Nearly a year after opening its doors in Nampa, a local restaurant has made itself at home in its new community.
Destination 112 opened on April 15 in the Historic District of downtown Nampa on 13th Avenue. The restaurant is owned by the Shadow Hills investment board, which owns several other restaurants in the city.
From day one, General Manager Joe Milano said the restaurant has sought to strike the balance between creating a place for people to experience late night fun but also enjoy a family-oriented environment.
“This is a family dining restaurant where young kids can enjoy themselves as well as adults,” said Milano. “We really want anyone to be able to enjoy it.”
Inside, Destination 112 has a warm and cozy feel with mahogany floors and 60-year-old iron gate chandeliers.
The space is divided into three different levels:
- The main restaurant for dining,
- a downstairs night club called Club 112
- and an upstairs lounge balcony that is open throughout the day for guests to enjoy sporting events. It can also be reserved for private parties and events.
The restaurant features international cuisine, such as rice bowls, steak sandwiches and teriyaki and Hawaiian flavored dishes. Much of the menu consists of burgers and sandwiches, but anything that includes the signature slow-smoked prime rib is a poplar choice, Milano said.
Menu items change every eight to 12 weeks, so guests will consistently see new food options, Milano said, and most everything is made fresh from scratch. The ingredients are purchased from local vendors as much as the season will allow. In the spring and fall, Milano said the restaurant will use up to 70 percent of its ingredients from local growers.
The bar features 14 craft beers on tap, with a variety of different cocktails available depending on the season, from chocolate martinis to rum and whiskey hot toddies.
There is also live music Tuesday through Friday featuring a variety of local artists and a number of events throughout the year, such as a quarterly ‘80s music night and a School of Rock night, which allows high school bands to compete against each other for prizes.
Milano said the restaurant had a bit of a bumpy start after it first opened, but seems to be well-liked by the public.
“Nampa is interesting,” he said. “For the last several months we’ve been advertising a lot, but I don’t think we really started to catch on until people started telling their friends about us.”
Today, Destination 112 attracts nearly 120 people each day during lunch and dinner, and at night the restaurant and club can eclipse the 100-mark on live-music nights.
Live music starts around 7 p.m. and after 10 p.m., the restaurant and downstairs night club provide entertainment for Nampa’s nightlife. Much like its name, Milano believes his restaurant is the place to be.
“I named it that because this place is kind of like a destination,” he said. “It’s somewhere to go to have a little bit of everything, live music, sports, entertainment, good beer, good food. And 112 just refers to the address.”
Upcoming performers can be found on the restaurant’s website or by visiting its Facebook page.