Stephanie K.
Yelp
This was my first post-pandemic visit to Boca after many years, and I was happy to discover the same lovely ambiance in tact. Great service is the signpost of any excellent restaurant, and Boca has it in spades - fixing up my solo reservation with a spot at the Chef's counter, the hosts being incredibly personable upon first contact then throughout the evening, and most importantly David - he was principally responsible for taking care of me, much more like a Maître d' since he's been around forever and provides top tier service, like a Sommelier of dining.
I went against some recommendations since I was craving tartare and assumed Chef David Falk must do it best. They get points for technique, with the beef, parm, and veggies expertly cubed into minuscule proportions. Although it was topped with a generous proportion of black truffle, it was aggressively lacking salt (maybe some heat or citrus, anything to showcase those savory flavors!). I was disappointed to miss out on the signature scallop after trying to make this dish work, especially knowing they have a far superior tartare at Falk's sister restaurant next door.
I had the Romanesco on recommendation from a Chef, and that was an exciting rebound. Perfectly charred yet firm cauliflower surrounded by chewy sorghum (a tapioca-sized grain) topped with crunchy, citrusy pistachio... a satisfying, yet light alternative to salad.
On David's recommendation I splurged a bit and had the "bougey Mac 'n cheese" (formally Coquilles L'Assiette) for my mid-course. House-made pasta with black truffles and soft cheese, accented with Parisian ham and sauce Périgourdine (aka Nirvana - reduced from butter, Madeira, and truffles). I would have stopped there if they had kept it coming. TO DIE HAPPY.
HOWEVER, I had ordered the Halibut to make up for the tartare flop, so more was yet to come. I've dined in some of the finest restaurants, but this piece of fish was cooked and seasoned exquisitely. Hazelnuts and parsnips were texturally smart, but the entire flavor composition didn't wow. I still devoured the thing and forgot my first course.
Wine program is really lovely - although selections by the glass are limited, they're moderately priced and very smart. One of the best Beaujolais and Bordeaux I've had by the glass recently!
For dessert, I branched out a little and tried the Maple Mascarpone Cheesecake. It was a deconstructed reinterpretation, with an airy smooth disk of cheesecake. Sadly didn't get much maple or depth to the caramel in the sauce, and the streusel would have been fantastic with a more rustic texture to contrast with the mousse-like cheesecake. Flavors were balanced, aside from the too-sweet sauce.
Overall, I was more impressed 6 years ago when David Falk may have had more oversight on operations, as his staff seems exceptionally talented, but the menu needs fine-tuning. Perhaps this is why restaurants in the Midwest often get overlooked for awards, because of mid-level success, but I've seen better, and I know they have the foundations here if they want to tune it up.