Update: In the wake of Epek’s closing, its chef has teased something called “Arcane” on Facebook. Is that a new restaurant? A pop-up dinner? It’s not yet clear.
Epek, the bold successor to State & Lemp, is closing its doors.
When founders Remi McManus and Kris Komori sold State & Lemp, the new ownership refashioned it as a more traditional restaurant. When I reviewed it in December, I thought the new iteration was good, but it was overshadowed by its predecessor’s achievements.
That review quickly became irrelevant. In late March, chef Christian Phernetton closed State & Lemp, reopening it a few weeks later under a new name — Epek.
Epek adopted a bold, perhaps unprecedented, business model. It served $2.50 tacos on Tuesday. It served three-course dinners for $55 per person on Wednesday and Thursdays. It served fifteen-course feasts for $111 per person on the weekends.
Was Epek ungainly and confused? Or did it create a clever sliding scale that democratized high-concept eating?
Continue reading “What Happened to Boise’s Most Ambitious Restaurant?”
Eating With Henry 