Boise has new spot for ‘delicious, affordable’ breakfast. (3 words: Pork. Belly. Bacon.)

If your stomach is growling in the BoDo district of downtown Boise, breakfast options are limited.

The nearby Panera Bread is popular. Other folks opt for Caffe D’Arte.

But if you’d prefer to bite into “something that’s homemade, unique, delicious and affordable”?

Listen to chef Dan Carruthers describe the new breakfast at Tasso, his gourmet sandwich shop at 401 S. 8th St.

The menu, being added on Saturday, Dec. 28, is purposely compact. It’s part of Tasso’s overall philosophy.

“We just make a select handful of menu items perfectly,” says Carruthers, who owns the 42-seat restaurant with his wife, Hannah. “That’s our goal with everything.”

The Egg and Cheese Sandwich ($5) is scrambled egg, mustard, arugula and Gruyere cheese on a brioche bun. Add Tasso ham for $1. Or pork belly bacon for $2.

Carruthers takes extra pride in his Poached Egg ($7.50) dish, which involves grilled potato, dressed greens, kimchi and toast. “It’s like a complete, well-rounded little meal,” he says. “That’s very affordable.”

Yep. Better add pork belly bacon for $2.

Here’s the thing. After debuting in 2018, Tasso has enticed sandwich addicts with a dedication to scratch-made food. Tasso uses Heritage Meats. They’re butchered, cured and smoked at the sandwich shop. The most popular sandwich, the Country Devil ($10), is made of house Tasso ham, pork, melted Gruyere, Tasso mustard, mayo and pickled onion.

That pork belly bacon? It’s cut on the slicer’s thickest setting. About half an inch.

“It’s been cured like bacon, but then we confit it,” Carruthers explains, referring to the mouth-watering method of cooking a piece of meat in its own fat. “Then you slowly bring it up to the rendering temperature. So when you bite into it, it just melts. That’s how you can get away with it being so thick.”

Feeling guilty? (Don’t!) Explore the oatmeal/yogurt bar ($5), where you self-serve with toppings such as dehydrated apples, roasted almonds or fresh blackberries. Tasso’s breakfast menu also features a grilled potato with brava sauce ($3), coffee ($2) and juice ($2).

Breakfasts will be available for dining in or to go — and served quickly for customers on the move. The menu will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. The first 20 customers each day from Dec. 28 to Jan. 4 will get a free coffee of their choice at Slow By Slow Coffee next door.

It’s all part of adapting and evolving nearly two years after opening.

Over time, Tasso’s sandwich menu has tripled in size. After launching with an $11-single-price model, Carruthers changed course; sandwiches now have individual prices ranging from $7 to $12. An entree salad section has been added to the menu, too.

These days, each sandwich also comes with a green salad. “Our menu’s a little meat-heavy,” he explains. “We just want to feel good about what we’re doing.”

It must feel good to give BoDo another breakfast destination. “There’s a need where we’re at,” he says.

Yeah. For more pork belly bacon.

“It’s really, really good,” Carruthers agrees with a chuckle.

Online: tassoboise.com.