Got a favorite pandemic restaurant, Idaho? Here is ‘The Best Takeout in Every State.’

Website Move.org, which offers price quotes from professional movers, just published a “Best Takeout in Every State” guide.

Go ahead. Join me. Stick that fork in your eye.

State-by-state “best of” articles are notoriously ill-informed. They’re almost always based on superficial web reporting.

Yet ... we ... must ... read ... them.

Besides, Move.org’s food critic, who ostensibly frequents many drive-thrus in his U-Haul, stumbled upon a beloved Boise restaurant as the Idaho winner: Tango’s Subs & Empanadas.

Solid pick, Move.org.

For nearly 15 years, family-owned Tango’s has served Argentina-style empanadas and sandwiches to loyal customers at 701 N. Orchard St. The owners moved here from Mexico City, where they also ran an empanada restaurant. Tango’s also has a food truck that navigates the Treasure Valley.

Empanadas are vegetable-, meat- and cheese-filled pastry turnovers. Unless you order a sweet dessert version, of course.

Empanadas not only are delicious and satisfying, they travel well in a to-go container.

Not that plenty of other Idaho restaurants couldn’t make an equally strong case for best takeout.

It’s worth noting that Move.org’s methodology was predictably pathetic. First of all, they limited restaurants to the most populated city in each state. Then they surfed over to Tripadvisor.com and found the highest-rated restaurant that served takeout. End of research.

To Move.org’s credit, it also claims to have polled 600 respondents last month to learn about diners’ carry-out habits. This revealed that: 1) 33 percent had ordered takeout three to five times per month; 2) 25 percent had ordered it two to four times per week; 3) 75 percent had increased their support for locally owned restaurants during COVID; and 4) 66 percent had gone out of their way to support locally owned businesses.

None of those numbers feels surprising. What did shock me is that dessert restaurants won 15 states on Move.org’s takeout map. (Diddy Riese Cookies is the best to-go spot in California? Wow.) Do consumers subconsciously give higher ratings to restaurants that serve sweet dishes?

All I know is that The Salmon Spot sounds like a fine choice for Alaska. Too bad it’s been closed the entire year because of COVID-19, according to Tripadvisor.com.

Next time, Move.org, advise readers to call ahead first?

Or maybe just come to Idaho for an empanada.

This story was originally published October 5, 2020 at 4:00 AM.