Boise Fry Co. just opened a new ... Latin restaurant? Yep, and the food’s ‘phenomenal’

Since launching in 2009, Boise Fry Co. has become known for irresistible fries and “burgers on the side.”

But a new restaurant from the Idaho chain serves neither.

Mala Luna, “a Latin kitchen,” opened last week at 624 W. Idaho St. The corner spot is the former home of Dharma Sushi & Thai, which moved to a larger space two blocks away. A restaurant and bar, Mala Luna specializes in tortas, empanadas and refreshing drinks such as a caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil.

There’s not a fry to be found on the menu.

“We have Cuban recipes on there. We have Chilean wine,” Boise Fry Co. CEO Brad Walker explains. “Empanadas are more of like an Argentinian thing. We’re kind of just taking that whole Latin American type of feel, and we didn’t want to pinpoint one thing.”

Mala Luna’s inspiration came from two directions. While traveling on business, Walker and two Boise Fry Co. managers were impressed by a Portland torta restaurant called Guero. “Just fell in love with the look, the feel of the concept — the simplicity of it,” Walker says. Meanwhile, Boise Fry Co. owner Blake Lingle developed a taste for empanadas after living in South America with his family for a year and a half.

“He was all about empanadas. So we wanted to do tortas, he needed empanadas,” Walker says, before chuckling. “We needed to spend his money, so we put empanadas on the menu. Blake’s been really good as far as just letting us run wild with our imagination and our concepts.”

The result is a tight menu of food that Walker isn’t afraid to brag about. “It’s phenomenal,” he says.

Walker’s favorite entree is Navajo Tacos ($12), two frybread tacos — carne or roasted poblano peppers — with spiced pinto bean puree, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cotija cheese, green chiles and avocado crema.

His runner-up? The Brisket Ropa Vieja Torta. For $12, the sandwich includes a side salad or chips and salsa. After that? “Any empanada, really,” he says. (Other tortas include Pork Cochinita and Roasted Poblano.)

Mala Luna does three empanada and three torta varieties. If you order empanadas, you’ll find four of the stuffed pastries on your plate. Brisket Empanadas ($9.50) will definitely hit the spot, but why not satisfy your sweet tooth with Fruta Empanadas ($8.50)? Those come with seasonal fruit puree, cream cheese and a dash of sugared cinnamon.

Other notable food options include Nachos Luna ($10) and the Ensalada Luna ($10). And when ordering that salad, you can add carne or poblano peppers for $2. (At Mala Luna, “carne” means Brisket Ropa Vieja or Pork Cochinita.)

Mala Luna is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Saturday, but those hours will be extended to include lunch this spring.

For now, the Boise Fry Co. team is just stoked to have a new restaurant to show off on Idaho Street. Western Proper — a huge restaurant, bar and game center — is slated to open down the street in May. The block feels like it’s teeming with potential.

“It’s a killer location once we get the patio downtown,” Walker agrees. “We do hope people sit there and drink and eat and just have a really good people-watching time.”