Canyon Crest, Twin Falls, ID

In the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, everyone knows there are two prominent restaurants that serve as the best restaurants in the area. I've been to one, Elevation 486, many, many times. But, this time, my friend convinced me to try the other one: Canyon Crest.

Located above Idaho's beautiful Snake River Canyon, is a gorgeous stone restaurant. We had called earlier and they confirmed that they could prepare some vegan dishes. When we arrived around 7 p.m. on this Monday night, they were ready for us. They sat us in one of the big dining rooms overlooking the canyon. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see, but it was still a beautiful room with big booths, a plush red sofa, a fireplace, and a full bar.

I started with a classic negroni, which the bartender was excited to make!

The server kindly told us what could be made vegan, but also said there were special items that could be made off-menu. The Sous Chef, Adam Casel, came out to describe what he could prepare for us. We started with an incredible oven-roasted tomato filled with muffuletta olives and other good stuff, served with delicious marinara and basil sauces. It was loaded with great flavor.

For our entree, we decided to split a Ratatouille and were pleasantly surprised when they brought it out already plated for two (separately). How classy. This dish was so good! Over rice noodles, was a delicious ratatouille made with broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms, and squash covered in a red sauce and topped with fresh basil.

On the side, we had some sauteed spinach.

And, for dessert, he cooked us a carrot cake served with strawberries and raspberries.

Afterwards, the chef came out to see if we liked and we were all but hugging him. Just like that, I found a new favorite restaurant in Twin Falls. If you are seeking an awesome location, great view, comfortable dining room, excellent service, and appropriate prices for dinner, look no further. Highly recommended.

Canyon Crest
330 Canyon Crest Drive
Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
(208) 733-9392

Java, Twin Falls, ID

After half a day of jumping off of a bridge, we were hungry. In all the times I've been to Twin Falls, at least one person recommends that we eat at Java and I always say, "no," because there are no items that appear to be vegan on their online menu. So, I reluctantly headed over to see what could be made vegan.

When we got there, there was a long line. This is really a cafe that serves caffeine-addicted coffee drinkers. (You can tell I don't drink coffee.) When I asked about vegan options, they said there were a few things that could be made vegan, so I was happy. We placed our orders and sat down.

Our meals came out pretty quickly. We both ordered the Kale and Quinoa Salad (sans feta) made with diced up kale, quinoa, craisins, walnuts, and a lemon dijon dressing. It was good, but nothing to write home about. And, for $9, it was a bit pricey considering how small it was.

I might come back sometime to try the Veggie Hummus sandwich without the cheese, but something about how almost nothing is vegan on the menu without modifications bothers me. I mean, really, who puts cheese on a hummus sandwich?  Sigh.

Java
228 Blue Lakes Boulevard N
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 733-9555

Don Juan's, Twin Falls, ID

I train in Twin Falls, Idaho for BASE jumping and tend to go to the same places to eat. This time, some locals directed us to another Mexican restaurant to try, so why not? Don Juan's is a medium-sized Mexican restaurant located right on the main highway in Twin Falls and we stopped by on a weeknight.

On this particular night, they had many full tables. We were seated near the kitchen and given no menus. After a while of no service, we politely requested menus. They were apologetic. After a long, long time, they took our order for drinks of which the selection was very limited.

After an even longer time, they finally took our food order. I went with the only thing I could have, which was veggie fajitas with whole beans and rice (verified that they were vegan).

We received our drinks and some chips and salsa. But, the lack of service was bothersome. This bustling Mexican joint had not nearly enough servers for the amount of people that were there. We had to ask several times for our food. And we didn't get our meals for over an hour. Then, once received, the food wasn't even that tasty. My fajitas were like mostly onions with just a few other veggies sprinkled throughout. And the rice wasn't good at all.

All in all, a very disappointing experience, which ended with a vow never to eat there again. There are much better options in Twin Falls.

Don Juan's
1007 Blue Lakes Boulevard
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 733-4033

La Fiesta Mexican, Twin Falls, ID

Picture this -- you've spent the day jumping off a bridge with a bunch of awesome people who just want to go out to eat and have a good time. You are in the city of Twin Falls, Idaho -- so where do you go? La Fiesta Mexican is the only right answer!!

This is a short review just to tell you that this is a fun place to go with great margaritas. And they love BASE jumpers! They accommodated our group of like 30 by putting a ton of tables together. We all ordered delicious margaritas. I went with one with Patron -- always a good idea, and we laughed the night away.

The chips and salsa are great and they are happy to keep bringing out more.

For my entree, I went with the same item I always order -- veggie fajitas. They were happy to tell me what was and wasn't vegan so I could modify the accompaniments appropriately.

We spent a long time there -- drinking, eating, and laughing with good food at good prices. Given the size of our party, I'd say the service was great!  This is my favorite dinner spot in Twin Falls!

La Fiesta Mexican
1288 Blue Lakes Blvd. N.
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 734-0685

Cross Grain Brewhouse, Boise, ID

In a desperate attempt to find something I could eat in the teeny tiny Boise, Idaho airport, I sat down at Cross Grain, a pub. They call themselves "a brewhouse," but they don't brew beer there so technically they are a pub.

I start with a nice sparkling strawberry lemonade. It took a while for our server to take our drink order and even longer to bring our drinks. When she finally came with our drinks, I had questions about what was vegan and she didn't seem to care. I asked about the flatbread and she never checked with the chef to see if it was vegan. I asked about the veggie burger and she said it came in a box and no one knows what is in it. She was probably the worst server I've ever had.

So, I had to wing it. I ordered the Baby Kale and Quinoa salad without the blue cheese and hoped for the best. It was not very good. The kale had not been massage at all. To get a kale salad to take up the vinaigrette, you have to massage it into the tough leaves. Because it wasn't, it was a dry kale salad with dressing on the plate. There was some grilled tomato, onions, and quinoa so it was better than nothing, but for $9 you'd hope they'd make it a bit tastier. Some grilled tempeh instead of the cheese would be a nice touch.

The service was so slow that you would have never guessed we were in an airport. Luckily, we had an hour to kill. I would not recommend this place unless you have tons of time and find there are no other options.

Cross Grain Brewhouse
Boise Airport

La Fiesta Mexican, Twin Falls, ID

Picture this -- you've spent the day jumping off a bridge with a bunch of awesome people who just want to go out to eat and have a good time. You are in the city of Twin Falls, Idaho -- so where do you go? La Fiesta Mexican is the only right answer!!

This is a short review just to tell you that this is a fun place to go with great margaritas. And they love BASE jumpers! They accommodated our group of like 30 by putting a ton of tables together. We all ordered delicious margaritas. I went with one with Patron -- always a good idea, and we laughed the night away.

The chips and salsa are great and they are happy to keep bringing out more.

For my entree, I went with the same item I always order -- veggie fajitas. They were happy to tell me what was and wasn't vegan so I could modify the accompaniments appropriately.

We spent a long time there -- drinking, eating, and laughing with good food at good prices. Given the size of our party, I'd say the service was great!  This is my favorite dinner spot in Twin Falls!

La Fiesta Mexican
1288 Blue Lakes Blvd. N.
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 734-0685

Noodles & Company, Twin Falls, Idaho

I know, I know -- it isn't my style to write about cheesy chain restaurants. But, in the town of Twin Falls, Idaho, I am rejoicing at having a place that has vegan options! Noodles & Company is a chain restaurant that you can find all over the U.S. It is unique in that most menu items are based on noodles, but there is no one style of cuisine as you can get everything from Japanese noodles and Pad Thai to Indonesian peanut dishes and spaghetti. I love the concept.

On this particular trip, I went there twice. On the first visit, I ordered the Indonesian Peanut Saute, which is made with rice noodles, broccoli, carrots, napa and red cabbage, sprouts, cilantro, and peanut sauce. It is topped with crushed peanuts and lime. I added tofu and was a fan!

On my second visit, I ordered the Japanese Pan Noodles made with udon noodles in a sweet soy sauce with broccoli, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, sprouts, black sesame seeds, and cilantro. I asked them to make it spicy and they really did - I was impressed! I added seared tofu to this dish as well and it was great. I found this dish to be even better than the other one!

Other options include the Whole Grain Tuscan Fresca without cheese and some of the simple side salads like the tomato cucumber salad. The Asian and Balsamic vinaigrette are vegan.

I really like that they offer a small or large portions as the small portion is perfect for lunch. Each meal was under $10 and came out very quickly. I'm so glad they put one of these in Twin Falls and so close to the bridge. BASE jumpers now have a great option for a quick meal!

Noodles & Company
1833 Blue Lakes Blvd. North
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 736-6241

Twin Falls Sandwich Company, Twin Falls, Idaho #2

After BASE jumping all morning, I needed some sustenance and even though my first experience at the Twin Falls Sandwich Company wasn't great, I felt drawn to try them again. This hip little cafe-style restaurant is always packed at lunchtime. It is located inside a brick building in downtown Twin Falls. Inside, its eclectic decor draws you in with Christmas lights on the ceiling, lots of artwork, and flare.

We ordered at the register, then took a seat. I got the Bunny Burger, which is a veggie burger made with carrots and served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard. Hold the mayo! This burger is pretty plain so I topped it with their delicious hot sauce too. I have to say that I'm just so thankful that they have vegan options, that I found it difficult to complain this time. I do think they could add more flavor to the recipe of that burger, but it, otherwise, isn't that bad.  The salad is really good too.

For $8, I think it's a fair price for the burger. I will say that the wait is often very long so be prepared for that. On another trip, I went and ordered the same burger and they accidentally put cheese on it. When I returned it, they gave me a coupon for a free meal, so their customer service is on point. I would recommend checking them out if you are in Twin Falls. Oh, and do a BASE jump too just for shits and giggles.

Previous review
September 25, 2015

Twin Falls Sandwich Company
128 Main Avenue N
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 734-8372

Twin Falls Sandwich Company, Twin Falls, ID

We had been out BASE jumping all morning off the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho when the winds picked up. High winds = no BASE jumping. So, we took a break and went for lunch in town. Who knew Twin Falls had a little downtown area? We didn't. And there's a little sandwich shop called the Twin Falls Sandwich Company.

Inside this place is huge for a sandwich shop! And it is a cool place to hang out. There are couches and tables with bikes hanging from the ceiling and guitars on the wall. There are a few vegan options here including a cold hummus and veggie sandwich, a hot veggie sandwich, a vegan burger, and a vegan panini.

I ordered the vegan panini to go. When we got back to the bridge, I opened up the package and it looked great. The salad was super fresh with mixed greens, red onion, tomatoes, and black olives.

The panini looked good too until I looked inside. It was described as a panini with fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions topped with a garlic olive oil and red wine vinegar. Instead of plural though, the vegetables should be singular as there was hardly anything inside the bread. It was like an empty sandwich with just a few slices of mushrooms, a couple onions, and a tomato. It was very sad. The bread itself was spectacular and had it been loaded with veggies, this sandwich would have been great. Instead it was a let-down. Next time, I'll have to ask to quadruple the veggies because this was a bit ridiculous. The sandwich also needs a sauce like a pesto sauce - then it would be perfect.

They also gave me a sample of their hot sauce, which was oh so good.

Twin Falls Sandwich Company - I'm not giving up on you yet. Please add more veggies and a brighter sauce to this panini and make us vegans proud! For $7, you should be able to load on the veggies and we'll all be happy as we sail off into the sunset eating your vegan panini.

Twin Falls Sandwich Company
128 Main Avenue N
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 734-8372

Elevation 486, Twin Falls, ID #2

After having raved about one of the few upscale dining restaurants in the quaint town of Twin Falls, Idaho, Elevation 486, I headed back a few months later. On their website, they were still showing the spicy sesame bowl with coconut rice and I was excited to have it again.

We were seated at a large table in the middle of the dining room. I ordered a Manhattan with Maker's Mark whiskey while everyone else ordered a beer.  I didn't notice the sesame bowl on the menu so I asked the server and he said they had just removed that from the menu. He wasn't sure what could be made vegan and said he'd go back and check.

When he brought the drinks out, he basically said there was nothing he could serve me. So, I started looking at the menu and asked if the pastas could be made vegan. I basically had to make a suggestion because he couldn't think of anything. So I asked if the special of the day -- the Penne with Wild Mushrooms could be made with a red sauce. He said they didn't have a red sauce. Then, I asked if it could be made with just olive oil, mushrooms, and peas leaving the cream and parmesan out. He stated it wouldn't be as flavorful as premade dishes. I said that was fine.  He finally came back and said they could do it. This was frustrating. Most servers can work with the chef to figure out what can be made vegan without the patron doing all of the work. And stating that it wouldn't be as good as a dish already on the menu usually goes without saying. I was pretty disappointed with this service.

The salad that accompanied it was pretty good.

But, in the end, the dish was a plain penne pasta served with olive oil, sauteed mushrooms, and peas. It was fine, but nothing special. I was just glad to have a hearty meal in Twin Falls regardless of the lack of flavor.

I left the restaurant not wanting to return. What was once a vegan-friendly restaurant is now a vegan-unfriendly restaurant. The service was poor, the prices high, and food substandard. I guess I'll check out their competitor, Canyon Crest, next time.

Elevation 486
195 River Vista Place
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 737-0486

Prasai's Thai, Twin Falls, ID

After not having had a good experience at A Taste of Thai of Twin Falls, I headed to the other popular Thai restaurant downtown -- Prasai's Thai.  This restaurant has been open since 1998 so I figured it either had to be really good or it was just doing well because it was one of just a few Thai restaurants in the area. Either way, it was worth a visit.

The restaurant was a stand-alone restaurant a bit outside of the downtown area. When you first walk in you have a view of the kitchen where one of the men signaled for us to find a seat. There were a few big parties dining on this Monday night. We took a seat towards the back of the restaurant. It was a simple, casual restaurant with a lot of Thai artwork, glass-topped tables and vinyl-backed chairs.

Me and my friend ordered Singha Thai beers. I liked the beer, but I'm not much of a beer connoisseur.

The server informed me that many of the vegetable-based dishes were made with fish sauce and advised me to order the basic mixed vegetables with tofu, minus the fish sauce. So, I did. It came with broccoli, snow peas, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and soft tofu. The sauce was incredibly plain -- like flavored water so I doused it with soy sauce to give it some flavor. Needless to say, it wasn't great, but at least it was edible. And I was happy to have some vegetables in a town that isn't very vegan-friendly.

I felt like this should have been an $8 entree, not an $11 entree so I felt it was overpriced.  The service was fine, but nothing to note. And the food was mediocre at best. That said, I'd come back just because there really aren't many options in Twin Falls. My recommendation to the restaurant would be to perfect a few sauces without fish sauce for the vegetarians to make the meals tastier.

Prasai's Thai
428 2nd Avenue East
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 733-2222

A Taste of Thai, Twin Falls, ID

I'm guessing most of you have never heard of Twin Falls, Idaho. A remote town located two hours south of Boise and three hours north of Salt Lake City, it is more of town to pass through than a destination. I stayed here for five days though and was able to explore all the vegan options available and I'll tell you there aren't many. One of my first stops was A Taste of Thai, a small Thai restaurant in the heart of Twin Falls.

It is located in a strip mall and from the reviews, sounded quite promising. When we arrived, it was a Saturday night around 7 p.m. and there were only like three tables occupied. We waited awkwardly in this area between two booths at the front of the restaurant waiting to be seated. After like five minutes someone signaled for us to sit anywhere. It would have been nice to have been formally greeted.

We sat down and after about another five minutes, we were handed a menu.  They had just lost their liquor license so we just had waters. That was disappointing. The menu didn't look very exciting and didn't have the typical Thai dishes that I usually order. I was intrigued by the dish that was marked as their best seller though so I decided to order that. The server told me that they don't use fish sauce at all so many of their vegetarian dishes are vegan as well.

We waited a long time for our dishes, but they eventually came out. The Cashew Nut dish that I ordered was very disappointing. With way too many cashews, too much tofu, and not enough veggies, it was not well-balanced. And the sauce was almost inedible. It was a spicy chili pepper-based sauce and it did not taste good at all.

For a place serving $14 entrees, it was completely overpriced. The wait was entirely too long for a place that was nearly empty, the service was poor, the food didn't taste good, and there were no alcoholic beverages. For all of these reasons, I would not recommend this restaurant. There is a better Thai place downtown that I will review soon.

A Taste of Thai
837 Poleline Road
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 735-8333

Elevation 486, Twin Falls, ID

In the tiny little town of Twin Falls in Idaho, good food is scarce, and vegan food is hard to come by. Just as I was beginning to feel like there may be no hope, there was a light end of the canyon. Elevation 486, which claims to be a fine dining restaurant in Twin Falls, is exactly that! There is a fine restaurant in Twin Falls -- hallelujah!

Tom Nickel is the chef behind this beautiful restaurant situated right next to the canyon with a gorgeous view of Snake River and the Perrine Bridge, hence the name of Elevation 486 -- the height of the bridge. This chef has had many successful endeavors in Idaho and his most recent venture in Twin Falls has been very successful. Outside, you can dine on the beautiful patio. Inside, the restaurant has a lodge-like feel with it's stone and brick walls and dark hardwood tables.

The drink menu is surprisingly good for a menu in this area. I started with a Prosecco, then eventually ordered a Manhattan with Maker's Mark. The large party I was with also had a nice run with Fireball shots. I'm not saying any more about this.

The atmosphere was one that was classy, yet because it is Twin Falls, you saw people dressed in hiking gear as well as people dressed up for a Friday night -- they seemed accepting of anyone, which was nice.

There was only one item on the menu that was vegan, but it sounded amazing so I was pretty excited. And excited I should have been. This Spicy Sesame bowl came with toasted coconut rice topped with snow peas, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, and sweet peppers and fresh cilantro. All of the veggies were cooked just right and the rice was very flavorful. It was fantastic.

It also came with a really fresh salad that I enjoyed as well.

Pricey for Twin Falls? Absolutely. Worth it? Absolutely. My dish was the cheapest on the menu at $16, but was worth every penny. Everyone at the table loved their dishes. The drinks were great, the service was good (not as good as I would expect for a high end restaurant like this, but still good), and the atmosphere was nice as well. I ended up eating here twice because I enjoyed it so much. Highly recommended for locals and tourists alike. I, personally, look forward to returning soon for the great food, drinks, and view.

Elevation 486
195 River Vista Place
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208) 737-0486