The thread about lack of good restaurants in Tahoe Park and our ongoing meme of “dead zones” — not to be confused with dead-to-me zones–reminded me of the dead zone that is the seeming former art deco theater building on Stockton and Broadway behind Subway, which just in the last few years has been home to 3 or 4 eating establishments that never saw the light of day. The current business hoping to reverse that trend is going to be called “Boon Boon.” I’ll let you read that name and think about it for a second. Ready? On the count of 10, what comes to mind?
Boom boom, right? Like, “I ate at that new Vietnamese restaurant on Broadway and twenty minutes later I had to make boom boom like rilly bad.”
However, in the interest of the Stockton corridor and good eateries for the greater Tahoe Park area I vow to try Boon Boon at least once. Assuming it does in fact not go the way of Po Boys, Quotes Bistro, and all the other failed restaurants that came before it…
The Sac Rag 
To me, it sounds like a poor pronunciation of “Bon Bon.” So maybe their menu will feature mangled adaptations of classic French dishes.
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Sounds like something southern..and wild. Racoon at boon boon.
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Quotes Bistro?
Did their “menu” have things like “turkey” sandwiches? Or did the napkins, straw wrappers, and placemats have trite witticisms on them? I’m bummed that I missed this “place.”
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My wife and I have watched the parade of failed restaurants, going back to its days as a Hawaiian/Japanese joint, with a mixture of frustration and amusement. Each new incarnation is preceded by months of on-again, off-again preparation, most of it seemingly taking place at night or on weekends. Then, at some point, we notice that the restaurant is actually open. Mind you, this is a tribute to our keen observational skills, since there is rarely any announcement, promotion, or obvious signage that would bring customers in. Note to restaurant entrepreneurs: the neighbors want to know you’re there!
The sad saga of failed eateries in that spot is a microcosm of the plight of that whole corridor of Stockton Blvd.– a series of promises with little follow through. A few years ago the City disrupted the sleep of the entire neighborhood with nighttime jackhammering in the name of giving the street a facelift. $6 million later, there’s little to show for it except a few palm trees. SHRA’s plans for mixed use development at 9th Avenue appear to be indefinitely on hold. I would love to see the City develop a workable plan for Stockton Blvd that would be proactive instead of letting Elk Grove define the character of the corridor as an alternative commute route. It would be great if Luigi’s and Cafe de la Creme and Au Lac Veggie some neighbors.
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Actually FP, just this morning we noticed a contractor’s sign in the lot on 9th ave. I’m excited to see if that means shovels in the dirt soon…
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Wow, I hope you’re right. The project looked great on paper. And even now that it looks like the residential element, which originally called for owner-occupied condos, has been redesigned to serve UCD med student renters, it would still be a welcome addition to an underused portion of the city.
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We had dinner at Boon Boon last Friday night and it was…….AWESOME! I live on the other side of the Med Center and we decided to give it a try on a tip from my hair dresser…boy am I glad we did. The food was delicious, freshly prepared, served with a kind smile and great input from our server, and dinner for 3 including an appetizer and beverages? $33.00! We will be back.
Interestingly enough, this is a family run business and they were asking us for client input on the best way to advertise locally on a budget….I strongly suggest you try Boon Boon, and support our new neighbors in their endeavor to improve local offerings – especially since they’re offering something so tasty at terrific prices…with such a nice smile!
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That’s great news Lisa! Good luck to Boon Boon. I feel sorry I teased them about their name.
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I talked to the owner (she’s Thai), she named it after her beloved mom. “Boon Boon” mean full of blessing. I had a great time dinning there, especially the “crab fried rice” is hella good!! Yall should go try… really.
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I love this place. We are vegetarian, and they readily accomodate us and have plenty of options. Really good food!
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