Published in Darigold’s “Fresh Magazine”
Chef Luis Flores, of Chandlers steakhouse at hotel 43 in downtown Boise, is driven by his own exacting, personal standards. he is not motivated by trend or celebrity, just quality. Chef flores personally approves all of the custom-aged and marbled beef that enters his estab- lishment, and then spends much of every day meticulously trimming each steak by hand. he had a cast on his arm for a while last year and it just about drove him crazy. “I don’t feel com- fortable watching other people do it.” he wants everything to be perfect.The steaks are seared at ridiculously high temperatures in an 1800° Montague broiler, in order to lock in moisture. A savory, crisp crust forms even on steaks ordered rare. sea salt and a quick basting of clarified but- ter is all the seasoning they get. It’s all they need. The fancy stuff is saved for the side dishes. Locally sourced vegetables go into the luxurious creamed spinach, or into corn with pasilla peppers. Fresh asparagus is napped with hollandaise. Wild mushrooms are sautéed in butter with a little garlic and veal stock. Of course, perfectly baked potatoes topped with Darigold sour cream are always a hit, but the real star is Chandlers’ famous Idaho potatoes au gratin. Paper thin slices of local potatoes are layered up with garlic, Darigold cream, Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses and a little butter, and then baked in a low, slow oven until it all melts together. At service, the potatoes are broiled to bubbly, brown perfection and served as a velvety, decadent side to those incredible steaks. Those in the know also order a side of the sinus-clearing, knock-your-socks-off horserad- ish cream that comes with the prime rib. Chef flores thought it might be too strong when he first made it. But it has become so popular that there would be a public outcry if he ever changed the recipe. Chandlers is known as the only place in town for business dinners and celebra- tions. But it is also an oasis for locals looking for a weeknight meal.
