What beats this on a snowy day, asks new Boise restaurant? The food is ‘fantastic’

On one of its first social-media posts, Boise’s newest restaurant quizzed potential customers: “What sounds better than a hot bowl of ramen on a snowy day?”

The correct answer? Two hot bowls of ramen, of course.

Nara Ramen & Izakaya, which opened Christmas week at 7610 W. State St., specializes in the popular dish. It’s located in a spot that formerly held Good Burger. When a local restaurant closes, yes, it’s sad news. But a burger joint sacrificed for a ramen hangout? In Boise, that’s known as trading up.

Nara’s nearly dozen ramen choices range from shio ($10) and veggie ($12) to black garlic tonkotsu ($13) and the “highly recommended” spicy beef ($14). There are four gluten-free ramen options, too. Naturally, you can add extra toppings to any ramen for $1 to $4.

I haven’t eaten at Nara Ramen yet, but Idaho Statesman reporter Nicole Blanchard picked up to-go food on New Year’s Eve. The verdict after a bowl of tonkotsu? “It was fantastic,” she says. “The closest thing I’ve had to what we got in Japan. Highly, highly recommended.”

The counter-service restaurant also has several appetizers such as chicken karaage ($6), shrimp tempura ($8) and takoyaki ($7) — a fried, ball-shaped creation made with octopus.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with lots of boba tea concoctions, which cost $5 and run the gamut from brown sugar caramel milk to the rainbow-like Galaxy Tea. (Speaking of drinks, no alcohol is served at Nara Ramen & Izakaya.)

A new chain headquartered in Twin Falls, this is the first location for Nara Ramen. “Our goal,” general manager Stephanie Nguyen said, “is to bring authentic Japanese cuisine to our customers and provide jobs for the local community.”

A second Nara Ramen is slated to open next in Bismarck, North Dakota. A third store with a modified concept — Nara Ramen & Sushi Bar — is expected to appear in Twin Falls during the first quarter of 2022.

You can check out the Boise menu at nararamen.com. The restaurant’s hours are 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. You also can order online for takeout and delivery.