Reviews say this is the ‘best new restaurant in Boise — hands down.’ You gonna bite?
So far, so good for Terroir Bistro.
Days after taking over Little Pearl Oyster Bar’s previous dining space at 160 N. 8th St., the downtown eatery has racked up six Google reviews — all a perfect 5.0 stars.
Pretty much everyone on the planet realizes that it’s wise to approach online reviews, good or bad, with healthy caution. Still, there’s one end of the spectrum that restaurant owners unanimously prefer.
“Best new restaurant in Boise — hands down!” gushes one reviewer. “We’ve been fans of Terroir in all of their iterations and could not be happier that they have a bistro on 8th Street. The food is absolutely exceptional and the wine, service and ambiance are all to match. Steak Tartare and Hand Cut Pasta are particular standouts. Genuinely not to be missed.”
Raves another: “Would 10/10 recommend.”
Opened in late June, Terroir Bistro is the brick-and-mortar expansion of Terroir, a popular local food trailer. Established in 2021 by culinary duo Nathan Whitley and Remi Courcenet, the Terroir brand has earned a following with a semi-constant spot at Telaya Wine Co., 240 E. 32nd St., in Garden City.
A longtime Boise chef, Whitley was a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2015 while working at The Modern Hotel and Bar. Courcenet, who was The Modern’s food and beverage director at the time, was the man who hired him.
Passionate about local sourcing, the two have concocted an initial dinner menu that is small but alluring: four hor d’oeuvres, six small plates, five entrees and three desserts. Entrees range from that Hand Cut Pasta ($24, spinach pasta, mushrooms, ricotta, fines herbes, sherry jus) to Wild Cut Sablefish ($44, green cabbage miso broth, Idaho caviar, jade rice) and Steak Frites ($45, herb butter, sweet onion puree, truffle fries).
The aforementioned Steak Tartare? It, too, is a small plate served with truffle fries and green salad for $17.
A bistro with a permanent kitchen allows the two men to create “more involved dishes,” Whitley previously told the Statesman, “and a larger, more diverse menu than what we can execute on the trailer.”
Still, expect a bit of overlap on the dynamic menu. For example, the trailer’s familiar Smoked Sturgeon? It’s currently at the bistro for $14.
Terroir Bistro’s hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Terroir trailer continues to operate in Garden City from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Just don’t be surprised if a few Telaya regulars sneak downtown to check out the new digs.
“It’s a fantastic place,” raves another Google review. “Farm-to-table food that’s delicious.”
