Meridian Restaurant Guide

Valenzuela, whose experience in the food business includes stints in New York, Paris and San Francisco, has done everything from dishwasher to owning a restaurant, including studying under Roger Verge (yes, that Roger Verge). However, when it comes to Valenzuela's skills in the kitchen, he strikes a modest tone and talks about the menu items he's most excited about. It's his wife and co-owner Julie who says that, thanks to her husband's formal training, he can cook a perfect hollandaise that won't break, as well as build a fantastic Philly sandwich. And the menu reflects skills on both fronts, combining kickers like a Vietnamese-inspired chili garlic dipping sauce for Rock shrimp with old favorites like meatloaf sandwiches. It's what Valenzuela says is "affordable contemporary American cuisine," which means that when the fridge is empty at dinner time, Rick's Press Room is the kind of place where you can show up for a simple meal that's a few shades more delicious than what you would have cooked: fettuccine alfredo, lemon and garlic chicken with mashed potatoes, or a fat burger with familiar fixin's like cheese, bacon, onions, fried egg and chili, or fancy fixin's like sun dried tomato pesto, roasted bell peppers, pepperoncinis and olives.Rachel Daigle, Boise Weekly