Lined up side by side, 3 new restaurants to bring ‘interactive’ sizzle to Boise dining

Michael Deeds
·2 min read

Home to zero Korean barbecue restaurants four years ago, Boise suddenly flickered with heat.

Magnificent Garden introduced the all-you-can-eat, grill-it-yourself dining concept near Boise Towne Square. It remains open.

But sizzle turned to fizzle for a second hopeful. Utah-based chain Ombu Grill — expecting to appear at Idaho Asian Plaza around the same time — never came.

But don’t cool your burners just yet.

Not only is Ombu far from dead meat, it’s also being joined by friends.

Idaho Asian Plaza continues to develop at Cole and Ustick Roads in Boise.
Idaho Asian Plaza continues to develop at Cole and Ustick Roads in Boise.

BBQ, hot pot, sushi

Within the next 10 months, three restaurants are slated to open side by side by side, said Utah-based co-owner Steve Lin.

He hopes to launch Peking Tokyo & Sushi Bar, 3027 N. Cole Road, three months from now. It will serve Asian food and sushi.

He’s targeting an end-of-year launch for Ombu Korean BBQ, 3023 N. Cole Road.

Hot Pot, 3035 N. Cole Road, is looking at March 2024, Lin said in a phone interview.

Renovations are ongoing at the adjacent buildings that house the planned eateries.

Peking Tokyo & Sushi Bar is slated to be the first of the three restaurants to open.
Peking Tokyo & Sushi Bar is slated to be the first of the three restaurants to open.

Ombu regional chain

Founded in 2017, Ombu Grill has Utah locations in Salt Lake City, Midvale and Orem. It describes itself as “a unique and interactive dining experience that combines premium quality Korean meats and high-tech smokeless grills.”

At Korean barbecue restaurants, grills with ventilation are built into tables. “You simply choose your meats, fish or vegetables, then cook them at your personal table grill,” Ombu explains on its website. “Paired with authentic sides such as yakisoba, kimchi fried rice and miso soup, Ombu Grill provides a fine dining sensory atmosphere unlike any other.”

The do-it-yourself concept can be a blast. Diners simply toss food on the grill and start cooking.

It’s been a long wait, but Boise could have its second Korean barbecue restaurant by the end of the year.
It’s been a long wait, but Boise could have its second Korean barbecue restaurant by the end of the year.

Hot Pot will be interactive, too. It’s a similarly communal, try-everything-you-want experience. Instead of a grill at the table, hot pot involves a stove with a pot of broth. Customers cook meat, veggies, noodles, tofu and more. You can treat the result like soup. Or you can scoop out the cooked goodness, fishing tasty treasures from the bottom of the pot, and dip it in various sauces.

Work remains

Exterior signs are installed outside Peking Tokyo and Ombu. There’s no finished sign yet outside Hot Spot.

Inside all three, there’s plenty of work to be done before tabletop grills and stoves are fired up. Or California rolls get served. But the target opening dates all are doable.

Don’t want to wait until the end of the year to get an “interactive” dining fix? You can head crosstown to Magnificent Garden, 980 N. Milwaukee St. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.