Back in my college days, I was a Boise State Bronco. During my time as a Bronco, I couldn't eat out often because of financing my education. In America, that's code for "paying as much money as I possibly could at the time... so I could have one floatie on my arm to help me while I drowned in future student loan debt." I mostly ate at the dorm cafeteria, where my stomach built up immunity to many foodborne illnesses.
Now that I'm a proper adult and not subsisting on entrees with a side of E. coli, I really enjoy eating out on a visit to Boise. There are two places in particular that make my vegetarian belly as excited as a dog around any food he finds on the floor. Take me to Madhuban and Guido's every day of the week!
Madhuban Indian Cuisine has a sweet lunch buffet for $9.99, and the selection is awesome. There are plenty of options for we veggieheads, as well as the meat-eaters in our lives who put up with us suggesting quinoa for every meal. If you're headed out for dinner, they have some awesome vegetarian appetizers, including an actual vegetarian platter for $5.99. Among their starter options are paneer pakora, vegetable pakora, aloo pakora... do I need to keep mentioning various fried things or have you already grabbed your wallet and started driving from miles away?
Also, check out their vegetarian entree menu... the list keeps going beyond that. It keeps going. A restaurant with significantly more options than salad, baked potato, and/or a cheesy dish? What?! Want to fall even more in love? The vegetarian section of the menu is the longest one. Get ready to propose marriage to a restaurant.
While you're proposing marriage to Madhuban, I'll be proposing to Guido's Pizzeria. It's impossible for me to spend a day in Boise without stopping there. If I head to Boise for a half marathon, which happens at least a few times a year, I immediately take advantage of the calorie deficit by eating half a pie. Whomever I end up splitting it with has no problem eating the other half - assuming I let them - whether or not they've run. In all honestly, I have half of a 20-inch cheese pizza regardless of my physical activity that day. I just require the doorway to be resized on my way out if I didn't run beforehand.
If I had "hidden magazines" anywhere, they'd just have pictures of this pizza.
The 20-inch cheese pizza runs you 14 dollars, with the 18-incher a buck cheaper. You can also buy pizza by the slice if you actually care about the well-being of your digestive system. (Whaaat??) Those are $2.50 or $2.75. Salads, breads, beer, and wine are available to compliment your order. I just save all the calories for the pizza, though. And now, writing and thinking about Guido's for the past few minutes, my mouth is watering and I'm trying to decide if I have enough time to drive the 120 or so miles to get a pizza before they close...
If you're headed to Boise, or are maybe among the hoards moving there, walk on the Greenbelt, take a hike in the Foothills, and then treat your belly to some Madhuban and Guido's. It will forgive you if you fill it a little too much. It knows that's inevitable. Also, it requests you sprinkle some basil on the pizza.
For some tips on other things to do besides causing your jeans button to burst off, check out my Boise Thrifty Trip video.
