Boise’s not Austin — yet — but this restaurant’s new tacos might fool you: ‘Best in town’

Nothing triggers Boiseans quite like the claim that their beloved city is becoming the Next Big Thing — be it Portland, Seattle, even Austin.

But when it comes to food? It’s fun to draw influences from other places.

House of Western, 610 W. Idaho St., recently added an out-of-state dimension to downtown: a taste of Austin-style tacos. As a guy who travels there about once a year, I must say: I’m on board.

Owner Cary Prewitt lived in the Texas capital city for 14 years before he relocated to the Treasure Valley in 2018 to launch Western Collective brewery. Three years later, he and his wife, Melissa, opened Western Proper. In September, they rebranded the restaurant, bar and mini-bowling destination as the less-formal House of Western.

As amazing as the Gem State is, Prewitt says, his taste buds crave a certain taco style. The creative Tex-Mex type he devoured at popular Austin-based chains like Tacodeli and Torchy’s Tacos.

“I’ve been searching for tacos here that I’ve been enthusiastic about for years,” he says. “The problem is, you only really come across tiny California tacos or incredibly overpriced tacos that are just OK. I wanted tacos that I would get full on; that were full of flavor and high-quality meat.”

With the help of Austin consulting firm The Restaurant Clinic, Prewitt overhauled the menu at House of Western. It’s mostly unabashed, eat-with-your-hands food ranging from burgers and chicken sandwiches to quesadillas and waffle fries. “The ideas were 75% mine,” Prewitt says. (And, yes, there are salads and bowls, too.)

His proudest achievement? Eight tacos.

These are not street tacos. You won’t find trendy birria here, either. These are Texas-sized and made with flour tortillas (or corn tortillas upon request).

Purists might frown. But Prewitt is smiling.

“I like delicious things in my mouth,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t care what other people think.”

“These are the exact style of tacos I was eating 24 of a week in Austin.”

Fried chicken, skirt steak

My favorite is the Jajaja ($13 for two tacos, $17 for three). It reminds me of the Trailer Park taco from Torchy’s. The tortilla is packed with fried chicken, scrumptious queso, grilled corn and “cowboy veggies” — aka grilled peppers and onions. Add a splash of Melissa’s Verde, a creamy, housemade jalapeno sauce, and it’s pure awesomeness.

Prewitt’s go-to taco is the Ay Papi (two for $18.50, three for $26), filled with skirt steak and cowboy veggies. Crispy cheese blankets the inside of the tortilla, pushing taste to another level. “You’re basically taking the cheese and smashing it like a smash burger, and then you’re adding it to the tortilla,” Prewitt explains.

Vegetarians will gravitate to the Avo Sucio (two for $14, three for $19), made with fried avocado, cotija cheese, “dynamite slaw” (slaw with baja sauce) and grilled corn.

There’s also a Taco Bell-inspired Cruncho Supremo (two for $13, three for $18), which uses both a flour tortilla and a hard shell, along with ground beef, beans, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and lime crema.

Other tacos on the menu are powered by proteins such as fried mahi, adobo chicken, al pastor-style shrimp and carnitas (the last two elevated with charred pineapple — yum).

All tacos are served with house-made hot sauces. Besides my fave — the creamy jalapeno — the other two are a tasty habanero and a milder, more traditional verde. All would be terrific on breakfast tacos, which Austin is famous for. Maybe a ninth taco will be added to House of Western’s menu someday?

Craving a taco-style dessert? Choco Tacos (two for $10, eight for $30) are House of Western’s take on the discontinued novelty treat. This one has a dessert shell lined with chocolate inside and filled with strawberry cheesecake ice cream and pepitas.

Beyond tacos

Other Tex-Mex options at House of Western include Terlingua Gold ($12.50), which the menu describes as “the best queso out West.” It arrives in a generous bowl surrounded by tortilla chips. For $6 more, you can elevate it with carnivore-satisfying crisped pork and guacamole. Do it. “I just love loaded queso,” Prewitt says. “Some of my favorite places in Austin would have a picadillo instead of the pork. We’ve put our own spin on it.”

Another standout that Prewitt brags about is the Hatch Green Chili Pork Kettle ($16), served with warmed tortillas.

But the tacos are what bring him obvious joy. “I think these are the best tacos in town,” he says.

Are they the least expensive? They are not. But they’re also a meal. “They’re priced appropriately for what they are,” Prewitt says, “because there’s nothing cheap about these tacos.”

Except on Taco Tuesdays, of course. That’s when you get three tacos for the price of two. Margaritas are buy one, get one free, too.

Assuming that you’re up for the task, of course.

“I like that our tacos are huge,” Prewitt says. “Eating three of our tacos is a real challenge.”