"Every bite was perfect and it was worth every minute of the almost hour drive from our house to…read moreget here." That was my reply when the chef came by our table to ask my husband and me how we had enjoyed lunch on our first visit in. Our second visit was for dinner on an Italian specialty night and the only thing that was different in my response to this question was that it took an hour and fifteen minutes from our front door to the restaurant due to traffic. Still worth every minute of the drive for delicious food, warm hospitality and a vibe that sparkles with pride of ownership in this 1924 built gas station reimagined as a restaurant in January 2023.
BACKSTORY: Emran Chowdhury is chef and operating manager of the this eatery. He started his culinary career in Toronto then moved on to Italian restaurants in Seattle and Boise before pivoting to start a food truck in Fruitland in roughly 2021 using ingredients from local farmers and producers. Eventually that led him to launch Hitchcock Station in the building that was remodeled by a former NFL player and his wife. When the restaurant opened it specialized in a menu featuring local ingredients for a mostly burgers, sandwiches and handcrafted shakes for lunch theme. The restaurant's hours of operation have expanded to include dinner service and an evolving menu that reflects Chef Chowdhury's classical training and passion for local food ingredients in farm-to-fork point of view.
WARM WELCOME & SPLENDID SERVICE: On both visits we were greeted, as we noticed all guests were, as we walked in and offered a table. Servers are friendly, we felt like friends or family, knew the menu to answer questions and timed delivery of the dishes perfectly. This is a casual restaurant and service is professional-casual from people who are fully engaged with diners. All people are made welcome here, from children through all ages to senior citizens. On our first visit, the grandmother in a foursome that included a mom and two grade school aged children, said out loud to the mom as she exited, "This is a pretty perfect place to enjoy a meal."
SEATING: A charming selection of eclectic, mismatched tables and chairs in both the main dining dining room, with a big roll up door that looks out onto patio seating, or a cozy side room. There are also a few seats at a high counter looking into the open kitchen.
MENU & EATS: See Yelp photos were some have posted menus. The lunch and dinner menus are different from each other but there is some overlap. On our lunch visit, rather than the sandwiches and burgers that make up the majority of options for that meal, we chose to share a Brussels sprout salad in Caesar style and luscious short ribs with smashed red potatoes and gravy. For dinner on an Italian night, we each chose pasta, 1. angel hair with fresh local corn and pancetta and gnocchi with shrimp, 2. roasted cherry tomatoes and truffle butter, then our mains were 1. chicken cacciatore (leg-thigh) and 2. wild Alaskan halibut wrapped with prosciutto and served in aqua pazzo with seasonal local veg and shrimp. Every dish was delicious. Portions are generous.
&: Good value pricing for quality of food. Lunch menu items run about $11 - $16 and dinner $13 - $30.
LIBATIONS: Soft, wine, beer, cocktails in cans too, I think. Remember the famed milkshakes.
PARKING: On street parallel parking.
ACCESSIBILITY: Level in the door from the sidewalk, lots of room to navigate around tables and chairs. Several tables seem to be useable by wheelchair users. Both the his and the hers loo are fully ADA complaint. Nicely done all around. Re the street parking, most of the sidewalks should accommodate van ramps.
BONUS POINTS: Unlike restaurants in the greater Boise area where we live that are often jammed with people and chaotic noise levels, this feel lively but serene at the same time, never overly crowded, and with a subdued noise level that lets you enjoy conversation at your table. Ahhhh....some.
IT DOES TOO LOCK! In a review of Hitchcock Station, a Yelper wrote that it was odd that the men's bathroom door doesn't lock. Ironically, my hubby said the same thing when we were here the first time. But, yep, it does too lock. Just like the ladies, in the gents there is a little button to depress right under the door lever handle. :-)
