Plan now for Easter dining in Boise and other Idaho restaurants

Reservation books are filling quickly at restaurants around town, so make plans soon if you plan to dine out on Easter, which is April 16.

Here’s a look at several places where you can enjoy grand buffets, special menus and other fun Easter events.

Buffets

▪  Angell’s Bar and Grill-Renato, 999 Main St., is pulling double duty on Easter with a daytime buffet and a special menu at night.

A well-stocked buffet ($34.99 adults, $17.99 kids 6-12) will be set up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Work your way through the create-your-own omelet station en route to the custom Belgian waffle station and meat-carving stations loaded with prime rib, maple and orange-glazed ham and herb-stuffed lamb roast.

The main buffet will offer an assortment of other Easter-themed dishes, including deviled eggs with shrimp, asparagus quiche, Norwegian-style salmon and lemon-rosemary chicken, in addition to lots of side dishes and salads. Let’s not forget about the cascading chocolate fountain for dessert.

At night, from 5 to 8 p.m., is when diners can order from chef Franck Bacquet’s a la carte menu that features starters such as prime rib crostini ($9.50), Easter Thai soup ($6.50) and crispy Easter flatbread ($8.50) topped with ham, Swiss, mushrooms, red onion and sour cream.

Then you can choose from a list of larger plates that includes seafood pasta ($32.50), pork schweizer schnitzel ($29.50), stuffed lamb ($29.50) and crusted salmon au saffron ($32.50).

Reservations: (208) 342-4900

▪  Emilio’s at The Grove Hotel, 245 S. Capitol Blvd., is going all out this year with a big buffet spread ($38 adults, $34 seniors, $16 kids) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which includes an omelet bar, Belgian waffle bar and meat-carving stations with maple-glazed ham and roast prime rib.

Chef Chris Hain and his crew will also be stocking the buffet lineup with French pastries, breads, assorted salads, steak and eggs Benedict, blackberry-bourbon blintzes, breakfast meats, chicken and wild mushroom boxty, Swedish potato casserole, desserts and more. Seafood enthusiasts will find a separate area set up with Alaskan king crab legs, poached jumbo prawns, fresh-shucked Pacific oysters and house-smoked lox with bagels. Plus, there will be plenty of mimosas and champagne, as well as juices for the kids.

Reservations: (208) 333-8002

▪  The Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., will once again be setting up an elaborate Easter buffet in its Grand Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

There’s something for everybody on this buffet ($37 adults, $27 seniors, $15 children 6-12), which will include honey-glazed ham, roast prime rib, salmon, eggs Benedict and other egg dishes, alongside a plethora of sides, salads and desserts.

Easter egg hunts for the wee ones are slated for 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Reservations: (208) 331-4943.

▪  Eagle Hills Golf Course, 605 N. Edgewood Lane, is offering a big Easter brunch buffet ($36.95 adults, $33.95 seniors, $19.95 children 2-12) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The buffet lineup will include a meat-carving station (with tri-tip beef and honey-glazed ham), a seafood bar, kalua pork with fried rice, buttermilk pancakes, assorted breakfast meats, biscuits and country-style gravy, egg dishes, cinnamon roll bread pudding and more.

Reservations: (208) 939-0402

Special menus and other events

▪  The recently renovated Chandlers at Hotel 43, 981 W. Grove St., is taking Easter reservations from 1 to 8 p.m.

Besides the regular menu, diners will be able to order from a special prix fixe menu ($43 per person) that features three courses. Start things off with a choice of lobster bisque, soup du jour, wedge salad or a mixed greens salad.

Main course options include lamb chops with apple-mint chutney, slow-roasted prime rib, veal piccata, pan-seared Alaskan halibut, duck two ways or a seafood salad with bay scallops, white prawns, Dungeness crab and bay shrimp.

For dessert, it’s a toss up between fromage blanc cheesecake or The Bomb, a white-chocolate brownie topped with Grand Marnier-spiked chocolate mousse. Or for an additional $12, you can treat the table to a puffy chocolate soufflé.

Reservations: chandlersboise.com or (208) 383-4300.

▪  Richard’s, 500 S. Capitol Blvd., has plans to serve its regular brunch menu in concert with some eggy specials on Easter from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Besides mainstay items such as farmer’s market hash, almond-sorghum pancakes and a mushroom omelet, diners can also get eggs Benedict with crab and a warm asparagus salad with roasted pepper, caper and olive relish, topped with poached eggs. Wash everything down with bottomless mimosas ($15).

Richard’s will be opening an hour earlier than usual for dinner on Easter. From 4 to 10 p.m., you can order from chef Richard Langston’s regular dinner menu that’s bolstered with a few seasonal specials.

Reservations: richardsboise.com or (208) 472-1463

▪  Bacon, 121 N. 9th St., is open on Easter from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with its regular menu, supplemented with a few seafood specials. And the best part? You don’t need a reservation.

Specials include a crab and bay shrimp omelet with buttery hollandaise ($12) and salmon nicoise salad with poached eggs ($12).

▪  Crooked Fence Brewing, 3705 Idaho 16, is putting on a family-friendly Easter party from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the brewery’s park-like grounds in Eagle.

Besides face painting and an Easter egg hunt (starts at 11 a.m.) for kids, several food trucks will be set up on the lawn dishing out tasty grub. The lineup includes Kanak Attack, Mad Mac, Sweet Valley Cookie Co., Seven Devils Delights and coffee from Ironside Roasting Co. The brewery is also setting up a build-your-own Bloody Mary and mimosa bar. Crooked Fence’s restaurant will be open as well, serving the regular menu from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. No reservations are being taken for that day.

▪  If all that Easter dining chaos isn’t to your liking, make reservations at Capitol Cellars, 110 S. 5th St., for its Easter Weekend High Tea ($16.43 per person) on April 15.

There are two seating times (noon and 1:15 p.m.) available for the afternoon tea service, which will include small bites from chef Dave Shipley and select Rishi teas. For those wanting something stronger, the restaurant will be pouring mimosas, wine and beer for an additional price.

Reservations: (208) 344-9463

Road trips

▪  Shore Lodge, 501 W. Lake St., in McCall is offering a three-course Easter brunch menu at The Narrows restaurant from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The prix fixe menu ($30 adults, $15 children 4-12) will start diners off with a choice of house-made granola and yogurt, potato-leek soup, crab cakes, ahi tuna tartare with avocado or a breakfast-inspired crepe filled with turkey, ham, Swiss and scrambled eggs.

The second course includes a choice of challah French toast, steak and eggs, eggs Benedict (traditional or seafood), veggie frittata or a big egg breakfast with pork sausage, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans and home-style potatoes.

For dessert, choose between carrot cake, apple crisp with ice cream or triple flourless chocolate cake.

Reservations: (800) 657-6464

▪  Crossings Winery, 1289 W. Madison Ave., in Glenns Ferry will be setting up an Easter brunch buffet ($25 adults, $12 children 4-10) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here you will find a carving station with roast beef and ham, a salad bar and sides and desserts galore. For reservations, call (208) 366-2313.

On a side note, Crossings Winery was recently chosen as the 2017 Idaho Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest, a Washington-based wine magazine.

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Plan now for Easter dining in Boise and other Idaho restaurants."