All the Tasty Horses?

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Chowder Bowl Has the Best Clam Chowder in Newport Oregon

Mmmmm….so delicious!  Chowder Bow’s chowder is thick, creamy, and full of clams.  Those clams are extra sweet and meaty, and the chowder base is perfectly seasoned.  Served with a dollop of butter, this chowder is outrageously delicious.  I had a small cup with my fried seafood meal, but after tasting it, I wish I would have elected to have the Cannon Ball Chowder Bowl instead (chowder served inside a hollowed out sourdough round loaf).  Next time you’re in Newport, don’t waste your time with all the other chowder joints, trust me, the New England style clam chowder at Chowder Bowl puts them all to shame.

Newport Chowder Bowl Clam Chowder

Chowder Bowl also serves slumgolian, which I’m sure is amazing.  I almost ordered it, but felt too guilty against my new found friends over at Fishtails Cafe, where I had just eaten slumgolian for the first time.

Exceptional Fish and Chips at Chowder Bowl, Newport Oregon

Newport Chowder Bowl Seafood Platter

Not eating fried fish while at the Oregon Coast would be like not eating chocolate in Hershey, PA.  The fish and chips at Chowder Bowl are exceptional, and are actually what we went there for.  We ordered the Seafood Platter, and loved it.

The Seafood Platter consisted of:  fried fish, fried shrimp, fried oysters, fried calamari, fried clam strips, some fresh steamed tiny Pacific shrimp, and of course, fried chips.  Lets start by talking about the chips.

Unlike most fish and chips places that serve regular old french fries, Chowder Bowl cuts their potatoes into rounds.  The result are chips that, well, look just like thick potato chips.  There’s probably nothing English authentic about round chips, but they were tasty, fun, and something I hadn’t seen before.  They are normally cooked until golden on the outside and soft on the inside, but we asked for ours to be cooked longer so that they were crispy crunchy throughout.  They’re good either way.

Now lets talk about the fish.  Holy crap this stuff was good!  The fish filets (cod) were very tender, flaky, and moist.  The breading was perfectly seasoned and was perfectly crunchy.  The calamari was exceptional, the shrimp divine, the oysters sweet balls of heaven, and the clam strips were probably the best I’ve ever had (made from gooey duck clams).  All of the seafood used was of very high quality.  But what impressed me the most was that each seafood had a different breading/batter put on it.  Most fried fish joints just use the same batter for everything, but Chowder Bowl goes the extra mile by pairing each seafood with its own batter or breading to match the texture and flavors of each individual seafood item.  That is extremely rare to find, and says a lot about their management.

Chowder Bowl Make Their Own Sauces

Another “above the notch” touch about Chowder Bowl is that they make their own tarter sauce and their own cocktail sauce.  Both are very good, but the tarter sauce is exceptional.  I love this place!

When visiting Newport, Oregon, make sure you stop in at Chowder Bowl for some good eats before walking down to the beach.  If you’re like me, you will make this a regular stop anytime you’re passing through the region.

The Bald Gourmet eats at Chowder Bowl in Newport, Oregon and rates it as a must stop at at gastronomical wonderland.

Fishtails Cafe Newport South Beach Oregon

After a fun filled morning of crabbing on the Oregon Coast, our bellies were aching for something good to eat.  There are numerous places to eat good seafood in Newport, serving chowder, fish and chips, clam strips, oysters, and everything in between.  But we were after something different.  Something that we would take home with us in our minds to remember.  We found just the thing at Fishtails Cafe just south of Newport in South Beach.

Fishtails is just across the Newport bridge, and you can’t really miss its bright green pirate ship facade, canons included.  Fishtails is a small locally owned mom and pop restaurant.  It is clean, but not glamorous.  But there is a great charm about it.  There are mismatched plates, as well as mismatched cloth napkins of varying sizes, patterns, and textures.  I like it, it’s fun.  Fishtails is small, but there seems to be a fairly steady flow of customers going through the door.

Fishtails serves up all the common beach town fair.  But the dish we entered for was something I hadn’t heard of before:  their very own Slumgullion.

Best Slumgullion in Newport Oregon at Fishtails Cafe

Fishtails Cafe Newport Slumgullion

Slumgullion starts off as a heaping bowl of clam chowder, but then bay shrimp are added, and the whole thing gets topped with tons of white cheese.  It is then baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.  Wow!

Fishtails chowder is very creamy, and doesn’t have any potatoes in it.  I actually really appreciate that there aren’t any potatoes.  So many chowder places give you more potatoes than anything else.  But rather than fill up their chowder with spuds, Fishtails fills theirs with huge chunks of sweet clams.  Delicious!  Then with the steamed bay shrimp and all the white cheese (Asiago and Parmesan I think), it is freaking outrageously delicious.  My bowl had so much cheese in it that it was almost like eating a clam and shrimp fondue!  Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously, every bite was pulling long strings of gooey melted cheese.  I found that I needed to add salt and pepper, but other than that, this slumgullion was a perfect seafood delight.

Fishtails serves their Slumgullion with garlic bread, which is grilled on the flattop until toasted.  To me, the garlic was a bit overpowering at times, and somewhat conflicted with the slumgullion.  I think I would have preferred just plain grilled bread instead.

Perfect Apple Pie Made by Barbara Abshire of Fishtails Cafe

Fishtails Cafe Newport Oregon Fresh Baked Apple Pie

At the end of my meal, I excused myself to visit the restroom.  On my way back, I complimented a man that seemed to be one of owners, or the owner.  He said thanks with a big smile on his face, then beckoned me to follow him into the kitchen.  He took me over to a back corner counter with a beautiful fresh baked apple pie on it.  He pointed out that it was still warm, and with a bigger smile, told me I’d be really missing out if I didn’t have some.  The smell was intoxicating.  How could I refuse?  I was beguiled, and I did eat.

This pie was perfect.  It was made with granny smith apples, which were perfectly tart and firm.  There was the perfect amount of brown sugar to compensate the tartness, and it was made with just the right amount cinnamon.  If there was nutmeg, it was so subtle that it was hard to pick up.  This allowed the flavor of the apples to come through more, which was excellent.  The crust was great too; flaky but with a nice chew.  And I loved the cinnamon sugar garnish put on the whipped cream it was served with.  All in all, this was some of the best apple pie that I’ve ever had.  Great job Barbara!

If you find yourself in Newport, make sure to visit Fishtails Cafe, order the Slumgullion, and tell Barbara the Bald Gourmet asked her to serve you a slice of her apple pie!

The Bald Gourmet eats Slumgullion and awesome fresh-baked apple pie at Fishtails Cafe while visiting Newport Oregon.

Oysters Rockefeller at the Coast

Recently on a vacation to the Oregon Coast, I was inspired to make Oysters Rockefeller with the fresh oysters purchased straight out of the Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon.  Literally pulled out of the water just hours before I purchased them, I knew these oysters were going to be spectacular.  And how better to celebrate them than to dress them up with spinach, tomatoes, garlic, butter, bacon, and cheese!  We grilled the oysters whole in their shells first, popped them open with a shucking blade, dressed them with Rockefeller toppings, then broiled them in the oven.  The result was truly divine, perfect oysters.

I forgot my camera that night, and had to make due with my iPhone.  Our indoor lighting was terrible, but I did the best I could to get some step-by-step photos for this post.

Ingredients Needed for Grilled Oysters Rockefeller with Bacon

• 1 dozen small oysters in the shell
• 3/4 stick butter
• 1 cup finely chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley (mixed with spinach)
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely diced tomato
• 3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 small lemon, juice evenly squeezed over oysters
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Oysters Rockefeller Ingredients

How to Make Grilled Oysters Rockefeller with Bacon

Place oysters, whole in shell, on a hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes, until shells begin to bubble and steam and slightly pop open.

Grill Oysters in Shell on Barbeque

Wearing gloves (to insulate hands), remove an oyster shell from grill, and while holding in gloved hand, place shucking blade into crack opening and twist to open the shell.  Pull open shell, and run blade on top of connecting muscle to release oyster from the top half of shell.  Reserve as much of the internal juices as you can, and place half shell on a baking tray.  Discard top half of shell.  Repeat with remaining oysters.  If you want to get fancy, fill the baking sheet with rock salt and place the oyster shells on the salt instead.

Shuck Hot Oysters From Grill

Grilled Oysters in the Half Shell

Now, you could just stop here and enjoy these perfectly steamed oysters with some butter, hot sauce, and squeeze of lemon, and I’ll admit, we ate over a dozen like that.  They were delicious, but the Rockefeller version put them to shame.

Top the oysters with a pad of butter (1/12th of the butter) and season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and shallot, bacon, spinach and parsley, tomato, Parmesan, lemon juice, and panko.

Oyster Rockefeller Toppings to Bake

Place under a broiler on center rack of oven and broil until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are toasted, about 6-8 minutes.

Baked Oysters Rockefeller

Serve hot.  Enjoy!

Recipe by Jothan Yeager, April 19, 2013

The Bald Gourmet grills up some amazing Oysters Rockefeller with a touch of bacon while vacationing at a beach house on the Oregon Coast.

Dried Apricot Tart

Easter this year was a beautiful sunny day, and I wanted something bright and “sunny” to match, so I created this delicious dried apricot tart.  With its bright apricot flavor and color, zesty orange bite, and almond crunch, it ended up being the perfect dessert for the day.

While on vacation at the Oregon Coast this past week, I made it again to finalize my recipe notes and correct some minor things.  We were staying in a rustic old cabin, which created the perfect photography backdrop for this delicious country dessert.  Enjoy!

The Bald Gourmet Perfecting His Dried Apricot Tart Recipe

How to Make an Almond Tart Crust

• 2 cups all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon for dusting
• 5 tablespoons ground almonds (1/3 cup whole almonds, processed to fine chunks in a food processor)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons almond liqueur
• 3/8 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup water

Combine 2 cups flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Add Dry Tart Crust Ingredients to Bowl

Stir Dry Ingredients to Combine

Add butter and cut into flour mixture until small crumbs are achieved.

Cut in Butter to Dry Ingredients

Stir almond liqueur and vanilla extract into water, and cut into flour and butter mixture until just combined.  Wrap in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to let cool.

While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 375°.

Once dough has chilled and the butter has firmed, remove from plastic wrap, dust with 1 tablespoon of flour, and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Place in tart pan, trim off excess, and form evenly throughout pan, adding trimmed dough as needed along the sides to create a uniform thickness.

Press Tart Dough into Tart Pan

Place dough in the center rack of preheated oven, and bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes, until a done.  You’ve essentially made a large almond cookie, so look for a texture similar to that of a hot baked cookie.  Check on the crust while baking and break any large bubbles which may form with a fork or toothpick.

Pre-Baked Tart Crust

Remove from oven and set aside.

Recipe – How to Make an Almond Orange Tart Filling

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon almond liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Add egg and egg yolk to mixing bowl, and whisk together.

Egg and Egg Yolk in Bowl

Whisk Egg in Country Bowl

Add remaining ingredients to beaten eggs and whisk well to combine, trying to get rid of as many cream cheese lumps as you can.

Whisk Tart Wet Ingredients Together

Pour tart filling into prepared tart crust (still in tart pan), place in the center rack of preheated oven, and bake at 375° for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Remove from oven, then prepare the apricot topping.

Can I Use Dried Apricots to Make a Tart?

Although you could use fresh apricots for this tart, dried apricots have a stronger flavor and a more chewy texture, which to me, makes them perfect for tarts.  Plus, dried are readily available year round.  In order to use dried apricots, you should cut each apricot in half lengthwise to make them easier to bite and chew.

Slicing Dried Apricot in Half

When choosing your dried apricots, make sure to select a high quality brand which provides soft, gooey centered dried apricots, such as Mariani.

Mariani Dried Apricots

For the Dried Apricot Tart, you will need the following:

• Roughly 30 dried apricots
• Roughly 2 tablespoons apricot jam

Arrange apricot halves onto baked tart, cut side down.  Start on the outside and work your way into the center.  Brush/smear apricot jam all over the dried apricots and tart filling to completely glaze.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (4 is preferable), then remove from tart pan, place on a serving tray, slice, and enjoy.  Yum!

Glazed Dried Apricot Tart

Recipe by Jothan Yeager, March 30, 2013

The Bald Gourmet’s recipe for Dried Apricot Tart with Orange and Almond is delicious and reminds you of a country summer dessert.

Dandelion Greens with Pine Nuts and Dried Cherries

Well, I’ve completely lost it.  I’ve now started pulling weeds out of my back yard and cooking tasty gourmet treats out of them.  What the heck?  Have I lost it?  Or have I stumbled upon a free, readily accessible, wild gourmet edible chalked full of vitamins A, C, and K, full of calcium, and a bit of protein?  That’s right folks, the noxious weed we all dump poison on every year to have an unadulterated lawn is actually tasty and good for us.

I’ve actually been wanting to try this for several years, but finally built up the courage to do it.  I’ve eaten dandelion greens for years in gourmet lettuce blends, but never pulled my own at home.  What a shame that I didn’t before now.  They are actually pretty good, and I recommend trying them.

I’ve read numerous cookbooks, food magazines, and online recipe blogs talking about dandelions.  There are several recipes for them out there, and I pulled the best of those I found to create this delicious and unique side dish, which would be perfect along side wild game.  My freezer is currently out of elk and venison though, so I settled for chicken, which worked as well.

Can I Eat Dandelions Out of My Yard?

Yes!  Just make sure that you choose some that haven’t been treated with any chemicals.  And make sure to only eat the fresh young plants in early Spring.  Young are good, old are bad.

As the dandelion plant matures and starts to form flower buds, a white milky “blood” permeates the stems and stalks.  This milky liquid is extremely bitter; to the point of not being able to eat it.  But before the flowers start to grow, the leaves don’t have this crap in them and taste clean and almost grass-like…..similar to spinach.  They still have a hint of bitter to them, but aren’t any more bitter than other bitter greens (such as radicchio, endive, collards, etc.).  But I’ve recently read a few interesting culinary uses for the flowers as well, so I plan to try them out and do a post about them as well.  Stay tuned.

How to Prepare Dandelion Greens for Cooking

If there’s anything difficult about cooking dandelion greens, it has to be washing the filthy little buggers.  The stems seem to be magnets for lawn dirt, and the base of the leaves are often riddled with bugs.  No worries though.  Just fill your sink up with water and dump them in.  Separate the base into smaller pieces (you will see there are separate main stalks that come off the root base).  Then with some scissors/shears, simply cut the leaves off about an inch or so up from the base.  Toss the base, and wash the leaves thoroughly.  I recommend washing them a couple times to make sure you get everything off of them, including pesky pieces of dead grass.  Dry in a colander, and you’re ready to go.

Wash Dandelion Greens in Colander

Once washed, simply place the dandelion leaves on a cutting board, roll into a bundle with your hands, and cut into 2-inch pieces with a sharp knife.

Cut Dandelion Greens into 2 Inch Pieces

Cut Dandelion Greens

Cut Dandelion Greens on Wood Cutting Board

You can now uses the washed and prepared greens in fresh salads, mixed in with pasta, or saute them like in this recipe.  They actually are worth eating, so enjoy!

Recipe for Sauteed Dandelion Greens

• 1 pound washed dandelion greens, chopped into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, cut in half
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water

How to Cook Delicious Sauteed Dandelion Greens

First, start by toasting your pine nuts.  To do this, place a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium-heat until hot.  Add the pine nuts to the pan, and dry saute for several minutes until toasted and golden in color.  Remember to swirl the pan and flip the pine nuts over often so that they don’t burn and so that they color evenly.  Then remove the pine nuts from the pan and set aside.

Toasting Pine Nuts in Cast Iron Skillet

Return the pan to the heat and melt the bacon fat.  Add the dandelion greens and season with salt and pepper.  Allow the greens to begin to wilt, cooking uncovered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so that they wilt evenly.

Saute Dandelion Greens in Cast Iron Skillet

Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, again stirring once in a while so that the garlic cooks evenly.  Add cherries, water, and lemon juice, and cook for a few more minutes until the cherries are soft and the water is absorbed.  Toss with the pine nuts and serve hot.

Serves 3

Dandelion Greens with Pine Nuts and Dried Cherries Close Up

Recipe by Jothan Yeager, April 7, 2013

The Bald Gourmet goes foraging in his back yard to cook up some tasty wild dandelion greens with pine nuts and dried cherries.

Crostini with Sauteed Calabacita Squash

When I was in Puerto Vallarta staying at Riu Palace Pacifico, I discovered this tasty little appetizer crostini hidden among the hundreds of items in their main buffet.  I was amazed at the depth of flavor such a simple creation provided.  Crunchy, savory, and a touch sweet, it was everything my mouth could desire, and I made a note to make it for a crowd at some point.  Well, that point came recently at an event I helped cater.  It was a hit, even with the teenagers in the crowd who were afraid to eat squash.

What is Calabacita (Tatuma) Squash?

Calabacita Squash

This ancient squash is native to Latin America.  Archeologists have found evidence of human consumption in Latin America dating back 10,000 years ago.  It is known by many names, including:  Calabacita, Tatuma, Tatume, Calabacita Italiano, Mexican Grey Squash, and White Mexican Squash.  However it is called, it is delicious.  It has a thin tender skin which is light green in color with little white speckles all over it.  The flesh inside is white and fairly firm.  Both skin and flesh are cooked.  It has a great buttery and savory flavor, and gets slightly sweet when sauteed and lightly caramelized.  As I discovered while in Puerto Vallarta, it is very diversified in its use.  I found it served up in everything from soup, to appetizers, to omelets, to casseroles; and it was all delicious. It has a much deeper flavor than zucchini, and is perhaps the most flavorful of all the summer squashes.

You can readily find Calabacita squash along side zucchini and yellow squash in most grocery stores that cater to Hispanic clientele.  Here locally in Boise, Idaho, I source it from Winco.

How to Cook Calabacita Squash

You can grill, bake, stew, braise, and fry calabacita squash just like you would zucchini.  But for this recipe, I saute it in butter until just caramelized.  Simply cut the calabacita squash in half lengh-wise, then slice into 1/2 half inch pieces.  Melt the butter with olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the squash, add diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-heat for about 15 minutes until tender and golden in color.

Sauteing Calabacita Squash

Ingredients for Making Crostini with Calabacita Squash

• 2 lbs calabacita squash
• 1/4 large onion, diced
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette, sliced diagonally (1-inch thickness) and toasted
• 3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
• Fresh herbs (like dill) to garnish

How to Plate and Serve Crostini with Calabacita Squash

Spread a heaping spoonful of sauteed squash onto crostini.  Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top of squash, then place a sprig of fresh dill or other fresh herb on top.  Place individual crostini on a small plate, or place several on a large serving platter.

Plated Crostini with Calabacita Squash

Catering Crostini with Calabacita Squash

 Recipe by Jothan Yeager, March 6, 2013

The Bald Gourmet brings home a concept for a delicious Calabacita Squash Crostini recipe from Puerto Vallarta.

Avocado Salsa Verde

This exceptional salsa is perfect on Shrimp Tostadas, any kind of taco, with chips for something different, or smeared all over burgers.  The acidic tomatillos and lime juice keep the avocado bright green.  It’s tangy, a touch spicy, and oh so delicious.

• 2 ripe haas avocados
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 4 medium tomatillos
• 1 large jalapeno
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat BBQ grill to high heat.  Rub the tomatillos, onion, and jalapeno with vegetable oil.  Grill over high heat, rotating every few minutes, until blistered and slightly charred; about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and place the onion and jalapeno in a food processor with the garlic clove.  Pulse until slightly chunky.  Add the tomatillos and avocados, and pulse again until slightly chunky.  Add the lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and pulse another 5-6 pulses.  The verde should have a chunky but smooth salsa consistency.

Recipe by Sadie Clift, March 2013

The Bald Gourmet shares his fiances delicious Avocado Salsa Verde recipe.  Try it!

Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Verde

My sweet fiance surprised me yesterday by sneaking in my house and cooking dinner for me while I was on my way home from work.  When I walked in, the place was filled with the crisp clean flavors of the Mexican coastline.  Yup, she’s a keeper.  The meal was so delicious, I had her write down what she did so that I could share it here on the blog.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Recipe for Avocado Salsa Verde

• 2 ripe haas avocados
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 4 medium tomatillos
• 1 large jalapeno
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat BBQ grill to high heat.  Rub the tomatillos, onion, and jalapeno with vegetable oil.  Grill over high heat, rotating every few minutes, until blistered and slightly charred; about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and place the onion and jalapeno in a food processor with the garlic clove.  Pulse until slightly chunky.  Add the tomatillos and avocados, and pulse again until slightly chunky.  Add the lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and pulse another 5-6 pulses.  The verde should have a chunky but smooth salsa consistency.

Avocado Verde Salsa

Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe

Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers

For her shrimp, Sadie used jumbo U15 Shrimp.  These were awesome on the tostadas.  They remained moist, provided great bites of shrimpy goodness, and were beautiful piled on the tostada shells.  I highly recommend you spend the extra couple bucks for these shrimp.

• 18 U15 Jumbo Shrimp (1 pound)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili lime seasoning (like Tajin Clasico Seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 soaked bamboo skewers, or 6 metal skewers

Shell and clean shrimp, then coat with the vegetable oil.  Sprinkle with all remaining ingredients and toss to evenly distribute seasoning.  Place 3 shrimp on each skewer, and grill over high heat for 5 minutes.  Flip and grill the other side for 3 minutes.

Assembly of Shrimp Tostadas with Traditional Toppings

Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Verde

• 6 authentic corn tostadas (don’t use the crap boxed kind.  Only use the bagged ones that are actually deep-fried corn tortillas)
• 1/2 small head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of red radishes, thinly sliced
• 3-4 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into small wedges

Shrimp Tostada Toppings

Smear a couple spoonfuls of avocado verde salsa onto a tostada shell.  Top with 3 chili lime jumbo shrimp.  Then top with sliced cabbage, radishes, and cilantro.  Repeat as you eat until they’re all gone.

Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Verde Close Up

Makes 6 tostadas.  Serves 2.

Recipe by Sadie Clift, March 2013

The Bald Gourmet is served some delicious Shrimp Tostadas with an exceptional Avocado Salsa Verde by his lovely sweetheart, Sadie.

Janitzio Mexican Restaurant in Caldwell, Idaho

The place he sent me to was just a small 6 table establishment.  It seemed to be more kitchen than dining area.  Upon entering, I was greeted with amazing smells of deliciousness.  I took a seat and was handed a rather extensive menu by a very friendly server, whom I am suspicious was the owner, with his wife being the cook.  I looked over their enchiladas, burritos, soups, salads, platters, and different offerings like the traditional sauce smothered chips with melted cheese that I ate at Riu Palace in Puerto Vallarta.  I should have probably ordered one of their more extensive items, but I instead settled for quick and easy off the lunch menu.

Tamales and Enchiladas at Janitzio Restaurant, Good and Bad?

I ordered the Lunch Menu Number 3.

Janitzio Tamale Enchilada Lunch

As soon as this plate hit my table, I knew where some of those amazing smells were coming from.  The tamale sauce was the contributor and it was awesome!  It had heavy carrot and celery flavors in a tomato chili sauce base. Absolutely divine. The tamale itself was good, but different.  The masa was fluffy, almost like a cornbread.  It was filled with beef inside, even though I ordered pork. The meat was not great, and seemed lacking in flavor.  If it wasn’t for the amazing sauce, would I have liked this tamale?  I really enjoyed the after taste, though, once I was all done.

In contrast, the enchilada sauce was sweeter, almost reminding me of a mole. It was very good, and was rather thick and pasty.  I ordered a chicken enchilada, but they brought me pork.  Again, the meat just seemed to be lacking in wonderment.  It was good, but no where near the enchiladas at Tacos y Mariscos.

The rice was very good.  The beans were very beany and good.

Best Winning Salsa in Idaho at Janitzio Mexican Restaurant

Janitzio Best Restaurant Salsa

The best thing that Janitzio has to offer, at least from what I tasted, is their house-made salsa.  This is some damn good salsa folks.  It tasted just like summer made from garden tomatoes!  It was made with fresh tomatoes as well as canned crushed tomatoes. It had a good onion and garlic flavor, a mild heat from jalapeno peppers, a nice spice seasoning, a good black pepper taste, a touch of bright cilantro zing, and a bit of tangy-ness from some vinegar.  It also had a “secret” ingredient that they wouldn’t tell me about.  It was blended smooth, and went perfect with their house fried chips.  This was the best restaurant salsa I’ve had anywhere.  It surprised the hell out of me.  It was so good that I bought a pint for $4 to go home with me, which I have completely devoured already.  Anytime I go to Caldwell from now on, I will be stopping by Janitzio to pick up some more salsa.  I highly recommend that you do the same.

A Bloggers Thoughts on This Family Run Restaurant

All in all, it was a pretty good lunch, and not a bad recommendation.  Not the best Mexican food by any means, but the salsa was worth the dining experience alone.

The Bald Gourmet eats at Janitzio Mexican Restaurant in Caldwell and is surprised to find the best restaurant salsa anywhere.