Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill
The Cushing Terrell team worked with Riverside Hospitality LCC to renovate a vacant restaurant space — situated in a prime location along the Boise River Greenbelt and near a busy roadway and popular hotel — into the newest location of Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill.
The building was originally designed in Frank Lloyd Wright’s late-era organic style by one of Wright’s disciples but had experienced modifications over the decades that resulted in mismatched décor and the loss of its architectural roots.
“Our approach was to restore the integrity of the original design in a simple yet elegant way while making enhancements to increase the usable square footage within the building’s existing form,” said Bryan Hallowell, Cushing Terrell design lead for the project.
The project involved a comprehensive remodel of the restaurant’s interior, including upgrades to the kitchen equipment and bar area and the addition of a sushi bar. Beyond the interior spaces, the project called for mechanical and electrical system upgrades as well as collaboration with The Land Group to enhance the building’s exterior spaces and overall curb appeal.
Design Inspiration and Execution
For the design concept, the team reimagined the building as a boat resting on the river’s shore. This idea revived the spirit of the original 1970s-era Chart House restaurant and introduced new elements inspired by boat building and enhanced with Asian wood details.
A key challenge was to infuse the American architectural style with Asian influences and merge the two in a way that feels cohesive. This was accomplished through a variety of features, such as the color scheme and the design of the eaves at the entry, evoking the look of a pagoda — a tiered tower-like structure. The triangular-shaped building itself features a vaulted dining room with the central kitchen area designed to resemble a festive street market with a tented cookhouse surrounded by street-style dining.
The design team also incorporated a new screen wall to conceal back-of-house mechanical equipment and trash bins. The screen wall was designed as part of the overall wood ship structure, with lofting ribs reminiscent of a boat skeleton, reinforcing the overall design narrative.
To improve circulation and create a tie-in between the multi-use Greenbelt path and the Riverside Hotel, another element of the project was a bridge connection, which made the restaurant an accessible destination for hotel guests, local residents, and anyone passing by via the Greenbelt.
LOCATION
Garden City, ID
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
AIA Idaho 2025 Design Awards: Award of Citation in Architecture | Award of Renovation, Adaptive Reuse & Preservation in Architecture