Taste of Bozeman

Tasting and Rating Restaurants in Bozeman, Montana

Sushi at Seven, Part II

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■■■■■ 5/5 "Best Sushi in Bozeman"

We've been to Seven Sushi quite a few times, as the mere number of photos above can attest. It's a bold (and I'm sure debatable) statement, but Seven has the best sushi in Bozeman. While this claim is certainly based on personal opinion, it is also backed by continuous experiences of friendly service, a modern and comfortable dining area, beautiful sushi presentation, fresh ingredients and out-of-this-world taste.

While I won't go through all of the rolls shown in the photos, I will mention a few highlights. South by Southwest is a flash fried roll containing yellowtail and jalapeños. It's not too spicy, but bursting with flavor. If you want something spicier, The Hammer is a good choice. It's served with a spicy chili sauce and jalapeños on top. The Dancing Eel is another favorite: shrimp tempura with cream cheese topped with eel and avocado. It's drizzled in a sweet-and-salty eel sauce. The Hosomaki provide simpler (and surprisingly just as tasty) thin rolls of fish and vegetable. Seven also provides a great deal of other options, including a must-try miso soup.

I could go on, but really, if you haven't tried Seven Sushi yet, you should definitely check it out.

Reviewed by Eric Barnes

Sushi at Seven

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 ■■■■■ 4.6/5 "A great addition to Bozeman's sushi offerings!"

Taste of Bozeman welcomes it's second "official" sushi restaurant to town, Seven. We've told you about Dave's Sushi before, but Seven has a much different feel to it, and a great selection of sushi.

Seven feels a bit classier than Dave's Sushi, and offers a decent variety of options at standard Montana sushi prices. To test the waters, I ordered a simple nori roll and a specialty roll, the Ziggy Stardust.

While the nori roll was average (very average, actually), the specialty roll was over-the-top delicious. The Ziggy Stardust was coated in coconut flakes, lightly fried, and drizzled with a sweet soy sauce. It did not require soy sauce or wasabi, and was one of the best rolls I've eaten in Bozeman. Oh, and they also put cucumber slices in the ice water... just thought I would mention that :-)

Web site: http://www.7sushibozeman.com
Menu: http://7sushibozeman.com/menu.pdf

Reviewed by Craig Dugas.

Don't forget, you can get sushi at a few other restaurants in town, such as Watanabe on West Main, I-Ho's Korean Restaurant near the university or Louie's Down Under on East Main Street.

 

Chicken Shish Tawook at the Chickpea Café

Dishes

■■■■□ 4.5/5 "It's Mediterranean Soul Food"

A friend had this to say about Chickpea Café: "it's Mediterranean soul food." In particular, he had nothing but praises for the Chicken Shish Tawook. Having so highly recommended it, I was excited to try it for myself. The Chicken Shish Tawook Plate is marinated chicken sautéed with onions and green peppers, which comes with rice and a small chopped salad on the side for just under $10. (There is also a sandwich version, which I'm curious to try as well.)

The marinated chicken pieces were crisp and flavorful. I'm tempted to compare it to teriyaki, being both slightly sweet and salty, but the flavor is actually more complex. Although the menu doesn't divulge the marinade's exact ingredients, it is typically made of yogurt, tomato purée, garlic and a variety of spices. Combine that with the onions and green peppers, and you have delectable awesomeness.

The meat was complimented nicely by the "timmen and kishmish"—rice and onion/raisin toppings as well as the chopped salad made of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes drenched in a vinegar-based dressing.

The meal is a little heavy for lunch, but would make for a great dinner.

As an aside, their hummus is also very good. I'll be back for more Mediterranean soul food soon.

Reviewed by Eric Barnes

Seitan BBQ at Starky's Authentic Americana

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Reviewed by Craig Dugas.

■■■■■ 5/5 "Impressive!"

Seitan, pronounced say-tan, is a combination of high protein wheat gluten, liquid and seasonings... it's not something that is easily found in Montana. In fact, I can't name a single location in Bozeman, Montana that I've ever seen serving a seitan-based meal. Regardless, when Starky's posted Seitan BBQ as their special on Vegetarian Night (a night where the special is dedicated to a vegetarian dish created by their in-house chef talent), my interest was captured.

I've had seitan quite a few times, but this was hands-down one of the (if not the) best prepared I've ever had. It was perfectly tender, well-seasoned and slightly charred. Served with a side of collard greens and a side of mashed potatoes, the meal was rounded out well.

Presention was nice, but in the end, taste is king, and this dish had it. I hope to see this and similar items available at Starky's Authentic Americana in the future.

 

Bozeman Community Food Co-op - Re-visited

Coop

Reviewed by Craig Dugas.

■■■■□ 4.5/5 "Best tofu in town."

Eighteen months ago the Taste of Bozeman posted a review of a made-to-order sandwich from the Bozeman Community Food Co-op. As promised, we re-visited our local co-op 18 months later. And, well, here's what we found out.

It turns out that ordering from the co-op takes a bit of practice, or at least a bit of instruction. When ordering the previously reviewed roast beef and Havarti on Ezekiel bread, I expected a hearty sandwich, packed with veggies. The sandwich I received had an average amount of meat and was very, very light on the veggies. To say the least, it was not satisfactory. Fast forward 18 months.

To truly appreciate the co-op, the last thing you want to do is order a sandwich you can get at any old deli. Leave the roast beefs to the New York delis, and order something a bit more adventurous. Try ordering the baked, seasoned tofu on Ciabatta, topped with carrots on a hummus spread. Although the chincy leaf of lettuce I received a year and a half ago still seems underwhelming, this time they did it right. Fresh veggies piled up and pressed back down when they firmly applied the top slice of bread. Whew!

But wait... there's more! Their daily-made soups, self-serve salad bar, and behind-the-counter salad bar are not only fantastic, but are also accommodating to anyone's simple or complex dietary desires.

Plus, most of the people that work there are really friendly!

I'm glad to have given the Bozeman Food Co-op another try, and suggest you stop by and try it out for yourself. Or maybe you already have. Share your experiences at the Bozeman Community Food Co-op in the comments below.

Chicken Man-Du-Guk at I-Ho's

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Rating: ■■■■□ 4.5 / 5 "Don't wear white while eating this soup :)"

The Chicken Man-Du-Guk at I-Ho's Korean Grill could be called the Kitchen Sink Soup—it has it all! 

It is served in a huge steaming bowl, loaded with vegetables: bean sprouts, zucchini, carrots, onion, cabbage, scallions and sweet potato noodles. The broth is made of oxtail with the addition of red pepper powder to give it spiciness. The best part of the soup is the "man-du". These large, Asian-style dumplings are, according to the menu, handmade with a chicken-based filling. Coated with the red soup, they are delicious.

All of this comes with a side of steamed white rice. Unfortunately this soup is expensive: $13, but it's certainly makes a healthy and hearty meal. 

정말 맛있어요! ;)

BBQ at the Horny Moose

Rating: ■■■■□ 4.0 / 5 "This is a review of pulled meat at the Horny Moose. Let's keep it professional :)"

Aside from the giant wooden moose that greets you at the door and friendly atmosphere at this Downtown Bozeman establishment, what makes a meal at the Horny Moose so special? Well, Horny Moose smokehouse master Tom Geer would claim that smoking the meat for wicked long hours over Minnesota apple wood and hickory makes all the difference in the world. Apparently, local BBQ competition (Bar 3, Famous Dave's) primarily use propane and propane accessories to put the heat to the meat.

As far as the food goes, it was enjoyable. BBQ is prepared with your choice of house-made sauce, the original sauce having a very bourbon-y hint to it. The pulled pork was satisfying, but the pulled chicken was fantastic - quite moist and full of smoky aroma. 

The side of fries was great, although I found the dispersement of seasoning a bit rushed. Some areas were dense with salt, and others were unseasoned, requiring the eater to carefully choose bites. Although they weren't bad, the onion rings were pretty stock-standard (if you want the best onion rings in town - go a few blocks west to Ted's Montana Grill). This reviewer still prefer's Bar 3 for pulled pork, but give the Horny Moose a try, it's a nice addition to the Bozeman eatery options.

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Szechuan Beef at The Wok

Rating: ■■■□□ 3.0 / 5 "Is this really beef?"

Whenever I have Chinese food, I always find myself wondering how authentic it is. How does the Szechuan Beef made in America, for example, compare to how they make it in China's Szechuan province? I suspect ours is fairly Americanized, but even so, the version I had today (for around $7) at The Wok was pretty tasty.

First of all, I have to give them props for their willingness to customize an order. I asked if they could make it more spicy, and the waitress informed me that they can make it as mild or as hot as you like. A few minutes later, I heard the waitress calling out to the cook in the back, "one Szechuan Beef; extra, extra spicy!" They lived up to their word: the dish came out spicy and steaming hot with generous portions of beef and vegetables served on top of steamed white rice. The presentation was top-notch and the vegetables were stir-fried excellence, but it's really the beef I want to focus on here. 

The beef was cut into wide strips, that tended to curl upon itself, which is not all that bad, since it serves as a good way of scooping up more sauce. However, the cuts were almost too big for one bite. The meat was exceptionally chewy and difficult to break-down. Either it was cut along the grain giving it a tougher texture, or it wasn't 100% beef. It almost felt like some questionable beef hybrid that you would expect from fast food, not a dine-in restaurant. And certainly not from the apparently oxen-rich Szechuan province! 

Ignoring those complaints, I left The Wok feeling full and satisfied (and with a pleasantly burning mouth). As far as what the story is with that beef (and the other question regarding authenticity), perhaps ignorance is bliss.

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Hot Dog and Fries at Papulo Dogs

Rating: ■■■■□ 3.7 / 5 "Good hot dog, great fries, amazing service"

Head's up, Paulie's Hot Dogs, there's another hot dog shop in town. Papulo Dogs is serving up Hawaiian influenced dogs topped with some fresh new ingredients. All dogs (beef $, veggie $$, buffalo $$$) are served with homemade chips or for a bit extra, sweet potato fries. We'll talk more about the fries later.

The Santa Cruz dog is topped with a 3-cheese blend, chopped cucumber, sliced tomato, spinach, chipotle red pepper cream sauce, caramelized onions, sliced avocado and a julienned fried egg.

Modern gourmet hot dog joints are known for combining odd foods together on one bun, but the fried egg strip was very out of place with the otherwise nutritious ingredients on the Santa Cruz. Similarly, the caramelized onion was a good thought, but I'd wager that raw onions would have fit in better with this fresh topping medley. I also found no signs of the "3-cheese blend."  The dog was decent, but it will make you wonder "why" quite often.

They also chose to toast the prepared dog in an oven just before serving (and from the looks of it, they  toast every dog). The slightly crunchy bread wasn't as enjoyable as the soft, fresh, bready pillow of a standard hot dog bun.

Now on to what really made this $7.75 lunch worthwhile - sweet potato fries, possibly the best in town with an array of spicy dipping sauces. Crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, just the way you like 'em. Pair this with the sauce of your choice on tap and they're tough to beat.

Chipotle red pepper cream sauce: decent on the dog, not so much on the fries.
Curry Ketchup: decent on the fries, decent on the dog.
Passion Fruit Wasabi Mustard: great on the fries, not so great on the dog.

The fries were more enjoyable than the hot dog, but it was an overall good meal. The service was outstanding (kind, friendly, prompt) and that's not always easy to find in Downtown Bozeman these days.

Reviewed by Craig Dugas

Afterthoughts: I could be wrong, but I believe Paulie's stopped carrying vegetarian hot dogs, making Papulo Dogs the place to go if you're in search of a vegetarian-friendly establishment. Paulie's still has the edge price-wise as they toss in a fountain drink for about the same price.

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Traditional Gyros at Athenas

Rating: ■■□□□ 2.4 / 5 "What a mess!"

On my way to get a sandwich from the Manhattan Sandwich Company in the mall, I noticed a (presumably new) gyros counter across the food court called Athenas. A warm gyros sounded nice on a cold, rainy day like today, so I ventured over and ordered a traditional gyros, with feta cheese (for an additional 75 cents). The kind gentleman behind the counter proceeded to grill a pita along with some thick slices of gryo meat taken directly from a skewer, which he then wrapped up in exchange for $7.50.

This was the messiest gyros I have ever eaten in my life. Holy cow! (I mean—holy lamb!) Even before taking it out of the bag, I regretted not getting a Manhattan sandwich. The sight was not appetizing at all (see the photo). I knew it was going to be an eat-in-the-wrapper kind of sandwich. My hands were instantly soaked with a runny tzatziki sauce. The pita bread was too small to contain all the ingredients. I lost count of how many napkins I used.

On the plus side, the taste was surprisingly good and the vegetables (lettuce, tomato, onions with a peperoncini on the side) were fresh. If you can stomach the unpleasant and unsightly mess, or if you just happen to be in the mall, then this is a good option for you. If not, there are plenty other restaurants in Bozeman to eat Greek food.

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