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25 May 2013  |  Vol: 3 Gallery Store/Donate Advertise
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Restaurant Reviews

Roost
Bozeman, MT

Laurian's Table
(various locations)

COPPER Whiskey Bar & Grill
(photo essay by Blake Maxwell)
Bozeman, MT

Whiskey Jack's Restaurant & Bar
Big Sky, MT

The Emerson Grill
Bozeman, MT

Pizza Campania
Bozeman, MT

The Smiling Moose Deli
Bozeman, MT

Starky's Authentic Americana
Bozeman, MT

The Blackbird Kitchen
Bozeman, MT

John Bozeman's Bistro
Bozeman, MT

Thai Isan
Livingston, MT

Pigsty BBQ
Bozeman, MT

La Palmas
West Yellowstone, MT

Fresco Cafe
Bozeman, MT

Cafe Francais des Arts
Bozeman, MT

Frank's Deli
Bozeman, MT

Willow Creek Cafe & Saloon
Willow Creek, MT

The Fondue Stube
Big Sky, MT

Over the Tapas
Bozeman, MT

Damasco's Pizzeria & Spaghetteria
Belgrade, MT

The Bay Bar & Grille
Bozeman, MT

Pompey's Grill and the Sacajawea Hotel
Three Forks, MT

2nd Street Bistro
Livingston, MT

Ferraro's Fine Italian Restaurant
Bozeman, MT

The Garage
Bozeman, MT

Sweet Chili Asian Bistro
Bozeman, MT
 

 
Spotlight
Fried chicken comes home to Roost

Photo from The Roost in Bozeman

I'll admit I was skeptical when first I saw the bustle of renovation in the old white house on West Main that so long hosted Cafe Zydeco. It amazed me that even Zydeco could hold its own in such a nondescript location without the turnover of downtown foot traffic—a testament to the power of quality and the wordy-mouthiness of our locals. Anyone aiming to fill those Cajun shoes would have a high bar to clear, above and beyond the hardscrabble experience of restauranteering in Bozeman.

It may also be that the space has some ole Dixie mojo.

The Roost—the property’s latest occupant and an establishment specializing in fried chicken—have made the space lighter and airier with their renovations and color palette, though a good portion of that feeling is owed to the open doors and spring sunshine lighting up the renovated back deck.

Even though the ordering process has something of a fast-food feel, with orders placed at the counter and delivered to your table with the aid of numbered cards, the staff’s attentiveness has the blush of a new business eager to build upon care and passion. Don't expect your chicken at drive-through speed, though; an indirect cost of each bird being cooked-to-order is a 20-minute wait. On my first visit, Sweetie and I sipped on sweet tea and soaked up the late afternoon sun with a little impatience.

“Maybe I should've gotten the sandwich,” I commented as an apron-clad gal carried a fried chicken sandwich to a nearby customer. The slaw and buttery-looking toasted bun were taunting my rumbling stomach, but my indecision was cut short by our own orders being brought to the table: half a fried chicken each with biscuits, Photo from The Roost in Bozemanslaw, cheese grits, mashed potatoes, and mac n' cheese. The healthy—well, let's be honest, perhaps that's the wrong word for the staple of Southern cuisine—the generous portions had me envisioning tomorrow's lunch and hoping the leftovers would reheat well. The two-meal, one-price serving has long been coveted by the thrifty.

The Roost's fried chicken was nothing short of what a flagship dish should be: white-meat-defyingly juicy, with a breading that was crisp, salty-sweet, and with just enough spice to zing the tastebuds without actually being what the faint-of-tongue might call spicy. The biscuits were every bit as buttery and fluffy as you'd expect, but disappointingly small. My sweetie promptly cleared his in two bites and nearly got a fork to the hand trying to swipe mine. The mashed potatoes were delightfully laden with garlic, chunky and with the peels left on. Big pieces of bacon topped the otherwise run-of-the-mill mac n' cheese, and the grits were creamy without being too cheesy. I'm a firm believer that the experienced souls among us judge grits and cole slaw by what they were raised eating, and the Roost's slaw couldn't get closer to Mom's if it tried. I prefer mine with a strong bite of black pepper, and almost reached for the shaker out of habit, before realizing it was already just right.

Photo from The Roost in Bozeman

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Roost's proprietors eschewed the usual local ice cream offerings for Big Dipper Ice Cream out of Missoula. Drivers on West Main will likely see the proud signage, bragging up the frozen goodness inside. Anyone familiar with the creamery knows their reputation for top quality and unique flavors, so it's a blessing to the informed Bozeman sweet tooth to have several of their offerings available for dessert without having to drive three and a half hours to get it. A scoop of salted caramel and a scoop of chocolate mingles well with the last of the setting sun, but make sure you've saved the room for it.

Starting a restaurant in Bozeman is no easy affair, and we've seen plenty of places with promise come and crash. Stylish digs and the great patio are a good start. Better are the delectable food and low prices—sandwiches with fries cost under $8, and I heartily recommend the white-sauce Alabama ("Roll Tide!"). So if the Roost can maintain their Southern hospitality and dedication to quality in the coming months, it could swing for years and years among the other regional-cuisine fixtures that are loved by locals and recommended to visitors by those in the know. I think it’s so good, I ate that chicken three meals in a row. 

Photo from The Roost in Bozeman

-TBM

 

The Magpie's long-time food critic, Beverly Ridge has made it a personal mission is “to protect Montana diners from the fleecing imposters, the lazy sourpusses, and the just plain rotten.”  Like her style?  A complete listing of Beverly's area restaurant reviews can be found by linking here.

 
 
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  Spotlight
Verging into local improv
Verging into local improv

Like an orphanage in a 7th Avenue strip mall, the Verge Theatre is the unlikely home of a bourgeoning improv community in Bozeman. Although the venue might be unconventional, Improv on the Verge can claim roots in Chicago's famed Second City, a drop of stardom in the Big Sky. The troupe is an extension of the adult improv classes Christian McDaniel teaches at the former Equinox Theater, a chance for newbie improvisers to air their skills on stage and for Bozeman to enjoy a $5 night at the theater.

I recently sat down to coffee with McDaniel and players Danielle Blank and Molly Hannan. The trio's love of improvisational theater bubbled out of their descriptions of rehearsals, particularly memorable scenes, and their fellow players. Blank said, "When it clicks, it's magic." It's precisely this delicious chemistry between chaos and creation that gives improv its fascinating energy.

 
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  Spotlight
Holi spring!
Holi spring!

Bozeman is not yet New York City, but we’re working on it. Between the Mini Coopers and martini bars, a visiting alien with a working knowledge of gentrification might think she’s in SoHo. So as much as it originally surprised me to learn that the underground restaurant scene exists here, it shouldn’t have.

The supper club or pop-up restaurant movement, thank Dionysus, is here.

Ever heard of Laurian’s Table? Probably not. That’s because Ranga Perera doesn’t advertise. An underground restaurateur, Perera describes himself as a “culinary guerrilla for hire.” He holds private dinner parties in various locations around town, preparing and serving a hand-picked menu (usually of the Asian variety – Korean, Sri Lankan, Thai) for a limited number of guests can experience at a cost, typically, of around $60 per person. Along with savory, exotic food and an intimate atmosphere, consider the irony part of the experience; Laurian’s Table doesn’t offer a venue or a fixed menu, but it is THE place to meet and eat.

 
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Link to Spotlight Archives
 
Who We're listening to

Janelle Monae
 

Justin Townes Earle
 
 
7-Day planner
March against Monsanto/ Rally for GMO food labeling
May 25, 2013
9 am
Community Food Co-op - The Flying C

Bozofest (ultimate frisbee)
May 25, 2013
5/25 and 5/26
8:45 am
Bronken soccer complex

Frank Newman Marathon and Relay (24th annual)
May 25, 2013
8 am
Bridger Canyon Rd.

National Hurricane Preparedness Week
May 26, 2013
(You know, just in case.)
5/26 - 6/1

MEMORIAL DAY
May 27, 2013


Class — Glass House Photography Class
May 27, 2013
5:45 pm
F-11 Photographic Supplies

Music — Pokey Lefarge
May 27, 2013
8 pm
Peach Street Studios

Int'l Folk Dance, Scottish Country Dancing
May 28, 2013
SOB Barn, MSU
6:30 pm, 8 pm, respectively

Official 'Slugs return from Capistrano' Day
May 28, 2013
(No idea what that means, but it beats 'my 41st birthday.')

Kids — Junior Scientists
May 28, 2013
11 am
Children's Museum of Bozeman

Ceramic Workshop
May 29, 2013
7 pm
Beth Kennedy Studio

Dancing-- Sizzling Salsa
May 29, 2013
8 pm
Montana Movement Arts Center

Human Genome Lecture
May 30, 2013
6-7 pm
Museum of the Rockies
FREE

Christian McDaniel's One Man Show
May 31, 2013
8 pm
The Verge Theatre

Theatre-- Christian McDaniel's One Man Show 'Me! The Continuing Story of a Boy Who Refuses to Grow Up'
May 31, 2013
8 pm
Verge Theatre

Education — Bird Banding Demonstration
May 31, 2013
7 am - 11 am
Yellowstone Ranger District, Livingston

Gallatin Dog Club's Agility Trials, Obedience & Rally Trials
May 31, 2013
5/31 2 pm - 6 pm
6/1 & 6/2, 8 am - 3pm
Gallatin County Fairgrounds Denecke Park

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