Boise’s first ‘Thai burger’? And deluxe jerky? Diners love this ‘special’ new restaurant

Michael Deeds
·3 min read

If you love authentic Thai food but appreciate an occasional twist, a new Boise strip-mall restaurant is beckoning.

Maggie Thai Kitchen has opened at 8061 W. Fairview Ave., a former Egg Factory location near the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Milwaukee Street.

Maggie Thai’s menu covers a wide array of traditional Thai favorites, ranging from stir fry, noodles and curry to soups and salads. And diners love the food. Open since Aug. 30, Maggie Thai has a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 rating on Google, and a 4.8 out of 5.0 on Yelp.

But unique items dot the menu, too.

The restaurant boasts on social media that it serves the “first Thai burger in Boise.” Served with fries drizzled in Pad Thai sauce, The Maggie Thai Burger ($14.89) includes cheese, lettuce, tomato and a three-flavor Thai basil sauce. It comes with a mixed salad, too.

Named after the owners’ daughter, Maggie Thai is the brick-and-mortar evolution of a former food truck that did most of its business in the North End. The kitchen’s “fearless leader,” according to an email, is Chef Auntra, who was “born into the restaurant life. ... Growing up in Ubon Ratchathani, in the Northeast of Thailand, Auntra developed an acute and intuitive knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. She has spent her life discovering and creating new dishes.”

The Maggie Thai Burger comes with fries drizzled with Pad Thai sauce.
The Maggie Thai Burger comes with fries drizzled with Pad Thai sauce.

Idahoans seem to be impressed.

“This restaurant is really something special!” wrote one Google reviewer. “If you are looking for authentic Thai food with flavors built from fresh ingredients ... this place will not disappoint!”

“As a vegan,” wrote another, “I appreciate that they have an entire page devoted to vegetarian/vegan dishes.”

If you’re not a vegan, here’s a restaurant appetizer you don’t see every day: housemade fried jerky. Available in beef ($10.89) or pork ($8.89) versions, this culinary creation ain’t just messin’ with Sasquatch — its presentation might blow the beast’s mind.

Chef’s Special Beef Jerky, which is fried in-house, costs $10.89. A fried pork version also is available for $8.89.
Chef’s Special Beef Jerky, which is fried in-house, costs $10.89. A fried pork version also is available for $8.89.

Speaking of carnivores, Maggie Thai also does a Crying Tiger steak, marinated Thai-style, sliced, then grilled. It’s served with spicy sauce and sticky rice. At $25.89, it’s the priciest item. If you’re leaning into that $20 entree point, another choice would be Three-Flavor Fish ($19.89 for grilled salmon, $20.89 for grilled pompano), with three-flavor sauce and jasmine rice.

The majority of entrees cost around $15, including a soup suited for the season: Pumpkin Curry ($14.89), which comes with your choice of protein.

Maggie Thai offers online ordering for takeout through its website, maggiethaikitchen.com. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant’s hours are 11:30 am. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays and noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays. It’s closed Mondays.

And as one of those five-star Google reviews reminds potential diners: “Don’t forget to leave room for their fresh-made coconut ice cream!”