Rustica or “Bust”-ica?

A few short months ago the beloved neighborhood establishment Juniper closed its doors for the final time. It’s rosemary french fries and bespoke cocktails were mourned even as a new restaurant swept in to take its place. The anticipation was building and expectations were high. Would this new restaurant live up to the reputation of its predecessor? Would it compliment the energy of the pedestrian street its patio would inhabit? So many thought come to mind but the overarching one, and the truest one is… not in the slightest.

From the garlic “bread” that one could only describe as medicinal to the olive oil cake that could’ve only been accurately been called room temperature if that room was in Siberia — all my hopes for this new corner bistro have been sufficiently dashed.

The Order

My colleagues and I ordered four items from the menu:

• A berry ginger beer mocktail
• The garlic baguette with marinara dipping sauce
• Truffle fries with both a garlic aioli and ranch sauce
• An olive oil cake with whipped honey drizzle

The Outcome

I am indeed filled with regret that I must use my PhD in journalism (with a food sciences emphasis) from King’s College London to report that the best thing about this meal was the ranch dipping sauce. We tried to enjoy the garlic bread but even with the marinara-clearly-from-a-can dipping sauce it’s main accomplishment was to burn your throat as it went down.

 

“I was still feeling the burn from the garlic days later”

Tyler

Next came the truffle fries, which did not carry a single speck of salt and tasted as if a bag of frozen shoestring potatoes had merely been dumped onto a baking sheet and cooked at 425 for 12 minutes. And to finish off, the olive oil cake. The absolute kindest remark I can make about it is it a somewhat suitable vessel for the adequately tasting whipped honey that decorated its top. As for the berry ginger beer mocktail? So “okay” that I have no other words to describe it.

Does the new Rustica in downtown Boise deserve devour’s voceted five start recommendation? Not in the slightes. Treat yourself by going absolutely anywhere else.

Until next month!

Total Review Score: 3.03