ABOUT AND BEYOND
La Boca
857 Fulton
New Orleans LA
504-525-8205
www.labocasteaks.com
Monday to Wednesday 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Thursday to Saturday 6:00 PM - 12:00 AM
This Argentinean style steakhouse is the brainchild of Nick Bazan and Adolfo Garcia of Rio Mar fame. They have both the land and the sea covered now. Jared Ralls turns out lovely food and the vibrant, friendly and knowledgeable persona of Orestes Rodriquez makes this a foodie destination. Along with an interesting wine list mainly from South America and unusual cuts of beef from that region you might forget you are in the United States.
Housed in an old warehouse the shutter/doors open unto Fulton St, which at this point is closed to vehicular traffic. The window/doors when open allow tables to interact with the street scene. Seating on wooden chairs in front of pristine white linen tablecloth sets the mood along with brick walls lined with art and a blue slate floor.
First out is bread and olive oil. Then a trio of sauces hit the table that you are encouraged to use doing the entire meal. Chimichurri, a traditional Argentinean steakhouse sauce, consists of parsley, olive oil, lemon and spices. They also feature a Roasted Red Pepper with smoked paprika getting both heat and a smoky flavor. Last but not least they have Creole Mustard with prepared Horseradish. Do yourself a favor and play with these on the various aspect of your dinner excluding dessert of course.
I ordered the Gaucho Plate. I substituted the Morcillas (blood sausage) for the chorizo. The plate also contains skewered beef, an empanada (baked meat pie) and grilled sweetbreads. This is an appetizer I could sink my teeth into. I tried various combinations of meat and sauce and found I liked them all. Each sauce highlighted a different flavor of the meats. I opted for the Centro de Entrana (hanger steak) and the French-Fries “La Boca”. The steak held simple seasoning and they grilled it to perfection. The intense meat flavor makes it a carnivore’s dream. The trio of sauces added to the experience. The fries were like none I have ever had. Shoestring cut and double fried; they toss them with parsley, garlic, and Parmesan. In my opinion true “pomme frites” worthy of special trip just to eat them. I ended with a dessert special. It consisted of a white peach & cherve tart on puff pastry drizzled with honey, truly spectacular. The regular dessert menu contains both Latin and Italian items. There is a strong Italian influence in the country because of immigration. The menu reflects that with several Italian specialties and pastas.
I highly recommend this venue if you are looking for “not your grandfather’s steakhouse”. You really can not go wrong unless you are a vegan.
You can contact me at aboutandbeyond@suddenlink.net with any comments, thoughts or suggestions
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