‘Swamped’ at first, this Boise restaurant will close and move to a ‘pumped’ new place
The buzz was palpable when Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese arrived in Boise — or maybe it was the sound of all those belts being loosened.
Taking over a standalone building at 6565 W. Fairview Ave. in late 2022, the restaurant drew a large, excited crowd for a preview event.
“We were swamped,” the general manager told the Statesman.
Less than two years later, the quirky concept is shutting its doors on Fairview Avenue and moving. After a final day Aug. 31, Meltz will take its cheesy act to the Boise Spectrum, 7709 W. Overland Road.
Meltz is relocating to the Spectrum’s Chow Public Market and Eatery. It will offer its menu of grilled-cheese sandwiches in a food-court-style setting.
“We’re pumped,” said Matt Schirmer, director of real estate for D.D. Dunlap Companies, which owns the Spectrum. The target opening date is early September, he added.
Meltz Extreme will join Tamales Nelly Mexican Food as food options at Chow. “It should be a really, really good addition,” Schirmer said.
In fact, Meltz will take over the Tamales Nelly space. The new Meltz is part of a reshuffling at Chow. Tamales Nelly will move into the spot previously occupied by recently closed Vegan Soul. Meanwhile, FoodCulture catering company is taking over the old Louisiana Soul Bayou space, he said. And Bomb Burger, a pop-up concept at Chow, plans to shut down at the end of the month, Schirmer said.
A comfort-food-on-steroids concept, Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese was founded in 2012 in Coeur d’Alene, where the original store continues to churn out cheesy creations.
Meltz restaurants gleefully concoct unashamed calorie bombs. Where else can you find a gut-busting, proudly hedonistic sandwich like The Oinker ($15.95 full, $7.95 half)? It’s made with sharp cheddar, barbecued pulled pork and mac ‘n’ cheese, plus bacon and buttermilk fried onions.
Another popular choice? The Potsticker Meltz. Or as the menu brags, “the 2013 National Grilled Cheese Invitational winner.” For $16.95 full, or $8.50 half, it’s made with provolone and pepper Jack cheese, pork, pepper, garlic, ginger, soy, scallion, sesame, fried wonton and sriracha-chili aioli — and it’s served with potsticker dipping sauce.
Since sandwiches are made to order at Meltz, customers can expect to wait a few minutes after paying at the counter, depending on how busy the restaurant is.
But most find it very much worth it.
“I ABSOLUTELY love Meltz,” wrote a recent reviewer on Google, where Meltz rates 4.5 out of 5.0, adding, “their food is delicious.”
Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese also has a mobile operation. Boiseans can find it through Sunday at the Western Idaho Fair.
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 2:19 PM.