Boca Steakhouse Restaurant Review - October 29, 2005 BunRabs Home Yummy Chow Home

Boca
340 Ignacio Blvd.
Novato, CA
415.883.0901

www.bocasteak.com

Aging Graze-fully

What kind of dry aged meathead doesn't like a good steak? Not me. When I want beef, I steer towards Boca.

Service:
Everyone was warm and friendly. There were a few small glitches, but nothing noteworthy. Our server was on the hyper-chipper side, which ordinarily rubs me the wrong way, but hey, that's why they invented wine.

Atmosphere:
There are people in jeans and business casual. Not a suit in site. The main dining room has a warm feel with wood tables topped with leather placemats, hefty cushioned wooden chairs and gorgeous paintings that were commissioned by the restaurant of steer. There is a bar area for drinks and snacks as well as a patio dining area.

I love the jar of Housemade pickles that arrive at the table with the house made, hot, crusty rolls. I could have just eaten these crunchy, briny cukes all night. They had just the right degree of peppery hotness and were a herald of good things to come.

Empanadas ($15.00):
A basket of 4 little turnovers encased in tender pastry arrive hot from the oven with a side of salsa and smoked paprika aioli. Beef raisin and olive, zucchini, tomato and manchego cheese, Chicken Mole (not like, mole the animal, mole the sauce) were okay but nothing that I got excited about although the chorizo and potato one stood out due to its boost from the spice and textural contrast from the sausage.

Gaucho Steak ($58.00):
Dry aged for 21 days, this 24oz. steak is meant to serve two. Cooked to perfection, this was delivered rare and full of flavor from its days gently dehydrating and decaying. Yum.

The pots of chimichurri sauce, béarnaise, worcestershire, and smoked paprika chimichurri were tasty companions to this delicious slab of flesh. The mascarpone filled, chive topped, baked russet potato was everything it should be, but the green beans, squash and carrots were slightly overcooked and waterlogged.

Broccoli ($4.00):
Cooked to a perfect emerald green, these little trees were crisp and fresh. These quickly erased my bean disappointment.

 

Three carrots out of four

Choose grass fed, grain fed or 21 day dry aged, the key word is meat. They serve steak tartare, slow roasted prime rib and everything you would want to eat alongside from Hog Island Oysters to duck fat fries. If this place were in San Francisco, you would be turned away without rezzies on a weekend night. A beacon of charcoal light just off the 101.

 

"Great!"


Boca Bathroom Rating


Clean and well stocked.

 

 

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