One good choice for food in Nampa is the Boise Fry Company (BFC), and boy did we need it. It’s not that Nampa didn’t have a bunch of good burger joints–the problem is that they have been the same ones for over 20 years. With that aging dynamic, often health is not the vision. BFC has a different spin. They use natural, local, and whenever feasible, organic products. BFC produces very little waste and reuses the oil for car fuel. In this you can see the philosophy that BFC believes in making as little impact on cholesterol and the planet as possible. This is a nice injection into not only Nampa, but also the slowly gentrifying downtown scene.
What makes BFC special is… well, a few things. First off, they concentrate on the fries. This is evidenced in their slogan, “Burgers on the side”. Boise Fry Company gathers the finest and freshest potatoes available from good ol’ Buhl, Idaho and preps each brown gem with love. Their concentration on freshness ensures that each fry retains both quality and flavor. There are 7 different types of potato varieties to choose from as well as brussel sprouts. The fries, after having your favorite cut style selected (There are five options, of which I prefer the shoe stringers), are submerged in a natural, GMO-free sunflower seed oil and left unsalted so customers can choose from a plethora of BFC’s house-made seasonings and dipping sauces.
The fries truly are amazing. They are not soggy or stiff, just a mix of fluffy potato with a crispy edge. If you want to change up your fry game, you can customize your eating experience at their condiment bar. This is where the magic happens, and for anyone with an adventurous desire, this is a dream. There are 8 different types of salt and 8 types of dipping sauces. I could blow your mind with the math of all the different possibilities, but the point is you can eat at BFC for the rest of your life and never eat the same fry type, cut, salt, and sauce combo twice. What a wonderful fried fantasy! I went with the yam and purple fries, the jalapeno and cinnamon salts, and the garlic and blueberry ketchup dipping sauce options. Each bite was a palate party that my tongue didn’t want to leave.
BFC also has a strong burger selection. There are beef, bison, or vegan patties, and a variety of ways to have them dished up. We ate one of each, and they were all quite amazing. The buns were light, the meat tender, and the veggies fresh. I especially noticed that I didn’t need to wipe the grease off my fingers as I ate. Of note was the veggie patty, it stayed together much better than most and had a texture that strikingly resembled beef. After eating a burger and fries, I usually feel heavy, but upon standing to leave, I felt nothing of the sort. For their drinks, Boise Fry Company pairs up with local breweries to offer different a unique beverage assortment. Being earlier in the day, we went with some kombucha to help dissolve the meal.
BFC may not be a place you go every time for a burger due to the higher than fast food prices, but it is a worthy meal that blows any fast food fried bag o’ goodies will ever offer. If you are craving some carbs, BFC is highly worth the visit! Boise Fry Company is located at 224 12th Ave S in Nampa, kitty corner to the new library downtown. Also, if you like your sweets after your salts, a new ice cream shop called Stella’s is opening right behind BFC before Christmas.
Correction: The BFC in Nampa has been open slightly more than a year. sorry for any confusion.
Boise Fry Company