Todd, I got note of your asking this question about Utah, but I don’t think I’m best to answer about that state. To begin with, I haven’t hiked in Bryce or Arches. Two of my favorite Utah restaurants, Brigham’s Mesquite and the Mushroom Farm, are both closed now. The third is impossible to find and nearly shares a name with another restaurant. And to top it off, I’m LDS and inclined to say, “Do a little historical research first and then visit Temple Square.” It’s amazing what those people built, what they did to make it beautiful (painting hardwood grain on pine with feathers).

So I’ll try Idaho instead. Lived here most of my life, south-central, southeast, and now north. One thing? One place? Boy…you make the questions tough.

There’s a pancake place in McCall that was written up in Sunset. I’ve never eaten there but by all accounts it’s amazing. McCall is small, so it might not be hard to find.

Here in North Idaho, my response would be one of a couple places. There’s the White House Grill in Post Falls, where you will find an interesting blend of Italian and Middle Eastern food (all joined by the Mediterranean—I guess that’s the connection!) and lots and LOTS of garlic. I was near there the other day, sitting at the intersection a half-block down, and could smell the garlic on the frigid air (temps in the 20s) in my closed-up car. Or there’s Wolf Lodge, which has rustic decor and the best steak you’ll ever eat.

I’m sure you’ll get plenty of Southwest answers from the netizens that hail from Boise. Brugger’s Bagels is gone, anyway.

One thing to see. Holy cow, do you know how big and diverse this state is? Near Mountain Home there’s the Craters of the Moon National Park, an unearthly stark landscape, which in the spring is full of wildflowers. Up here where I live are some of the most beautiful lakes you will ever see—Pend d’Oreille is deep enough to house a submarine. (Coeur d’Alene isn’t the prettiest, no matter what the lit says, but near North Idaho College you can rent a sea kayak for $20/day and paddle to your heart’s content). And more gorgeous lakes midstate, scattered around Stanley Basin. I’ve hiked Fishhook Trail there, and the sight of the wilderness gateway is incredible. Thousand Springs near Hagerman is beautiful, too, though maybe not the ONE thing to see. If you like whitewater, there are some gorgeous places for it, though how you can enjoy the view while shooting rapids in a blow-up raft or a thin plastic kayak, I’ll never know. Try the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Ask a whitewater lover.

Go to the old-time fiddlers’ finals in Weiser. Weiser’s a smidgin bit of a town, but boy, there’s some great fiddling out of there in the early summer. Kids so small you wouldn’t think they’d been using a spoon properly for more than a month can make those fiddles dance, though most of the contestants are older.

Another favorite place of mine (going back to Stanley Basin) is the old Custer City and Boot Hill cemeteries. There’s a story in those two burial grounds that just leaves a person shaking her head in amazement. Boot Hill’s only got three graves, but what a tale those dead can tell.

There’s wilderness here so beautiful I can’t even describe it, but you’d need a guide and some sense. Don’t know your background. Have fun!

Where in Idaho are you going? Is this an I-84 drive through?

you must at least drive through Coeur d’Alene…it’s stunning!

I’ve only been in the mountains in ID, but I just got done reading a great story in Saveur Magazine talking about a great BASQUE contingency in Boise!

Resturant of note: Ebi’s – Hey, Hemmingway dug it…