Food Notes: Brick 29 is moving on up; chef Lou Aaron to appear on Food Network

Chef Dustan Bristol recently announced big plans for Brick 29 Bistro, his popular eatery at 320 11th Ave. S. in Nampa’s Belle District.

After looking around town for places to move the restaurant, he ended up looking no further than the Masonic Temple building where he’s been since 2007. (Bristol owns part of the building.)

But instead of just remodeling the basement dining room, Bristol has decided to add a third floor to the building and move the restaurant upstairs later this year.

Bristol, who also owns On the Fly Deli in Boise, says he feels blessed about the popularity of his flagship restaurant, yet he’s always envisioned a dining room with cleaner lines and more light. Plus, the downstairs space can get a little loud and clanky at times.

“I’ll nail it upstairs. Acoustics, flow and everything,” he says.

“I’ll have more control over design, starting from scratch.”

The dining room will actually be slightly smaller upstairs, but tall windows will bathe the space in natural light, giving it a larger penthouse-meets-patio feel. The new lounge area, on the other hand, is going to be larger and more stylish, set off by glass shelves and a sleek design.

The exposed kitchen upstairs will be much larger than the 13-foot hot line downstairs. And this means an expanded menu of inventive comfort food with a Northwest bent.

“It’ll be more casual food all day long,” Bristol says.

He’s considering an all-day menu versus running separate lunch and dinner menus like he has for years. Bristol and his team are doing recipe development for the new menu.

Construction begins soon, and Bristol hopes to open the new space by Sept. 1. Brick 29 will remain open in its current location while construction is going on upstairs.

Online: brick29.com

On the Fly tweaks menu

Speaking of Bristol, he recently retooled the menu at his upscale Downtown Boise deli, On the Fly, on the second floor of the Eighth and Main building, 800 W. Main St.

Diners can still find lots of grab-and-go items in the reach-ins out front, but the made-to-order sandwich selection has grown considerably. How does a muffuletta sandwich sound? A turkey sandwich with creamy Borsin and cranberry mustard fits the season well. Other sandwiches include a thick meatloaf sandwich and a panini of the week that focuses on the season.

On the Fly is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Online: ontheflydeli.com

Chef Lou on Food Network, again

On Jan. 10, chef Lou Aaron of Boise’s Westside Drive-In will be featured on an episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games” on Food Network at 6 p.m. (MST).

Aaron was chosen by Guy Fieri and his producers as one of the four chefs who compete for cash prizes during each episode, filmed on the Flavortown Market set in Santa Rosa, Calif.

“It’s a crazy show. You never know what to expect,” Aaron says.

This season’s theme is called “Triple D on Triple G.” It brings together chefs who were showcased on Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” in a series of zany cooking games down the aisles of a pop-up grocery store. Westside Drive-In was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” in 2009.

In case you miss it, the show will air again Jan. 11 (1 a.m.), Jan. 15 (4 p.m.) and Jan. 17 (5 p.m.)

Online: foodnetwork.com

Saint Lawrence Gridiron update

Saint Lawrence Gridiron, 705 W. Bannock St., has a new chef in the kitchen.

Owner Brian Garrett recently hired Daniel Orr to head up the culinary team. Americana is still the name of the game at this popular gastrolounge, and Orr brings plenty of Southern influence with him considering he hails from the Deep South.

“Daniel’s a Southern hipster-redneck kind of guy who cares a lot about food,” Garrett says.

Orr most recently cooked at The Copper Onion in Salt Lake City before moving to the City of Trees.

“He’s helped us by bringing in a flourish of ideas,” Garrett says.

In the new year, Saint Lawrence Gridiron will continue to mix it up as it goes, with an always changing menu that’s all over the map, and remain focused on the craft-cocktail program and array of top-shelf bourbons.

Saint Lawrence Gridiron is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; and it serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Online: saintlawrence gridiron.com

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Food Notes: Brick 29 is moving on up; chef Lou Aaron to appear on Food Network."