We expected a level of affectation. Some kind of reputational gloat. Both were completely not present. Everything at Boka was unassuming and regular. Busy night, lots of people, restrained class in the midst of bustle. And an added surprise at the host stand. Unconventional beauty that was also pleasant. All adventures should cast off so nicely.
Even with reservations, the wait for a table as took several minutes but was hardly outrageous. There was a bit of a wait for the table even with reservations. The bar was full as was every table in sight. Staying out of the way of the wait staff as we stood awkwardly in a corner was just a practical courtesy. And the tactic made it better to watch the flow of culinary commerce.
There was an initial error in judgment. Noted for their cocktails, it was easy to fall prey to presumptions. If mixology is one of Boka’s trademarks, then all of their drinks must be good. Wrong of course. No palette is universally receptive to everything and the Devil’s Picnic with its sweet notes and frothy egg white topping may have been better suited to a more feminine palette. I should have asked what would have been closer to a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned. It’s always interesting to see those two reimagined in new millennium garb. Still, the drink proved interesting as it seemed to skirt two different spirit worlds. One sour, one sweet.
The austere refinement of the dining rooms served to place all of the emphasis on people. At night, Boka feels like a confident in its own skin supper club. The space was a quiet canvas and the diners were its ornamentation. Every table sat in ease and contented comfort as people talked and ate. It was a space that encouraged you to leave your cares at the door. That same nonchalance did not extend to the staff. Although there was plenty of hustle, nothing was loud or distracting. A soft undercurrent of tension could only be detected on looks of focused concentration on some of the staff’s faces. It was completely absent from Matthew’s. Disarmingly in control and knowledgeable, he quickly and casually dispensed with the preliminaries of water preferences and dietary concerns. It was clear as the evening progressed that he was listening intently. As courses arrived, some had been subtly adapted to accommodate the few concerns that were shared.
One appetizer, complimentary, startled us for both its flavor and its composition. Carrots had been smoked and diced to the point they had the appearance and flavor of smoked salmon. Spread on a thin toast and topped with a nori wafer, it had the texture and taste of a delightfully smoked fish. With the brininess of the seaweed adding to the subterfuge, you’d never guess it was completely vegan.
But It was the ordered starter that cemented how remarkable Boka is and has been since 2003. The braised Spanish octopus with fennel, horseradish and burnt hazelnut was substantial and brilliantly delicate; making every morsel a delight and a wonder.
Kitchens like Boka’s are concentrations of techniques that may be as arcane as they are effective in delivering outstanding results. The seared monkfish with cauliflower, apple and smoked trout roe was the kind of meal that stymies comprehension. The vegetables, fruit and fish eggs were complementary brush strokes of flavor that intensified
the sweetness of the monkfish with its beautifully seared exterior and its soft and flaky flesh.
It’s understandable why some would think the sous vide method of cooking could have been used to create this marvelous outcome. But it didn’t. The process was still French. First the fish is cooked in oil and then elaborately seared in various butter preparations; including clarified butter that allows heating at a higher temperature. In total the preparation takes about 5 minutes and the results couldn’t be more spectacular.
Respect for Boka’s culinary prowess and now enlivened with curiosity about others treasures being created in that sensational kitchen means that a Boka prix fixe has bolted onto the wish list. And hopefully before they turn on Buckingham Fountain.
