duck

Bits & Bites: ICHA Futurity & Aged Event

I’m currently in Nampa, Idaho, for the Idaho Cutting Horse Association (ICHA) Futurity and Aged Event. I love to experience local restaurants while traveling, so I decided to hit up a Nampa favorite, the American restaurant Brick 29 Bistro.

It’s only a few minutes from the show grounds and my hotel, so that was a plus, but it was really difficult to find parking. I parked two blocks away, but the weather was nice and I didn’t mind walking. I was seated immediately, and as the name promises, the whole interior of the restaurant was brick.

I started off with an order of the herb crusted calamari steak with wasabi aioli. It was light and tender, but I personally thought the wasabi was a tad strong for the delicate the flavor of the calamari. For my main dish, I went with one of the house specials, pan-seared duck breast with a truffle risotto cake, local squash mix and citrus peach chutney.

I have mixed feelings about my entrée. The truffle risotto cake was awesome, and the presentation of everything was stellar. The taste of each element was pretty spot on, but it was the texture and the combinations of flavors that I was unsure about. Whenever I have ordered seared duck in the past, it had a crispy skin to balance the rich and somewhat oily meat.

calamari
Calamari steak strips at Brick 29 Bistro

There was no variation in texture from the outer skin and the inner meat, but like I said before, the flavor was there and wasn’t gamy. I wasn’t put off and still enjoyed my meal, but I think I will go with the much raved about steak or burgers next time.

Quick Reference Guide

Brick 29 Bistro

Overall Bit Rating (up to 5): bitlarge bitlarge bitlarge

Dinner menu

Pricing $-$$$$: $$

Next stop: High Roller Reining Classic