You Cannot Go Wrong with Italian at Buddy's in Pocatello

Reviewed by Valentin Garcia

Steve Piper and myself

Buddy's Italian Restaurant is a great place to go if you want a friendly environment and great food.

The restaurant opened in 1961 and has been a local favorite ever since.  The current owner, Steve Piper, became an owner, with his sisters, in 1986.

The menu has not changed much except for a few updates and price changes.  They have pasta, pizza, lasagna, and clams.  You will get your money's worth with the excellent food that they provide.

Bobett Heath, his general manager, and himself both enjoy the Italian Sausage sandwich.  Piper says it is his favorite thing on the menu because it seems like it is all he has ever had.  Heath says that people get addicted to it, thinking they put something in the recipe that makes it addicting.

Italian Sausage Sandwich with Everything at top
and Buddy's salad with the house dressing.

Heath added that the Buddy's salad is popular too with the house dressing.  The dressing is made with blue cheese, red wine vinaigrette and other herbs and spices that Piper and herself only know.

If Piper was on the electric chair, he would want the sausage sandwich, salad, and good steak and would want to cook it himself.

According to TripAdvisor, it is ranked 19th in Pocatello and 2nd for three Italian restaurants in the area.  Some of the reviews on TripAdvisor say that no trip to Pocatello is complete until they eat at Buddy's.

Pocatello's ButterBurr’s: Offering up a Taste of Home 34 Years and Counting

ButterBurr's Interior

34 years ago Kelly and Sheryl Talbot opened a charming family oriented restaurant that continues to stand the test of time. ButterBurr's celebrated it's 34th year on February 2, 2015 and a great 34 years it has been.

ButterBurr's is a family owned establishment that strives to welcome all. From its open work station to it's delicious food it is a fun and friendly environment to enjoy a nice sit down meal.

Over the years ButterBurr's has garnered quite the following and even has an established crowd who come in nearly everyday. Some of whom they call the "counter boys" (a group of older gentlemen who always sit at the counter) and each and everyone one of them has become a member of the family.

"When they don't come in we worry," general manager Brittney Talbot said demonstrating just how much they have come to love their customers.

Not only is this establishment family oriented and family friendly the prices are pretty great too. You can get a three course meal out of their SST special which is soup, sandwich, and a treat for only $6.99/$7.99 depending on the type of sandwich. They also have a full kids meal, offer up breakfast all day, and have some amazing pies and their famous twists to try for dessert.

With a Trip Advisor rating of #6 out of 137 Pocatello restaurants it is a great place to stop in for a delicious meal with the family.

Read full article with interview here.

Cheese Frenchie w/ Red Cream Soda

Menu with their story

Get That Hometown Feel at Oliver's Family Restaurant

Front dining area

It is one of those restaurants that you drive by almost every day but never stop. Right on one of the main roads through town and as one passes the thought jumps in your mind, " I really need to go there."

This restaurant is Oliver's located at 130 S. 5th Ave.  and was opened in June of 1983 by Paul and Peggy Gannon. Paul named the restaurant after a good friend Judge Oliver. However, Paul's children used to say that in was named for "All of Ours."

Oliver's has a large menu and the Operations Manager Rob Chavez says that some cooks can not handle it. With such a large menu it should not be hard to find something for anyone. What makes Oliver's even better is the prices; most items are under $15. One of Oliver's biggest selling points is that they prepare and cook all food at the restaurant. No processed food is bought in and they believe in trying to have very little food waste. 

Boneless BBQ ribs

Trip Advisor rates Oliver's 48 out of 137 restaurants in Pocatello. The reviews from past patrons is for the most part favorable receiving a 3.5 stars out of 5.

So next time your driving down south 5th and your looking for good food and company why not give Oliver's a try.

Read more here

Kris Bartschi with Rob Chavez

         

   

                                               

Firehouse Subs Sets Pocatello Ablaze
By Alex Sanchez

Firehouse Subs

     Firehouse Subs was opened by two former firefighters in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994. Now with over 850 locations, Firehouse Subs has come to Pocatello.
     The restaurant has a "firefighter" theme going so it is filled with firefighter decor. Pictures and portraits of old firefighter stations, a couple firefighter suits, and beautiful canvas painting of firefighter in action. All of this is topped off with a nice red and white color.
    Behind this successful Pocatello branch is manager Vic Lucero. He has lived in Pocatello for the majority of his life and knows the community really well. His two main goals for the restaurant is to establish a healthy costumer and employee relationship while also creating a fun working environment.      

Firehouse Hero sub

     Firehouse Subs offers a variety of mouth watering subs like the Firehouse Hero which has roast beef, smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, and melted provolone, as well as some nutritious vegetables.
      In addition, they also provide subs that are 500 calories or less for those that are on a diet but still want a delicious and hearty meal. For example, Capt. Sorensen's Datil Pepper Grilled Chicken sub comes in at 430 calories. This sub has grilled chicken, Monterey Jack, Capt. Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and light mayo. Both of these subs are priced at only $6.29!
     So where exactly is the "fire" in the Firehouse Subs? Well, they leave it completely up to the customer. The restaurant provides a counter filled with all kinds of hot sauces. They have sriracha sauce to Mexican Tapatio hot sauce and many, many more!

Capt. Sorensen's Datil Pepper Grilled Chicken

      This wonderful establishment also has a foundation that helps provide safety equipment to local public safety organizations. The Firehouse foundations provides funds for things like disaster preparedness and disaster relief to life saving equipment.
      Read this review for more information.
 

Vic Lucero the manager 

    

Pocatello's Animal Shelter Continues To Improve

Pocatello Animal Shelter

The Pocatello Animal Shelter located in Upper Ross Park has made extreme improvements over the last few months that have benefited the animals in amazing ways. The new shelter opened in February of 2015 just a few hundred feet from where the old shelter used to stand. The shelter is 15,000 square feet, has 155 kennels, and a cat bowl located by the front entrance.
Along with all the great improvements, the shelter is adding several new outdoor kennels and a dog park. The dog park will be two acres of land that will provide a social and physical environment for the dogs. The dog park will be located on the ground of the old shelter.
The dog park will provide water and clean up stations. The park will follow the same hours of operation as the rest of the city parks available to the public. The public is encouraged to use the dog park as their own.
The dog park was made possible by a large donation given to the shelter by Carol Stanson, a Pocatello resident that has been involved with the shelter for many years. Carol adopted an older dog by the name of Katie and in honor of Katie, the dog park will be called "Katie's Dog Park".
The dog park is scheduled to be fully operational by the first of June.
For more information, please call Mary Remer, Animal Service Director, at (208)234-6157. For volunteer information, please call Kimberly Velman, Volunteer Coordinator, at (208)234-6157 or kvelman@pocatello.us

Black and white pooch enjoys the dog park

Pocatello's Thai Kitchen Brings Eastern Flavors to Western Town

Thai Kitchen's Eggplant Lover

     Despite our remote locale, Pocatello residents have long known how delicious Thai food is. Unfortunately, getting it meant driving to Lava Hot Springs. But in Summer, 2013 a new player in the Thai food game entered Pocatello's dining landscape: Thai Kitchen.

     It’s the second restaurant to bear the name, the first having opened in Idaho Falls in December 2012. The restaurants are a labor of love for owner Pete Kwanmongkhol and his family. Kwanmongkhol is from the Bangkok area and has been operating Thai restaurants in southeastern Idaho for more than 11 years. When his original Thai restaurant in Idaho Falls closed, Kwanmongkhol moved to Portland, but returned to Idaho when his nephew had an idea for a new restaurant.

     Previously, their Pocatello location at 978 Hiline Rd. has played revolving door to a slew of Mexican fast food joints. I heard one person superstitiously posit that the place was cursed. But given Kwanmongkhol’s long history of restaurant ownership -- and their frequently packed parking lot -- I’m optimistic about Thai Kitchen’s staying power.

The Sandpiper Brings a Taste of Hawaii to Pocatello

Sandpiper Manager Blake Novosel Offers a Taste of Hawaii to Pocatello

Reviewed by Michael Ward


Sandpiper Owner Blake Novosel has been successful in keeping his Pocatello restaurant a family-friendly place that serves the best seafood in town.  The Sandpiper is best known for its Idaho trout and delicious mouthwatering steaks.  It also has the freshest restaurant food in town, with their salmon and trout having been caught in the waters of Hawaii and rivers and streams of Hagerman Valley, Idaho just a few days before its cooked and served.

Tripadvisor.com rated the Sandpiper No. 2 out of 137 restaurants in Pocatello.

Unlike Red Lobster, the Sandpiper has fish that is even more fresh.  The Sandpiper also serves mouthwatering steaks and a variety of other delicious foods and desserts.  The Idaho trout I ate was fresh and had a delicious flavor to it.  The asparagus was soaked in butter and had a rich flavor to it. The potatoes covered with dark gravy were some of Idaho's best-tasting potatoes.  Even the Austin cheesecake I had was really sweet and good.

The atmosphere was just as friendly as the food was good.  Pleasing customers is the main goal at the Sandpiper.  Customer services is personable and hands-on, with one waiter per customer.  The restaurant itself had a ship-themed look to it with its pictures, architecture and the strong aroma of cooking seafood.  They claim to be one of the best places in town to take dates and families.

"Anything I can do to please my guests, I will do," Novosel said.

Due to the expensive food, the Sandpiper doesn't have as many college students as the cheaper restaurants like Pizza Hut or Buffalo Wild Wings.

Attached is my article review of the Sandpiper with the owner.

    The Sign Outside the Restaurant

    Don Aslett Cleans to Succes

Don Aslett 

     Don Aslett began cleaning toilets and carpets when he was a broke college student. Today, he is the CEO of Varsity Facility Services. 

     

     Aslett started his cleaning business in 1957. He put an add on the paper that said, "Don Aslett Pro-Cleaner!" He had never cleaned anything before in his life.

     

     "[I] had never even made my bed before," Aslett said.

     

     With some squeegees and a little bit of luck, Aslett was able to take his small cleaning business to new heights. He has cleaned
everything from toilets to carpets, windows,
and possibly everything else that warrants a cleaning.  He has even successfully opened a museum dedicated to cleaning. The first of its kind. 

     

     Aslett was kind enough to give an ISU class a tour of his cleaning store in Pocatello, Idaho. 

Not only did he show the class modern and efficient ways to clean, he also shared some of his wisdom. 

     

     "The key to success is not education but really loving what you do and what you get to do,” Aslett said.

Read more here

Pocatello's Local Cleaning Man-Don Aslett

 Don Aslett has a love for cleaning since he was in college. He grew in in small town Twin Falls, Idaho and has been cleaning for about 60 years. 

Asleep attended Idaho State University when he opened his own Janitorial Business and also took two years off to complete a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Aslett now owns his own cleaning stores along with The Museum of Clean that he opened within the last 5 years. The museum used a variety of cleaning tools that have been used and upgraded over the years. 

Aslett loves cleaning along with teaching others about the techniques he uses and the products he loves. 

He has appeared on Oprah Windfree, Steve Hartman, and the QVC network. 

Pocatello's Own Don Aslett Offers Life Advice

Don Aslett

Don Aslett born in Twin Falls, has come a long way for a small town boy. He appeared on the QVC Network, On the Road with Steve Hartman, and he has done an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

He spent nearly ten years attending Idaho State University during which time he opened his own janitorial business and took two years off to complete a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saints.

He now owns his own cleaning store and has been able to open his dream museum. The Museum of Clean a place filled with the history of cleaning and the various cleaning tools that have been used over the years.

Aslett not only has a passion for cleaning, but a passion for teaching the youth. He demonstrated this when he offered some great life advice to some ISU, Convergent News Writing students. 

"You're living here, so don't put it off until you're 45. If you aren't doing what you want to do right now, you're losing," Aslett said.

From cleaning tips to living life to the fullest this cleaning mogul offers up advice you can live by.

ISU Alumni Talks Cleaning And Offers Advice

Don Aslett

Don Aslett was a "go-getter" from the beginning. Aslett was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and later moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where he attended what was then Idaho State College and is now known as Idaho State University.

Aslett was a very busy man. He played baseball while attending school, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Hawaii and managed to start his own janitorial business.

Aslett has accomplished many goals since his college days. He now owns and operates the Museum of Clean, a 75,000 square foot, 6-story restored complex all dedicated to cleaning.

Along with the Museum of Clean, Aslett also owns and operates his cleaning business Don Alett's Cleaning Center which has multiple locations for all your cleaning products. Aslett has appeared on television several times with Oprah Winfrey, The QVC Network, and CBS with Steve Hartman.

Aslett gives back to his community by holding events at his Museum of Clean and by giving speeches to young adults and children. A news writing class had the opportunity to visit Aslett's store and listen to his story. Aslett spoke about washing windows, cleaning toilets, and vacuuming but with that aside he had a really strong message. Aslett stressed that life is too short to not do what you love. He encouraged the students to live for now and to have value in the work of their choosing. The majority of students had a positive reaction and thanked Aslett for the thoughtful advice. 

Don Aslett's Cleaning Center located at 331 S 5th Ave, Pocatello, ID

Aslett Sells Cleaning Products and Clean Values to College Journalism Students

Don Aslett at his Pocatello Store

      Don Aslett knows clean living is more than just chemicals.

      Personal responsibility and accountability underscored much of his hour and half talk, which was given inside Don Aslett's Cleaning Center on Friday afternoon. The students attending were part of a journalism class learning how to cover speeches.

      Aslett is a well-known and charismatic local figure who built a cleaning empire over the last sixty years. He began in 1957 when he opened Varsity Contractors, Inc., a cleaning company that's been in business ever since. Now Aslett owns a chain of cleaning supply stores as well as the Museum of Clean, a museum showcasing a rich history of cleaning products and other historical artifacts. He has written over 40 books and has made numerous high profile television appearances from QVC (a televised shopping network) to the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Visit Don Aslett's Pocatello Cleaning Store location at 311 S. 5th Avenue and 1602 E. 17th Street in Idaho Falls.

Watch an excerpt from Aslett's talk:
"

Don Aslett Is The Mr. Clean Of Pocatello

Don Aslett

Don Aslett started his company while he was a student here at ISU in 1957.  He has been helping the world clean ever since.

When he was younger, he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America.  Aslett pays it forward to the organization by offering advice to younger scouts.  He spent almost 10 years at ISU, but took a two year break to serve an LDS mission.

Aslett is a man full of advice when it comes to life.  "You have to really like what you do, life plan, do not career plan," he told ISU students at his cleaning story on March 13, 2015.

Aslett has a passion for cleaning and he has shown that throughout his career.  In 2009, he opened the Museum of Clean that is dedicated to the history of cleaning supplies.

He works 14-hour days and is still committed to come back the next day to do it all over again.

Don Aslett of Pocatello Cleans Windows The Right Way

                                          Video segment of Aslett speaking about clean

      A small group of ISU Convergent Journalism students had the opportunity to hear from Don Aslett about cleaning windows.

      "I've been cleaning for 60 years,"Aslett said." I've learned a little bit but cleaning is a hard sell."

      Aslett is well known in the cleaning industry and was once interviewed by Steve Hartman about his world renowned Museum of Clean. 

      In talking about cleaning windows, Aslett made the comment that anyone can clean and make lots of money; the key is to be able to clean fast and to not treat it like work but make it fun.

      Aslett started the demonstration, at his local store, by cleaning some windows and said that Joy is the best thing to clean windows. It only takes a couple drops of Joy and Aslett described it as making the water wetter.

      Once the window has been sprayed with cleaner a simple squeegee is the best tool to use.

      Aslett is a pioneer of using a squeegee to clean windows , showing that you start from the top and work the sides and then down.

      Aslett is so quick with a squeegee cleaning the windows that some in the group thought that he looked like Zorro.

      "He's like a Zorro with a squeegee ," said Devon Marcel, one of the CMP students.

                                          Advertisement for Don Aslett's cleaning store

Pocatello's Don Aslett Lectures About Cleaning

            Students of the CMP 1110 Convergent Journalism class heard the owner of Don Aslett's Cleaning Center, Don Aslett, speak about various aspects of cleaning window and mirrors.  Aslett is the owner of Don Aslett's Cleaning Center in Pocatello.  He has been running the cleaning business for 30 years.

            Aslett sells various cleaning supplies.  There are cleaning items for every room in an average home, including kitchens, bathrooms, carpets, and glass surfaces.  The store also has vacuum cleaners, mops, brooms, and sponges.

           In addition to having his own website, Aslett also has his own Facebook site for his cleaning store.  Aslett has various photos of cleaning products, written instructions, and other miscellaneous images.  The Facebook page also has information about his store and other posts on the timeline wall. The site includes a map of where the store is located.