This new Boise restaurant was ‘the most Idaho thing I’ve ever seen.’ It already closed?
It’s always disappointing when a unique food concept closes.
But when it seemed tailor-made for Idaho, too? And lasted months, not years?
Major bummer.
Based on reviews, more than a few customers will miss Build A Spud, a now-defunct potato bar at the Boise Towne Square food court. Although the sign is still up, the space is empty.
Launched last year, Build A Spud (sometimes stylized as Build-A-Spud) specialized in mega-loaded baked potatoes. It was one of those “duh” ideas that made you wonder, “Why isn’t any other restaurant doing this concept?”
Build A Spud opened with half a dozen signature taters costing roughly $7 or $8 for a half, and $11 to $13 for a whole. You also could build your own for about the same price. Proteins included chicken, ground beef, pulled pork and steak. Then you chose a sauce, a cheese variety and added a slew of tasty toppings.
Sure, it might have seemed borderline spendy for a freakin’ tater. Or more like a concept that belonged at the Western Idaho Fair. But food ain’t cheap anymore — and this place did not skimp.
Online ratings were exceptional: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars on Yelp, and 4.9 out of 5.0 stars on Google.
“The best baked potato I have had ever in Boise,” declared one Google reviewer. “They are cooked to absolute perfection.”
“Hands down the most Idaho thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” added a Yelp reviewer. “Absolutely humongous and should have gotten a half. It’s at the mall, so the ambiance is, uhh, mall-like but the service was great.”
The Steak-O-Tato was smothered in steak, cheese, onions and green and red peppers. The Taco-Tato was topped with ground beef, cheese (nacho or shredded cheddar), onions, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. And what about the simple yet spectacular-sounding Chili-Tato: Chili, onions and cheese. What else could we possibly need, Idaho?
Build A Spud’s exit leaves four empty spaces at the food court. (Hey, as long as Orange Julius is out there, it’s always worth the trip, mall rats.)
Perhaps Build A Spud will get reincarnated. Here’s an idea: It could re-emerge as a vendor at the Idaho Potato Drop. I’ll take the Busted-New-Year’s-Resolution-Tato, please: all the toppings and triple the cheese.
This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 4:40 PM.