One thing that Eel and I are trying to do more often is eat at new and different restaurants rather than the same four or five we always seem to eat at. One of the places I've been somewhat interested was called Poppa Paul's, which is just off the freeway, and Uncle Jim's Family Diner, which looks to be a sorta breakfast/dinner kind of place. The other night Uncle Jim's literally turned off the "Open" sign when we pulled in. Since Poppa Paul's looked like an all-night diner (to the extent that such things exist in Pocatello), I figured it would be open. It was.

Idaho passed a law last year prohibiting smoking in restaurants, so it came as a bit of a surprise to see people smoking in Poppa Paul's. I knew that they'd made a few exemptions, but I couldn't figure out what exemption it might fall under: nobody was bowling (Bowling alleys exempt), no one asked for a password of membership card (private clubs exempt), and I couldn't imagine how under 51% of their revenue wasn't food.

I asked around at work why an establishment that is clearly a restaurant might be exempt. I assured them that there were no bowling balls, mini-golf pucks, or secret passwords. The only thing I can think of is that it's next door to a gas station. Theoretically, if they're all considered the same place it's possible that the gas station brings in enough to bring the food gross income below 50%.

The other thing I noticed, which I've noticed ever since Adam first pointed it out to me a few years back, is that the place is set up so that you have to walk through the smoking section to get to the non-smoking section, which makes absolutely no sense. The cigarette smoke smell was not insignificant with it being one of the only smoking-section restaurants in Pocatello and I'd imagine a mecca for people who absolutely must smoke when they eat.

The food was good, though we probably won't be heading back there without a gas-masks..

Note: Error noted in the comments has been corrected.