New Boise restaurant opens with scratch-made, local lunch. (Wait, is that a Bob’s Burger?)
When Wild Plum Events hosted a “Bob’s Burgers” pop-up two years ago, the turnout was “insane,” co-owner Tara Morgan says.
Fortunately, the stampede didn’t scare away the catering company from welcoming future diners.
Three weeks ago, Morgan and chef/co-owner Alex Cardoza launched Luncheonette. The married couple’s new weekday restaurant debuted Aug. 10 at 1621 N. Orchard St. Luncheonette serves “scratch-made, locally sourced meals” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Cardoza is the former head chef at now-shuttered Red Feather Lounge. He also started brunch at the Modern Hotel and served as culinary director at Boise Urban Garden School. Five years after launching Wild Plum Events, he and Morgan have crafted a shared, proven approach to food.
It begins with local, seasonal ingredients. And with most events nowadays canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, why not showcase them at a lunch counter?
“We make most of our deli meats in-house, from our pasture-raised ham and roasted turkey to the grass-fed pastrami on our grilled cheese,” Cardoza said in a media release. “I like cultivating relationships with local farmers and ranchers, and knowing where the food we serve comes from.”
Customers choose from a dozen entrees ranging from $8 to $13. Prices include a side.
Carnivores will be intrigued by the Pastrami Grilled Cheese ($11.50), Meatball Sub ($11) or the Prague Meatloaf ($11), “a blend of course-ground Malheur River Meats pork and spices seared until the edges are crisp,” augmented by “creamy mustard, griddled Acme rye bread and assorted housemade pickles.”
Vegetarians will be drawn to the Loaded Beet Hummus ($9) or Vegan Tempeh BLT ($11), with marinated organic tempeh, H&H Farms hothouse tomatoes and “a hearty smear of chili crisp veganaise on Acme potato bread.”
Wild Plum offers four salad options as sides. Can’t stand the thought of being so healthy? Opt for Kettle Chips.
Drinks range from Huckleberry Lemonade ($3.50) to Cold Brew Coffee ($3). Luncheonette also offers a couple of desserts, including Brioche Bread Pudding with Peaches ($5).
Utilizing online ordering, the entire menu is designed for pickup. Dining on-site? The capacity is modest, Morgan explains via email. They can serve up to 24 outside. Staffers wear masks and sanitize tables after each meal.
Longtime Boise diners will remember the Wild Plum space as the old Tom Sweeney’s Dutch Oven Cafe. But for virus safety reasons, lunch is not yet served in the dining room. When it does open, indoor capacity will be somewhere between 12 and 20, Morgan says. So far, the majority of orders are to-go.
Oh, and if you miss simpler days? When a bazillion Boiseans could pack into Wild Plum’s small space in sweaty costumes and celebrate an animated Fox sitcom?
Order Luncheonette’s Classic Cheeseburger ($12.50). Take a bite. Reminisce.
It’s the same creation that was served at the Bob’s Burgers pop-up as the Sharp Cheddar Dressed Man.
Online: plumluncheonette.com.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 4:00 AM.