(goldysbreakfastbistro.com) – Downtown Boise, Idaho

How I heard of this place: On one of my self-guided tours of the city, I happened upon the Boise Art Museum (BAM), where one of my favorite artists – Joàn Miro – had an exhibit. I had the pleasure of speaking with the very artsy-looking lady at the front desk, who told me that Goldy’s was a Boise staple, not to be missed. Well, we weren’t about to miss it. And we are so pleased that we didn’t!

Type of cuisine: “Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro (“Goldy’s”) was opened in February 1999 in the heart of downtown Boise, ID. Goldy’s takes pride in its made to order breakfast using as many fresh local ingredients as possible to provide a variety of choices. Choose from our standard combo meals that give you choices, choices, choices… We are known for our homemade Hollandaise and our unique entrees Spinach Frittata, Andalusia Eggs (Bon Appetite’s favorite (2002 Issue)) and always our scratch pancakes.

We shop for the best fruit we can get our hands on. Our fruit cups and plates are marvelous and local customers who want to impress their guest start their breakfast with our artful display of citrus, melons, kiwi and berries. Goldy’s has a full service espresso bar featuring local Dawson Taylor coffee. Dawson Taylor shares our beliefs in quality and roasts our house blend of Back Country Blend that compliments our food like a fine wine. Don’t forget our variety of mimosa’s and try our house Goldy’s Sunrise Mimosa (orange juice, mango, guava and a touch of cranberry)… Due to popularity, Goldy’s now sells merchandise and gift cards too.

Goldy’s takes pride in their loyal customers and our fantastic crew. Our employees are one of a kind and work extremely hard. Come in and watch our crew prepare and deliver your meal. It will entertain you while you wait for your food. We only have 56 seats so bring your cell phone, put your name on the waiting list (no reservations), and enjoy the great city Boise.

We will call you when your table is ready.“

Ambiance: Nearly having missed the small sign above the door, we were pleasantly surprised that the bustling space had room for us, immediately in the small loft above. Downstairs, the velvet-curtain laden entry opened into the loud happiness that seems truly characteristic of this quaint, neighborhood eatery.

Tables and chairs crammed in, the kitchen to the right and back of the house, a ceiling fan so wobbly it is nearly ready to take off, and a small balcony of loft-style seating above, the smiles on our faces continued to grow as we took note of the quirky, the simple and the creative.

What I ordered: Staying true to form, my husband saw the Chicken Fried Steak with eggs, choose of potatoes and bread – or substituted pancake! ($12.95) – and was unlikely to be swayed.

 

A cup of strong coffee with free refills, and he was set for the long road trip home.

 

For me, again, true to form, I stuck with a signature dish that was well-touted on the Goldy’s website and in my conversations with locals and restaurant staff: Eggs Benny, a full order ($7.75): English muffin, Black Forest Ham (I substituted crispy bacon) and Hollandaise.

 

What I loved: The potatoes! Glorious potatoes. The pancake, too, a fluffy, decadant dessert with our meals added richness and extra gratification. I will say, too, that the Country Fried Steak was definitely within the top three, if not at the top of all I’ve sampled in my relatively short breakfast journey with my husband.

Why I loved it: Full, vibrant, quirkiness of a downtown Boise staple, excellent food with generous portions, and a bustling space full of locals (and at least a couple of us tourists), where everyone is happy, boisterous and…not working on a Thursday morning at nine o’clock in the morning!

Cost: Average ($7 – $12.95 per breakfast plate)

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