tasso

A Lunch Spot

SERVING HOUSE-CURED MEATS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SETTING

Nestled on East State Street and 2nd, you’ll spot Tasso—a family-owned restaurant, serving up housecured meats and lunch items for the Eagle Ranch community.

Dan Carruthers, the owner of Tasso, grew up in the area. “I grew up in Eagle in this same neighborhood, and I love it. I went to Eagle Hills school, and I can’t think of a better neighborhood. I feel fortunate that I get to spend so much of my time here.”

In May, Tasso will have been in their Eagle location for two years. Before then, Tasso was located in downtown Boise, in the BoDo district. But when the peak of Covid hit and their lease was up, it was time to consider moving to a new space. Dan jumped on the old Zen Bento building, and has since created a casual lunch spot for surrounding businesses and neighbors to grab a tasty bite to eat.

Let’s take a step into Tasso. What are the sights and smells? What does Tasso mean? Tasso is a style of ham originating from the New Orleans area. For Dan and his crew, it takes 14 days to cure, dry, and smoke their mouth-watering tasso. The flavor is spicy, salty, and the body tender and juicy. “Tasso is just something we run with. It’s a cool, special ingredient.” Inside the once-residential home, Tasso offers a simple yet inviting menu of sandwiches, fresh salads, and sides. They also offer a catering menu for big parties or intimate get-togethers.

Prior to owning his restaurant, Dan ran the deli program at the Boise Co-op where he enjoyed sourcing high-quality meats. At Tasso, Dan makes the effort to connect with regional farms. Pork comes from Idaho Falls and steelhead from Hagerman.

Food comes first at Tasso, and right behind is the friendly, neighborhood vibe. One perk of the Eagle space is the spacious patio for outdoor seating and occasional summer concerts. Tasso is part of the growth of new restaurants in Eagle. “It’s finally hit that line where there are enough people in Eagle to validate having enough cool restaurants. It’s really fun to see it growing.”

A biking advocate, Dan now bikes to Tasso from his neighborhood. They’re keeping it even more local by dropping Uber Eats to make space for their Bicycle Delivery program, serving businesses and homes in a 1.5 radius.

What’s coming up for Tasso’s third year in Eagle? Dan shares, “This last year we saw a lot of growth. So now we can have more full-time employees. I’ve been able to step back a little.” With more growth comes more opportunities. “We have started wholesale. We sell our cured smoked meats to a few clients currently and we’re trying to grow that this year.”

Most importantly, Tasso will continue providing local families, lunch-goers, and Tasso meat seekers a friendly space to relax and enjoy delicious food. “We made it through the first few years and we’re looking forward to growing with this community. We’re grateful to feel accepted!”