BY ANNIE CARBUTT PHOTOS BY JOSHUA GULIZIA
FEW PEOPLE REALIZE THE PREMIUM OFFERINGS AVAILABLE IN IDAHO FALLS when it comes to fine dining. If you’re looking for a truly gourmet meal, nothing takes it to a higher level than D’Railed. The gastropub is housed in a converted 1800s Union Pacific railroad bunkhouse at 468 N Eastern Ave., just across from the railroad tracks. Chef Jay Drahota opened D’Railed in 2010 with the intent to offer “the best meal of your life” to locals. “Normally, when someone goes searching for the best possible meal, they think of Las Vegas or New York,” Jay said. “I thought, why not Idaho Falls?”
As Jay’s reputation has grown, so have his aspirations. He now seeks to offer the finest dining experience not just in Idaho or even the United States, but in the world. He strives for this by using only the most premium ingredients, no matter the expense. In terms of beef, this means importing from far-off places like Japan and Australia.
Jay often tells customers that an Australian Wagyu steak may very well be “the best steak of your life.” For those who want to take it up even another notch and go with the Japanese Wagyu, “this will be a lifechanging experience,” he says.
Jay has worked hard to secure direct relationships with Japanese and Australian beef distributors. He’s proud to offer such premium cuts to the Idaho Falls community.
“We have 14 cuts of beef, seven Australian Wagyu and seven A5 Japanese Wagyu,” Jay said. “Even Michelin star restaurants carry maybe only two or three cuts of A5 Japanese Wagyu. If you compare our menu to one in Beverly Hills, ours is a better menu.”
The search for premium products isn’t limited to only beef. D’Railed also offers the highly sought-after Ora King Salmon, imported directly from New Zealand. Ingredients like imported Japanese wasabi (grated fresh to order) and Rogue River Blue cheese, which won the grand championship at the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy—these are also among the ingredients that garnish the plates at D’Railed each day.
Produce is purchased fresh daily and handpicked for best quality, with select items like microgreens being delivered weekly by a small, local supplier
“Cost is never the issue, only quality,” Jay said. “We’ve paid some premium prices without raising the bill for our customers so we can offer the best experience possible.”
Having tested a mouthwatering lineup of the items off the D’Railed menu, the Idaho Falls Magazine staff can certainly attest to the quality of these gourmet dishes. The first bite of Japanese Wagyu left us all speechless, for a start. The tenderness and flavor were unlike any other steak we had ever had. The Ora King salmon also blew us away. Perfectly buttery, smooth and flaky with the faintest hint of lemon, this is not your typical salmon.
We also enjoyed tender and crispy cauliflower wings, salty cheese curds with a delightful squeak, and perfect jumbo coconut shrimp for a great round of starters.
The Avocado Louis Salad surprised us with its delicious presentation and tangy, creamy flavors over crisp greens. There’s really no comparison in your typical selection of salads.
For sides, we can’t say enough about the fried brussel sprouts with their deep umami flavor and balanced sweetness. The mushroom trio was superb, and the lobster fried rice was unique and delicious. To round it all out, the Potatoes Romanhoff were the essence of gourmet comfort food.
The red Cabernet with its full-bodied notes of black cherry and vanilla spice proved to be a perfect companion to the feast before us, especially the steak. But in terms of presentation, the Candy Lemondrop mocktail really stole the show. Served in a martini glass with an almost mythical-sized bubble the size of a softball, this showstopper brought oohs and aahs all around when the bubble popped and dropped a smooth blanket of white mist over the table.
What struck us all was how fresh and perfectly presented every item was.
“Everything is made fresh to order,” Jay said. “This means that if you order a dish with Béarnaise sauce, we make the sauce fresh for your plate. Nothing is held hot except baked potatoes.”
Jay explained that his staff are required to learn each process to perfection so that every dish is replicated precisely, every time. This means there is no such thing as an “off day” at D’Railed.
“We want only the best for our customers,” he said. “We see those who come back time and time again, some who even fly here in private jets just for a meal at D’Railed. This is the kind of loyalty we strive for, and we go the extra mile to make this happen.”
The extra mile looks like a fresh rose to take home after your meal and adjustable ambient lighting for every table. Outside, it looks like a red brick patio with gas fireplaces and classy light-up signs in white scrolling letters.
“We want this to be a romantic destination and a place people come back to,” Jay said. “It’s the little things that help make this happen.” Having had the D’Railed experience for ourselves, we can say the romance is real and it’s a place we’ll definitely be coming back to.
468 N Eastern Ave | 208-932-1082 | www.drailedid.com