Dear Cincinnati and Louisville food lovers,
I have traveled the world and eaten in restaurants ranging from three star Michelin restaurants (in New York, Las Vegas, LA, & San Francisco) to charming French bistros in Paris, France to hidden gem “hole in the wall” eateries in China to name a few. I am not a food critic nor do I assert to be a food critic. I am just someone (like you, reading this) who enjoys and appreciates exceptionally planned, prepared, and presented cuisines from all cultures. There are few times in one’s life when you experience a gastronomic delight that truly deserves adoration and acclaim. Hence, I write my praise for Boca:
Recently, my wife and I decided to take a day trip to Cincinnati from Louisville. At the end of our day and prior to returning to Louisville, we had dinner at Boca (
http://www.boca-restaurant.com/main.html) and the exquisite repast we experienced ranks in the top 3 meals we have ever eaten.
Boca is located at 3200 Madison Road in Cincinnati, Ohio [(513) 542-2022]. The minute you walk into Boca, you enter into an intimate and refined restaurant that transports you from Cincinnati to a chic restaurant in New York or LA.
On the weekends, Boca has an a la carte menu or a prix fixe menu consisting of 2 or 3 courses selected from a delightful list of entrees. We opted for the prix fixe of 3 dishes [$67 per person]. Boca also offers a Chef's Grand Tasting Menu which consists of 7 courses specially selected and prepared by the chef [$95 per person].
The cuisine was perfectly prepared and tasted amazing. Every bite made us desire more. The food was expertly presented on the plate and each course was brought out by its own server. This type of attention to the food and the eater is rarely found at even the highest rated restaurants.
I highly recommend the sea scallop which is crowned with a crispy seared surface and is nestled on top of the most marvelous tasting 3-hour caramelized brussels sprouts. You have never had brussels sprouts like this before. They melt in your mouth and have a sweet taste that masks the traditional bitter brussels sprouts taste. This delight is placed in a shallow pool of brown butter truffle vinaigrette which infuses the scallop and brussels sprouts perfectly to create a harmonious union of tastes.
I also highly recommend the gnocchi “Mac and cheese.” Boca’s refined take on the traditional American classic catapults the established to the orgasmic. Each gnocchi is seared, mixed with taleggio fonduta, and lightly covered in a burgundy black truffle cream sauce that is heaven on earth. The dish was not heavy as one might expect for a gnocchi dish and makes you forget that you are eating a version of “Mac and cheese”! All this is topped off with some bread crumbs. Absolutely divine!
I also recommend the Moroccan braised short ribs. The ribs come without the bone, are succulent and tender, and are resting on a bed of wilted spinach seasoned with horse radish sauce. The sweet taste of the ribs is pleasantly contrasted by the horse radish sauce. I would have preferred the ribs positioned atop a refined mashed potato cake instilled with horse radish sauce but Chef David Falk opted to mingle in some roasted potatoes.
For desert, I highly recommend JD’s sundae. This sweet gem consists of a flat flourless torte made of warm chocolate and bourbon (a nod to KY bourbon fans) topped with a scoop of hazelnut gelato. The gelato is made by a local gelato maker and the hazelnut flavor mixes flawlessly with the rich cocoa and hint of liqueur.
Our server, Christopher, was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. We spent a small fortune but every bite was worth the expense! We could not have dreamed for a better meal.
Bravo Boca!
Sincerely,
Lowell K.