Saturday, March 12, 2011

Culinary Critique - La Vie En Rose

La Vie En Rose is a hidden gem in downtown Boise.  I guess it's not really "hidden"... It is located in the historic IdanHa Hotel, built in 1901.  When it was built, the hotel was the tallest building in the state of Idaho, and housed the state's first elevator.  Some of it's most notable guests included Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.  (More interesting info on the history of the hotel can be found here.)

Walking into the restaurant I was a little surprised by how elegant it was.  The atmosphere is divine and can be summed up as bright Parisian. You'll feel you have been transported to a cafe in France with beautiful chandeliers and large picture windows that let in innumerable light.

For breakfast/brunch I had the Traditional French Toast made with their homemade brioche and hash browns with Gruyere and jack cheeses - and a side of bacon.  Whew.  It was incredibly delicious and so filling.  The brioche was so thick and heavy I couldn't finish it.  The cheesy hash browns were admittedly cold, but still were some of the best I have tasted and had a slight spicy "kick".  (So I can only imagine what they are like hot) :-)  The coffee I had was also pleasant.  Although next time I will definitely order their mocha (with Mexican-style chocolate sauce).  Jeremy had the Asparagus, Tomato & Goat Cheese Frittata (which is totally his style). It also came with toast and hashed browns.  He assured me it was also delicious. 

We didn't feel rushed at all, even on a busy Saturday morning, and all of the servers/employees we came in contact with were both friendly and quick.

Grade: A-  Take time to enjoy a little piece of France.  La Vie En Rose is an idyllic brunch location.

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