We all know about Cleveland’s appearance on the national food scene with celebrity chefs, but what is there when you don’t feel like spending $30 on an entrée? Delicious, ethnic inspired restaurants, like La Boca on Cleveland’s west side…that’s what! The recently opened in the Gordon Square theater and arts district of Detroit Avenue, La Boca presents an upscale, contemporary, Argentinian inspired menu at affordable prices ($17 is the most you’ll pay for an entrée, with most under $14, even the the quality suggests that La Boca could get away with charging much more–but don’t tell them that!)
The first shot it fired at me, the Black Bean Soup (a favorite, our waiter informed me), was rich and thick, and bespoke Latin American comfort food all the way into my mouth. There’s a slight kick from the jalapeno cream that tops the bowl of soup, although I would not have minded a bit punchier jalapeno flavor from it.
The chicken, spinach and Brie empanadas were the next item to catch my eye, though unfortunately they were the weak link in a fabulous meal. The filling sounded enticing, but it really could have been shredded chicken with anything. However, my entrée and the two entrées of my companions that I snuck food from were so delicious that I am willing to entirely forget the empanadas. They were…grilled salmon with olives, tomatillos, and smoked paprika potatoes, pan-seared sea scallops with corn cakes, and spinach gnocchi with red pepper cream sauce, artichokes, and goat cheese.
The salmon was absolutely incredible. Easily the second best salmon filet I have had this summer (Pier W still taking the number one spot). I love the salmon and olives combination. The saltiness of the olives provided a great counterpoint to the richness of almost buttery, perfectly cooked salmon, which was grilled with white wine. The tomatillo as well, complimented the dish with its tangy, slight bitterness, and the whole thing was balanced by the earthy smokiness of the potatoes. We have a winner.
The seared scallops just blew my mind. I don’t order scallops that often, and these made me want to change that. The scallops were delightfully tender, and the corn cakes and mango salsa added both texture and sweetness to the dish. The gnocchi were delicious as well, though I would have put more of the emphasis on the gnocchi themselves by serving them with less of the red pepper cream sauce. However, anyone with a craving for alfredo will not only be sated, but taken to a whole new level with a dish as rich as this. The artichokes serve an important function here, cutting the richness of all that cream and goat cheese, but the latter is still somewhat overpowering.
Unfortunately I went after dark, and sat on the patio, so I don’t have any pictures to post. But you definitely won’t regret it if you go to see the food firsthand.
