The A-List Eats - Rediscovering Storm Castle Café

One of Bozeman’s best and most authentic comfort food restaurants, Storm Castle Café, is tucked in a low-slung strip mall home to a doughnut shop, Mellow Mood tobacco, and a laundromat. Since 2010, the husband-and-wife team of Scott Peterson and Nicole Warner have been dishing up hearty eats from their unassuming Tai Lane location across from the MSU campus.

With excellent food and service, reasonable prices, and a casual setting, it is a welcome change from the Anywhere U.S.A. feel that is starting to predominate many "New Bozeman" establishments. I seldom go out for lunch during the work week, but I did once over the holidays. I had only been to Storm Castle one time about 10+ years ago and couldn’t remember much about the food or the setting. I am glad I checked it out again. Here's what I found.

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The A-List Eats - Soft Serve Ice Cream

As a child in the 1970s and 1980s, my family maintained healthy eating habits. Vegetables from our vast garden, home-cooked meals, school lunch sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, and other wholesome foods were staples of our diet. TV dinners were out and an occasional glass of Coke with pizza or, my favorite, a soft serve ice cream cone, were rare treats.

A Bozeman First - Two Juice Bars Open in November

Good news for fans of juice bars - Bozeman has gone from zero juice bars to two in recent weeks. Read all about the newest places to quench your juice craving.

The A-List Eats - Ramire's Mexican Food Truck

Photo courtesy of facebook
@Ramires-mexican-food-taco-truck

Another food first for the A-List. Earlier in the month I checked out Ramire’s Mexican Food Truck. 

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The A-List Eats - Tanoshii

After talking about it for several weeks, Mike and I finally made it to Tanoshii for dinner. They're located on Main Street in downtown Bozeman in the spot where a short lived and ill-fated wine bar used to be, and they bill themselves as a place for Japanese soul food.

Here is what the A-List has to say.

The A-List Eats: Allamuchy General Store

The first time I entered the Allamuchy General Store I found myself in a cliched moment. 

"I've discovered a 'gem' in a place I least expected to" is the tired and overdone thought that crossed my mind.  

After my meal, I did a web search to find out more and was surprised that other than Google and Yelp reviews not much is written about the Allamuchy General Store. With great food and a captivating vintage atmosphere, it wouldn't have surprised me if I had come across a New York Times article about it or a story about a visit from Anthony Bourdain - it is that good and that unique of a place. But nothing, not even a local newspaper review.

(Interestingly, I did find out that the Allamuchy General Store was remodeled in 2017 after a tractor trailer barreled through the front door.  Click here to read the story.) 

Below is my first-hand account of breakfast at the Allamuchy General Store.

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The A-List Eats: Bozeman’s El Camino

Wonders from the 1970s

I may have made some progress with the travel/restaurant review writing that has been eluding me. 

Update 1.25.23 - El Camino and the Kitty Warren Social Club are for sale. You can snap up both establishments for a cool $400K, which just just a bit above the average price for a starter condo in Bozeman. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/business/two-downtown-bozeman-bars-to-be-put-up-for-sale/article_13836684-9c39-11ed-82cc-ffdeba8a512f.html

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The A-List Eats - El Rodeo Taco Bus

A tried writing a travel article a while back (http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2018/11/travel-writer.html). Now it's on to a restaurant review. I think I need help with both.

Update 11.11.2021: They have moved to 509 North 7th Avenue. near Rikki's Furniture and Access Fitness.

The A-List Eats (& Sleeps) - The Cinnamon Lodge

Numerous commercial properties dot Highway 191 between Big Sky and Yellowstone National Park. Some of them, like the Corral and Rainbow Ranch, have stellar reputations and are local institutions that we are drawn back to again and again. Other establishments, such as the Cinnamon Lodge, have been around forever and are an under-rated gem.

The A-List Eats - Best Pizza in Bozeman

We've all been in this situation. You're out having pizza with friends. Someone exclaims, "This is the best pizza in town!" Inevitably someone else chimes in, "No way. This is good but the pizza at xxx is so much better." What follows is a lively conversation about the best pizza in town. (The same thing often happens with coffee, beer, burgers, sushi, breakfast joints, etc.)

In these situations, I have always wondered how one could have a strong opinion about which pizza is the best when they are not comparing the two side-by-side. Perhaps it's the fact that while I enjoy good food and drinks, I'm not much of a gourmet. The nuances of food and food memories don't stick with me, and I couldn't honestly declare a pizza (Or beer, coffee, burger or anything) the best unless I tasted them in one sitting. Thus the idea for the Best of Bozeman Pizza Tasting Party was born.