Wanting to take a drive out to the ‘country’, I decided a trek to the Star Country Cafe was a good place to head to. Having never been to Star itself, I headed west and then took a leisurely drive down Star Road. It was a nice drive, past farmhouses, cattle and cows and open space. The Star Country Cafe is basically in the center of town after you turn onto State Street. Expecting a quiet little place with a few people in it at lunchtime, I parked and walked in. Both dining rooms plus the counter were packed, always a sign of good food. We were seated shortly and I began perusing the menu. Jumping out at me, it said, ‘Best Biscuits and Gravy in the West’. Well, here was a challenge I was up for!
There are several options for the biscuits and gravy. I opted for 2 biscuits, gravy, hash browns and a slice of ham. When my order came, it was on a huge platter. The ham itself was a nice slice, with nice caramelization on it from being cooked on the high heat of the flattop. The hash browns were your generic hash browns, but they were nicely cooked on the flattop, yielding a soft interior and a delicious crispy exterior.
The biscuits were pretty much buried beneath plenty of sausage gravy. They were quite fluffy and perfectly baked. They were certainly one of the better biscuits I’ve had in a while, on a par with one of my favorites, The Biscuit King in Fairhope, Alabama. The sausage gravy was good, slightly peppery and with plenty of sausage chunks. As for ‘Best in the West’? Well, my current Western favorite is Pine State Biscuits in Portland, but I think that Star Country Cafe’s biscuits and gravy are definitely in the running.
My dining companion was in more of a lunch mood, so she chose the soup of the day, clam chowder, followed by a BLT with avocado and tater tots. The clam chowder was OK, nice and thick and with good flavor. The BLT was nicely done, with the thick bacon cooked just at that point where it is somewhat crisp but not dry. The tater tots were nice and crisp. Overall, the cook seems very good at the Star Country Cafe, knowing with both the potatoes and bacon and ham the right point where you get crispness without being dry or overcooked.
The Star Country Cafe is one of those places that is worth the drive. Even though it is not far from either Boise or Meridian, it seems like a whole different atmosphere with definite small-town vibes. They have a wide choice of breakfasts to choose from including omelets, chicken fried steak and more. For lunches, there are plenty of burger and sandwich choices to enjoy. With quality food, it’s a perfect choice when you want some good biscuits and gravy and a nice little drive to the country.
Star Country Cafe
10883 W. State Street
Star, Idaho 83669
(208) 286-7799
