Boise’s ‘hottest new restaurant’ serves ‘elevated’ food. And you can have a conversation!

Neil Grant owned restaurants in Cape Town for 13 years, he explains. Spent three decades in the food and wine industries.

So after five years in Idaho, the South Africa native has developed an understanding of the City of Trees’ dining strengths.

For example? “Boise’s a great place for a burger,” Grant says appreciatively.

The higher-end restaurant scene is growing, too. Which is where Saltbrush comes in. Grant’s restaurant, which opens Friday at 506 W. Grove St. in The Lucy building, will nudge Boise’s culinary ambitions further along — with an easygoing smile.

Offering a seasonal menu focused on ingredients and freshness, Saltbrush is not fine dining, he says. “It’s elevated, everyday dining.”

The idea is to offer a high-quality meal and a “great vibe,” he says. A diner should feel that “it’s warm and welcoming and inviting, and I can have a conversation.”

Saltbrush will slide into the niche of newer downtown restaurants that includes Percy, The Lively and The Avery. It’s next door to Italian destination Tavolata, which opened in November; the two share restrooms inside The Lucy.

The menu is guided by Boise-raised co-owner and head chef Erik Johnson, who honed his skills in California for more than a decade before returning a few years ago. The restaurant will be open for dinner seven days a week with a menu of shareable small plates and larger entrees. An open kitchen reveals live-fire cooking done in a Mibrasa charcoal oven. Bread will be made in-house; meats cured there, too.

“We want people to share,” Grant says. “Let everyone have a little try! It’s more entertaining. More relaxing. That’s the biggest thing.”

Food, wine

A variety of smaller options range from Duckfat Potato (sauche gribiche, trout roe, $14) and Beef Tongue Pastrami (sauerkraut, mustard, rye bread, $16) to Wood Fire Asparagus (cured egg, hollandaise, sourdough crumb, $16) and Hamachi Crudo (tangerine relish, barrel-aged soy, $23).

Entree plates include tempting choices such as Mibrasa Roasted Half Chicken (peri-peri, dirty rice, cordiander jus, $34), Pacific Sable Fish (shiitake mushroom, bok choy, mushroom dashi, $36), Grilled Double Pork Chop (Anson Mills polenta, calabrian chili vinaigrette, $48) and Mibrasa Broiled NY Strip (dashi mashed potato, chimi chili crunch, $56).

Capable of seating 125 or more at capacity, the 4,500-square-foot restaurant includes a long bar that delivers traditional cocktails and signature creations. Wine aficionados will appreciate Saltbrush, too. As co-founder of the South African Sommeliers Association, Grant says, he has a strong background in the industry. “I’ve traveled around the world judging competitions,” he says.

For diners hoping to kick back outdoors, a patio area will be utilized in the future. (Assuming that downtown Boise construction ever subsides, right?)

On social media, Saltbrush describes itself as “Boise’s hottest new restaurant.” But as the affable Grant leads an informal tour, he cherishes warmth. Chandeliers and other design flourishes create an elegant vibe. Many of the furnishings and pottery dishes were chosen by Grant and Johnson during a trip to South Africa.

“We really want people to come in and relax and have a good time,” Grant says. “It really doesn’t have to be stuffy or anything like that.”

Good conversation

Having a good time usually involves good conversation. A common gripe about many downtown pubs and restaurants is that it’s nearly impossible to hear yourself think.

Saltbrush’s designers made a concerted effort to create an acoustically pleasing environment. That effort included adding a new ceiling to the entire space. “We put it in because of sound,” Grant says.

That does not mean you’re able to hear a pin drop. The restaurant will be lively. Music will play over thoughtfully placed speakers. During a private dinner earlier this week, about 60 diners socialized, Grant says.

“I loved the fact that I felt people could have a conversation. There was a buzz and there was a vibe. And we want to push it more ... but considering what it was doing last night, I think the space was doing what it was supposed to do,” he says.

It’s all part of what Grant envisions as a restaurant that, through attention to detail, should appeal to almost anyone.

“We do not want to leave a stone unturned,” he says. “We’re looking at the cocktail bar. We’re looking at the temperature-controlled wine service. We’re really trying to tick off every single box.

“It’s not going to be everybody’s cup of tea,” he adds, “but at the end of the day, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Saltbrush will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are accepted but walk-ins are welcome.