A Peaceful Lunch in Boca Raton -- And a Sauce Worth Writing Home About!…read more
For the past few weeks, I've been trying to enjoy a nice, peaceful lunch with my girlfriend at this restaurant. Well, we finally made it!
We arrived around 2:30 in the afternoon, and the place was practically empty. About six people at the bar and a few couples scattered around the dining room. Perfect, I thought. A nice, quiet lunch.
Not so fast!
Apparently, getting seated required either an appointment, a secret handshake, or perhaps a written invitation from the mayor of Boca Raton.
We stood there for what seemed like an eternity while the staff pretty much ignored us. I even noticed a gentleman outside, who appeared to be the manager, engaged in a conversation with another man. He seemed equally uninterested in our existence.
After approximately ten minutes, I was ready to leave.
Look, I don't care if you're talking, walking, playing canasta, or discussing the future of civilization. Just acknowledge the customer! A simple "Someone will be right with you" would have worked wonders.
Fortunately, things improved dramatically once we were seated.
Our server, a Brazilian gentleman, was absolutely outstanding. Friendly, attentive, professional, and right on point throughout our meal. He deserves recognition. Unlike the people who greeted us--or should I say didn't greet us--he actually seemed happy to have customers!
We ordered a shrimp appetizer and chicken strips with fries from the dinner menu. Remembering the generous portions from previous visits, we decided to share. After all, dinner was only about four hours away, and neither of us was preparing for hibernation.
The shrimp was excellent. Fresh, flavorful, and thoroughly enjoyable.
But then came the chicken.
And more importantly...
THE SAUCE!
The chicken arrived steaming hot, exactly the way I like it. Five or six beautiful, crispy strips, cooked perfectly, with a golden coating that actually crunched when you bit into it.
The sauce was a glorious combination of sweet and spicy that danced across your tongue, tickled your throat, and warmed the kishkas as it made its way through your body.
I'm telling you, this wasn't just dipping sauce. This was an experience!
We must have gone through five portions of the stuff. At one point, I wasn't sure whether we were eating chicken with sauce or simply using the chicken as an excuse to consume more sauce.
Eventually, we remembered there were French fries on the table.
Unfortunately, by then they were cold.
But I can't blame the restaurant. Those poor fries never stood a chance. We were so busy enjoying the chicken that the fries had become an afterthought.
As for the atmosphere, the restaurant was beautiful. Tasteful, elegant, and perfectly suited to that classic Boca Raton, nose-in-the-air ambiance. You know the kind of place where even the furniture looks like it has a better stock portfolio than you do.
The food was excellent, our Brazilian server was wonderful, and the portions were generous.
The only real disappointment was the initial lack of acknowledgment when we arrived. A restaurant can have beautiful surroundings and wonderful food, but hospitality begins the moment someone walks through the door, not ten minutes later.
Would I return? Absolutely.
The shrimp was delicious, the chicken was perfectly crispy, the service at our table was terrific, and the prices were reasonable enough that I didn't have to take out a second mortgage.
And in case you're wondering what the highlight of our lunch was...
Did I mention the sauce?
Next time, I'm skipping the chicken and ordering six portions of sauce, a spoon, and a loaf of bread to wipe up the evidence.
And if they refuse to sell it to me by the gallon, I'm prepared to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.
My legal argument? Your Honor, I plead the fifth... portion of sauce!
Just don't make me wait ten minutes to get in!