FOOD
On one plate then the other ... BW sends two critics to one restaurant.
GOOD THYME GRILLE AND CATERING
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KENDRA ADAMS
s there really such a thing as a “simple sandwich”? In my experiack before I started working at Boise Weekly, I held several ence, sandwiches are melty, gooey, tangy, flavorful, sweet, complex office jobs. The companies were housed in stand-alone or comforting, but rarely are they simple. buildings, the concept of the office complex where a numIt’s an idea that Meridian eatery Good Thyme Grille and Caterber of different businesses share space was still a few years off. If I ing has staked its business on. With a menu packed with gourmet didn’t pack one, I would have to drive somewhere for lunch. The sandwiches boasting ingredients like tri-tip steak, Genoa salami and close proximity of BWHQ to a number of choice downtown eatercapicolla, Good Thyme is trying to up the sandwich ante. ies means I’m walking distance from a midday meal. The unassuming deli fills the end of one of Meridian’s ubiquitous Good Thyme Grille and Catering in Meridian also caters to the strip malls, sandwiched between WinCo nine-to-fivers who work in the maze of and the landmark yellow water tower. A offices nearby. Floor-to-ceiling windows half-dozen small tables fill the gleaming let in lots of light and the bistro-in-a-box interior, where a less-is-more approach to furniture adds to the airy ambiance, guardecorating keeps things simple and clean. anteeing that the restaurant will not be a As my favorite dining companion and likely destination for clandestine meetings. I stepped up to the counter to order on a But Good Thyme does have something recent afternoon, a pair of home-baked that, in my secretary days, would have cinnamon rolls dripping with icing in a been considered a benefit as welcome as display next to the cash register made it paid time off: breakfast. Granted, the only hard to concentrate on the menu. Turns morning menu item is a breakfast burrito, out all of Good Thymes’ goodies are but flour tortilla-wrapped ingredients baked fresh daily—a nice touch, especially are an early morning repast that have for a restaurant with a small menu. earned a rightful place next to the waffle We skipped the dining area and headed and the bowl of cereal. And a $5 bill at outside to the surprisingly attractive patio, Good Thyme gets a mover or a shaker a where an assortment of metal tables sat breakfast burrito and a glass of fruit juice, in the shade of the building, blocked off moo juice or java on the table. from the nearby parking lot by large, Burritos ($3.29) at Good Thyme start built-in planters brimming with flowers with a base of scrambled eggs, seasoned and assorted greenery. potatoes, cheddar cheese and ranchero The helpful and friendly counter staff sauce. Sausage, bacon, ham, turkey or pointed out some of the best sellers, one chicken can be added for a pittance of which, the Idaho Chicken Sandwich ($1.40 each) and tri-tip, roast beef, ($3.99/half, $5.99/whole) arrived with a corned beef or pastrami can be added side of house-made potato salad ($1.39). for a pittance plus ($1.89 each). Extras The sandwich is a traditional chicken like egg beaters and avocado ($.99 each) salad, jazzed up with the addition of or sour cream and sprouts ($.50) are almonds, large chunks of celery and asalso an option. sorted seasonings, served with Monterey I substituted egg beaters and added GOOD THYME GRILLE jack cheese, tomato and alfalfa sprouts on bacon and avocado to mine; the I.T. Guy AND CATERING wheat bread. Upon the advice of a few other dinkept it pure, adding sausage to his. 750 S. Progress, Ste. 170, Meridian ers, my dining companion ordered the sandwich With stomachs growling so loud it sounded 208-898-9888, goodthymegrille.com grilled, which was very good advice. like we had angry puppies in our pockets, the Mon.-Fri.: 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Sat.: 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun.: Closed My companion nodded her head and raised her I.T. Guy and I supplemented our breakfast order eyebrows in approval, eventually adding that the with a shared plate-sized cinnamon roll to start sandwich had good flavor, but she wished it had ($1.55). We were handed huge ceramic mugs for just a little something extra to make it stand out. Maybe she should the self-serve coffee station, and poured ourselves thick, strong have taken the other bit of advice and asked for grapes to be added. cups of java ($1.39). The disc-shaped roll was homemade but dry Her criticism of the potato salad was roughly the same: good quality and though it had been microwaved, it could have stood a little ingredients, put together well, but lacking kick. more warmth—maybe a minute or two in a convection or toaster Personally, I’m a sucker for turkey paired with cranberry sauce, so I oven—and some melted butter. It was served on ceramic as well, went with the Mayflower ($4.29/half, $6.29/whole) and added a small but the plastic utensils that came with it indicated Good Thyme’s cup of house-made pasta salad ($1.39). The turkey was thin-cut, and focus is more on the catering and to-go side of the business, obviously high-quality, and came accompanied by said cranberry, alsomething our server confirmed. falfa sprouts, tomato and either mayo or cream cheese on wheat bread. Our big ol’ burritos arrived in short shrift. They came with I went with the cream cheese, which added a nice counterpoint to the actual silverware, and instead of hefting our burritos in our eager tang of the cranberry. And while I enjoyed the overall flavor combina- hands, we knifed and forked those bad boys. Plenty of bacon and tion, I, too, wished there was something else that jumped out just a sliced fresh avocado—a nice touch—wound their way through little more—maybe smoked turkey would have done the trick. cheesy bites of egg and potato in mine. The spicy sausage, which The bread offered the only obstacle in the meal. Its fluffy freshness had the look and feel of a diced-up breakfast pork patty, in the I.T. was clear, and while this attribute is usually welcomed, combined with Guy’s was plentiful enough to fill the wrap to the bottom. the layer of cream cheese and cranberry sauce, it instantly created a The ’rritos were sided with three choices of salsa, which in true nearly unbreakable bond with my front teeth as soon as I took a bite. catering fashion, came in little portable plastic containers. The The military would love to be able to match the force with which the verde and marron versions hit my hot spot, so I upended the cup bread managed to adhere itself to my teeth, and I was left to discretely of cool, crisp pico de gallo. In between preparing for a delivery job, try to scrape it off. Maybe this sandwich should be moved to a French our chef noticed my pico preference and brought a couple more roll, something with a little texture to help break the bonds. servings, both of which joined their fore-gallo on my plate. The pasta salad was decidedly easier to eat, and the addition of A long list of gourmet sandwiches and salads with prices that numerous green and black olives, as well as artichoke hearts, broccoli would fit in even the tightest work-a-day budget suggested that a and just a bit of pepperoni added a nice complexity to both the flavor return trip for lunch is in order. and texture. I don’t miss those cubicle-enclosed days, watching a torturously Good Thyme also offers build-your-own sandwiches, as well as an slow clock tick its way to 5 p.m. five days a week. Time flies by intriguing list of salads, all well priced ($3.25-$6.55). Next time I’m in so fast now that I often don’t stop to think about lunch until late the neighborhood, I think leafy greens will be the way to go. Maybe by afternoon. I wish back then I’d had a place like Good Thyme Grille then I’ll finally get the last remnants of the bread off my teeth. nearby. I might have looked forward to going to work. —Deanna Darr always carries dental floss in her purse. WWW.BOISEWEEKLY.COM
—Amy Atkins wishes she had more thyme in each day.
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| SEPTEMBER 2–8, 2009 | 31