmail.com or direct message me on Instagram.

 

This post has been sponsored by MakyJames Grill, but all my opinions are my own.

 

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Let’s Tango: BOI Foodie Review

by boisebucketlist, posted in Uncategorized

Let’s Tango.Better yet — let’s tango in Argentina. Not literally, but it’s on my life bucket list.

By chance, I ended up seeing Tango’s Empanadas, a locally own restaurant which serves over 45 different empanadas. Yes, I say over 45!

Fun fact: I grew up eating empanadas

What are empanadas? Funny you ask. An empanada is stuffed bread or dough filled common in Latin and Spanish-influenced countries. How empanadas are made, including whether stuffed with meat, cheese, or dessert filling, vary by country.

Today I tried empanadas made with Aregentina touch. Tango’s Empanadas is located in Boise and in Nampa. I went to the Nampa one.

I was greeted by a short, bubbly woman with a warm smile. She welcomed us (me and my company), asked if we’ve been to Tango’s before. We both answered with no, but made sure we expressed our familiarity with empanadas.

With over 45 choices, I felt like I was in empanada heaven! From the Gaucho (stuffed with ground beef, eggs, olives, onions,  bell peppers, and flavorful spices) to the Jugosa (stuffed with ground beef, bacon and beans), to vegetarian options including Cuzco and Chinese — you have your options to choose from.

I ended up ordering for the day:

  • The Gaucho
  • The Breakfast
  • The Brazilian (filled with nutella-like filling!)

Let’s just say the Gaucho tangoed on my taste buds! For only $2.50 each (yes, I said only. Some places in the south where I ordered empanadas charged over $3 for something half that size!) you get a LARGE, freshly made empanada made from soft crust, warm, and filled to capacity.

If you order more than one, all are placed into a box and labeled with a black magic marker. That way, you won’t forget what was ordered since they all look alike.

Whether you’re in Nampa or in Boise, I strongly suggest you get your tango on. You have a vast selection, you’ll never get bored, and you’re supporting a local business (#shopsmall).

What’s one of your favorite cultural restaurants in the Treasure Valley? Send suggestions to theboisebuckelist@gmail.com!

Seeking Refuge @ the Refuge: My 1st Meeting with an IG Follower

by boisebucketlist, posted in Food & Cuisine

Social Media has its pros and cons.

Pro: networking with new people.

Con: oversharing.

Last week something cool happened: I met a follower of mine from Instagram! No, this wasn’t a date and part of my Dating in the BOI tales.

Well, that’s a lie.

We actually did exchanged our own individual stories over some drinks. It was a win- win. Meet someone new & hear about his dating horror stories.

Although he granted me permission, I still like to protect people’s identity. I’ll call my Instagram follower Mr. Artist. Which leads me to explain how our encounter went from online to in-person.

Last week while checking out my IG feed, I came across this vibrant and colorful illustration of the state capitol building and Boise written across the top. I immediately paused and said danggggg, this is a cool illustration! Yes, this is my actual voice. I do say words like dang.

Source: Mr. Artist’s website

As any pro-Instagrammer would do, I commented and engaged with this account. I was pleased to see he followed me in return. After some time passed since I commented, I received a DM (direct message, for those who were unsure). Mr. Artist told me how he enjoyed my Dating in the BOI blogs, and how he too has dating stories worth sharing.

I thought it’ll be worth hearing about a male’s perspective with online dating. I’m slightly curious given that I’m only living my own female experiences.

Before I knew it, we’d exchanged numbers and met at The Refuge. After messaging back and forth, receiving nothing but good vibes from him through our messages, I thought to myself go and network!

I’m all about networking when living in a new place. I highly encourage it, actually. A few of my followers personally know me, and I met them through networking events throughout Boise.

Here’s the kicker:  Just the DAY BEFORE meeting, a friend suggested I go and checkout the Refuge, for its delicious food and beer options. And of COURSE Mr. Artist suggested the exact same place.

Mr. Artist was right on time. He approached me, we did the whole “hey are you…?” dance, and walked over to an empty table.

I’ll just say that I enjoyed my time getting to know Mr. Artist. He shared stories ranging from dating to his worldly travels, to his career path. I mean, let’s not forget his art. The exact reason to what prompted us to meet.

His illustrations are rich with color, depth, and uniqueness that’ll make a color fanatic like me stop in her tracks. If you were in SoCal, you may come across a surfboard covered with some of his illustrations.

But get this — this isn’t even his full-time job. He simply loves doing it. Which shows in his work.

We shared our stories, and boy was it enlightening. To hear about his experiences made me wonder how I come across on my online profiles. From pictures of cats & sunsets, to extremely outdated profile photos, to newly divorced women looking to find their Christian Grey — it’s the hodgepodge of dating fiascoes.

I don’t feel too bad about my dating stories. I still, however, have experienced the most awful online messages one can EVER receive. To the point where you wonder if it’s a real person behind the screen!

I know I’ll see Mr. Artist again. He is an intelligent  person with knowledge to share. And with that, I’ll end my blog post with something he said while talking about happiness:
A person should like what they do, like who they are with, and like where they live. 
When you take a step back and think of the times you may have been unhappy in your life, it probably stems from one of these things. I speak for myself and say these exact reasons are why I had to reevaluate my life while living in New England.

To end,  I’m an actual person who is all about networking and meeting new people. Whether you’re a native Boisean or a transplant, I’d love to network and learn from my peers. Boise Bucket List is more than just crossing activities off my list. It’s about pushing myself out of my comfort zone, embracing a life of simple joys, and living in the moment. A philosophy I hope you, my follower, will start to embrace as well.

Mr. Artist —  I look forward to proudly hanging up your artwork in my office for all to see!

Moonstuck @ Moon’s Kitchen Cafe: 10 Day BOI Bucket List Challenge 

by boisebucketlist, posted in BOI Bucket List Challenge, Food & Cuisine

Christmas shopping & all that running around can really stir up an appetite. Or what about all those FanFest events for the Idaho Potato Bowl. Walking around each one can also make you have an appetite.

For me, NONE of the above applied 😂. I simply wanted a hearty breakfast to keep me satisfied for the early part of the day. Plus, I needed to an activity to add to my 10 Day BOI Bucket List Challenge.

Moon’s Kitchen Cafe is a staple of Boise. It’s been serving its homemade milkshakes (something I need to return & try!) since 1955. It’s the epitome 1950’s diner, from the tables to the countertop for solo patrons. The decorations also add to the experience: Elvis Presley photos when he was younger, authentic commercial ads during that era, newspaper clippings.

My timing couldn’t have been more ideal because right when I sat down, a FLOOD of guest stepped in. It’s because of the CSU and UIdaho game —  I saw a sea of green, black & gold.

As a solo patron, I sat at the countertop and reviewed the menu. I knew I wanted a protein-filled breakfast, omelet in particular.

With the diner unusually packed & what I later found out that an employee was a “no-show”, it did take some time to get service. Nonetheless, once the waiter came by, she poured me a delicious hot cup of coffee which I thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe it was multiple cups ☕️☕️.

I ended up ordering the Spicy Sausage Omelet with a side of red potato hash browns, wheat toast, and their homemade jam.

While waiting for the deliciousness soon to be coming my way, I took some time to do research for this blog (yes, I want to see what’s going on in Boise that I can share with you all 😎). Once the waitress walked over with the plate of food, I dropped everything I was doing so I can fully concentrate on this beautiful omelet.

The meal was absolutely worth the wait. I can tell you that I was pretty full after that meal. Breakfast at Moon’s is officially off my Boise Bucket List.

If you’re a newbie:

  • try one of their staple milkshakes, or their chicken fried steak
  • If going for breakfast, try their Lumberjack plate (that was my 2nd choice) or one of their many omelet combinations.
  • If going for lunch, try their chicken fried steak or their burgers (Bleu Moon being my fav!)

If you’re a regular, I challenge you to try something completely new & different from what you normally order. Try a different flavored milkshake or a new burger.

What are some of your places in Boise to have breakfast?