Sunday 31st of May 2009 02:55:10 PM

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Some might wonder why I submitted this place for the Beer Mapping Project. I list it because it, one, it does in fact serve beer and, two, is the only place in the area that my wife and I are never NOT in the mood to go to.

Even though I think the greatest beer-bar-restaurant in the Western US is nearby (Kahootz in Meridian), sometimes my wife will not want to visit it (usually because we were just there a day or two prior).

My wife loves sushi. This is unfortunate for her because I don't think it's possible for a human to be more apathetic in regards to sushi than I am. So when we first stumbled on to Willowcreek Grill/Raw Sushi we were floored (in a good way).

You can sit in either restaurant but you can order anything off either menu. The decor an atmosphere of Raw is comfortable; more intimate and a little less "family" than Willowcreek, so we usually sit there.

The beer selection is small, but serviceable. There have always been a couple of good Deschutes beers available, if nothing else. But, occasionally, you will get something completely unexpected and amazing offered out of the blue. My favorite so far was Lagunita's "The Hairy Eyeball". I didn't expect something that exotic to ever be there. So from time to time you will get a very pleasant surprise. To-date, I have yet to be "disappointed" in the beer selection - there has always been something available to drink without me feeling like I've had to settle for less just because I'm at that restaurant.

The food is really very good. Look at the menu online. To say their offerings are eclectic is a bit of an understatement. I have enjoyed everything I've tried. Though I have yet to try their sushi, that is all my wife orders. Perhaps not the greatest sushi ever, it is one of the top places around Boise. And she doesn't have to stuff me in a sack and drag me out to a sushi bar just so she can have some sushi. Additionally Raw has started curing their own mackerel, and by two reports it is the best mackerel in the valley.

The service is always friendly and usually very fast as this location is off the beaten path, so not too busy. In the Raw portion of the restaurant the servers may not be very knowledgeable about beer. But this is not really a detriment because the beer selection is very straightforward and the servers have been fun, engaging people each time.

This is a one-of-a-kind offering in Boise. If your marital life has the same kind of "sushi divide" mine does, blow your spouse's mind by heading out here!

Warning: they are closed on Sundays, unfortunately.