New, larger Richard’s restaurant to open Jan. 9 in Downtown Boise

Chef Richard Langston has made quite the name for himself in Boise’s North End over the years with his Café Vicino and former Richard’s in Hyde Park. He’s even garnered the attention of the James Beard Foundation Awards, earning a semifinalist nod for the Best Chef: Northwest category in 2014.

Now he’s taking his game Downtown to the Inn at 500 Capitol, a newly constructed boutique hotel at 500 S. Capitol Blvd. He’ll debut his new and improved Richard’s — sans the Café Vicino part of the name — on Jan. 9.

Going from a small neighborhood restaurant to a larger, more modern setting won’t really change Langston’s philosophy on how to treat his guests.

“We’ll still have that same friendly, neighborhood vibe, but this place is new and polished,” he says. “We want to take care of our longtime diners, but now that we are a restaurant in a hotel, we’ll definitely be attracting a new crowd.”

The restaurant’s décor speaks to a modern sensibility, with an open feel and plenty of booths, free-standing tables and banquettes that more than double the dining capacity of Café Vicino, which he has closed.

The interior design exhibits dark raisin and metallic tones, accented by a partial drop ceiling of wine barrel staves meant to remind diners that Idaho’s wine country is not far away.

“The space is very soothing and comfortable,” Langston says.

The biggest change, besides the new location itself, is that the restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, in addition to brunch on Sundays.

Langston is known for sourcing local foodstuffs for his Mediterranean-tinged menus.

During the morning hours (6 to 11 a.m. Monday-Saturday), diners can order from a breakfast menu that features farmer’s market hash ($10), sausage and creamy polenta ($12) and various omelets, including one with goat cheese, piquillo peppers and arugula ($10).

The brunch menu, offered on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., has standouts such as pound cake French toast ($12; with whipped lemon curd ricotta and berry puree), a hybrid scrambled egg sandwich ($9) and breakfast carbonara ($12), a tangle of pasta with pancetta, Parmesan and two baked eggs on top.

At lunchtime (11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday), diners can get inventive sandwiches and pasta dishes such as cheese ravioli with brown butter-sage sauce ($11) and linguine in tomato broth with clams and Spanish chorizo ($17.50).

The dinner menu (5 to 10 p.m. nightly) will have some similarities to Café Vicino, yet it will evolve over time and change with the season, like all the other menus.

You can start things off with small plates such as tuna tartare ($12), chef’s choice flatbread ($11) and grilled shrimp on risotto cakes with basil cream sauce ($12.50).

Besides various pasta dishes, gnocchi and risotto, other large plates include Lava Lake Lamb osso buco ($25), prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast ($24) and pan-seared sea bass ($28).

Online: richardsboise.com.

Bob’s Sunrise Cafe to open on Overland

Bob’s Sunrise Cafe plans to open a fourth Treasure Valley location in February in the former Idaho Pizza Company spot at 4218 W. Overland Road near Hillcrest Country Club in Boise.

The locally owned and operated restaurant has dished up homespun breakfasts and other diner fare since 1988. The cafe is known for its fat omelets, pancakes, French toast, cinnamon rolls, and biscuits and country-style gravy. Later in the day, it’s all about sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads and entrées such as chicken-fried steaks.

Other Bob’s Sunrise Cafe locations are in Meridian (805 N. Main St.), Middleton (200 E. Main St.) and northwest Boise (7135 W. State St.).

Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Korean takeout at fitness club in Eagle

Restaurants sometimes pop up in the strangest places, as is the case with Taste of Korea, which quietly opened a few months ago at the Idaho Athletic Club in Eagle, 875 E. Plaza Drive.

The small takeout joint is owned by South Korean transplant Stacy Yoo, who recently moved here from San Antonio, Texas. The menu features sweet and spicy pork, pot sticker-like dumplings, kimchi fried rice, seaweed salad, sweet potato noodles with beef and kimbap, a Korean-style sushi roll. Everything costs around $5 to $8. Plus, those who come to work out can score smoothies and other quick, healthy items.

Taste of Korea is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Crossings Winery to host murder mystery dinner

Crossings Winery, 1289 W. Madison Ave., in Glenns Ferry is hosting a 1920s-themed murder mystery dinner Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.

“Dead Man’s Hand,” a speakeasy-inspired event, costs $65 per person. It includes a live show (put on by the Victims of Entertainment theater troupe), a three-course dinner and a glass of wine. Make reservations at crossingswinery.com. Check the website for other events.

Also of note: Crossings Winery and its Tannins Restaurant will be closed for cleaning Jan. 9 and 10. Normal business hours will resume Jan. 11.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 3:18 PM with the headline "New, larger Richard’s restaurant to open Jan. 9 in Downtown Boise."