Monday, October 11th, 2010—Bar 274
Day 274—Sunday, October 10th, 2010
Boca Chica
Okay, it’s Sunday and that can mean only one thing: Sunday Night Dinner! Tonight I picked a Latin American restaurant called Boca Chica. I was introduced to this place by my friend, LN Sugarman, who I think doesn’t even read this blog, even though I’m going to give her business a plugola right here: SugarMag Publisher Services. I haven’t talked to LN in quite a while, but years ago she had a business dinner here and was kind enough to invite me along. The food is great and its got a nice little bar too, so that’s tonight’s destination.
And we have a guest special guest star tonight, the one and only Sam Gedyman! An actual blood relative of mine. Sam’s my cousin (actually my cousin MaryAnn’s son, so I guess he’s my second cousin, I think...now I’m confused...hi MaryAnn!) and is a talented actor, singer, songwriter, comedy writer, dog-walker and a prince among men and those pretending to be men. He and his partner in comedy crime, Nat Angrick have fromed a comedic duo called Tieam Us and you should check out their videos on YouTube and you can follow them on Twitter, here’s the linkage: Tieam Us on YouTube and you can follow Tieam Us on Twitter. Okay, on to the bar!
Boca Chica, a colorful and festive fixture on the Lower East Side.
I think I see a familiar fellow at the bar.
Bartender Ivan serves up a beer...
And yes, that familiar face is my cousin, Sam Gedyman. Cheers!
As you can see, it's a full bar and they make a killer margarita as you'll see later.
Limen was enjoying some of the fine food at the bar.
And suddenly...fruit!
Tables line the front wall with a fine view of First Avenue.
A leopard skin banquette sits in the back of the restaurant.
Nightly specials are posted on the mirror above the banquette.
Some of the Latin American kitsch and kaboodle on the wall above the bar.
These lovely women were enjoying cocktails and awaiting their dinner. From left: Andaria, Jessica, Sakinah and Sheba.
A little Grateful Dead art for Joey D.
A view from the front windows.
Meanwhile back at the bar, Sam and Ivan are checking out the menu.
First up, coconut shrimp appetizer.
And then the main course.
I had the Cuban Sandwich and Sam had...well, I'm not sure what Sam had, but it was a giant plate of food. And it was delicious!
And for desert, the killer margaritas. Be forewarned these things are tequila bombs! Goodnight, everybody!
Review
Boca Chica has been a favorite Latin American Restaurant and bar on the Lower East side for close to fifteen years now. The restaurant has a relaxing, low-key vibe with brick walls and festive colors. The bar is cozy and the staff are friendly. The cliental is mainly local folks from the neighborhood and regulars at the bar.
There’s no draft beer but they do have a full bar with a decent selection of bottled beers. Some of the signature drinks include house Sangria, Margaritas and Mojitos. If you like shrimp, this is your dream restaurant, there’s eight different shrimp dishes on the menu including: Shrimp, Avocado and Heart Of Palm Salad; Shrimp Chipotle; Shrimp Ajillo and Moqueca De Peixe shrimp and fish in coconut sauce. Other entrees featured are: Skirt Steak Chimichurri; Cuban Sandwich; Burrito Cubano and an Argentina Chopped Steak Sandwich with chimichurri mayo.
Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4pm.
Boca Chica
13 First Ave. (@ 1st. St.)
212-473-0108
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"Misery and Gin," a place I may be at the end of the week. Thanks to Tim Clack for bringing this song up. Cheers!
4 References
Reader Comments (26)
For sure a heavy meal like Sam's (look's like roast pork, yuca, black beans and rice) washed down with margarita's will make anyone feel like a nap. Nice place and a change of pace from the regular bars here. Someone left a long green dildo above the lemons,,,Im sure they will come back for it. lol.
Your cousin is cute...
@ Al.. you know that is your dildo! go back and get it!
laughing at the name of the place..
boca....mouth... to put delicious in mouth...
chica.. hummmmm
even when i am not awake I have a dirty mind
The food looks first rate and it does look colorful and cheery in there, but those leopard-skinned booths in there make me think of Tony Montana's Cadillac in 'Scarface'...
The food looks amazing!
The margaritas look yummy too.
One tequila two tequila three tequila.. Floor!
I would go just for the dancing skeletons rug.
Jerry Garcia would be proud.
ALL I SAW WAS BEANS.... soooo not my favorite fruit. yes, yes, SAM is adorable but is he legal?
nothing like a REAL margarita! the last time I had tequila, I was convinced I could jump from a second floor balcony - nothing broken, but it wasn't pretty.
Marty, I hate to be the one to tell you, but I think you're being followed by a bevy of beautiful women - seems to be a common theme in 95% of your posts...wait, or ...... are you following them?
@Shannon: Is Sam legal? Only his attorney knows for sure. And as far as the beautiful women, they're usually running away from me!
@Everyone: Morning sucks, so I do another rush job and ponder my shithole existence...see, Motherfucker?
@365 Bars: Get back to work!
Looks like a nice and cheery place. Love the Grateful Dead art! I'm a deadhead too, Joey D! To Jerry Garcia! And get back to work Marty! What are you on the dayshift this week?
@Gidget: ha ha ha,,,my dildo doesn't come off,,,,that green one came off the guy in Avatar.
Boca Chica, nice choice. Man, I haven't been there in a good 15 years (I vaguely recall through the tequila haze an unwelcome visitor during one of my meals there). Nice to see it's still kicking around.
Is it too early for a margarita?
I do love shrimp and so this shall be my new dream restaurant. I'm going to have to set aside a few hours to hang with Ivan and do a little tapas and mojito tango. And then when I go to pay, it'll be a tango and cash. And then that will mark the end of my career as a cinematic superstar and I'll be resigned to spending the next 20 years of my life living with Goldie Hawn and watching my son play hockey in Canada. Oh well, life could be worse, eh?
@Fat Al: I could use about twenty of them right now!
@Biff: I'm working days, so life is at its worst for me right now. And yes, I'd like a little ice with my whine.
Fiona ("Mrs. Shrek") could not be reached for comment.
Wow Love Boca Chica and the food looks amazing!!
Cheers Marty and Cheers everyone!
@Tiki Bar Susie: Cheers to you! I hope your Monday is going better than mine!
Thats one fucked up looking banana.
@365: Maybe a whine bar tomorrow?? Don't think it too bad mate. I'm unemployed at the moment until we get home from NY...then it will be peak tourism season....makes me tired thinking about it.
@GENE: Just in case you missed my late comment yesterday...We'll be in NYC from Nov 1st and flying out on the 15th. So yes....lets drink. It sounds like we could be having the NY summit. Did you catch the Eagles/9ers game? Rather exciting round across the board. I was in the pub drinking at 11am on a Monday. Them's the breaks when you follow American sports from Aus.
@Tim Clack: I'll be whining all week, just like the Carpenters, I've only just begun!
@Clacky: you'd be LOVING the Aussie dollar right now!
@365 Beers: I'm very impressed with your uncanny ability to photograph (or be photographed with) beautiful women. Would certainly make the bar crawl a lot more enjoyable I'd imagine!
@David Brooks: Glad you're liking the scenery here! Hey did you get a chance to resend that photo?
@365 Beers: Tried to send it again the other night, but I"m having issues with my domain at the moment (was hacked), so will have to sort that out first. But it's coming!
@365 Beers - just sent the photo through - let me know if you don't receive it
@David Brooks: I got it, you look great wearing the 365 colors! I'll post it on Wednesday as I already have a bonus picture for tomorrow. Thanks for sending it and for buying the shirt!
@Brooksy: The Dollar is kicking arse at the moment but I had all my money converted when it hit 95c...by the time I got to the exchange it had gone back to 92 but me still no complain at that rates...pretty much had to do it the in case it dropped down again...
@365: Just don't go doin' what Merle Haggard gone done did...he mixed his Misery with Gin....if you do, make sure you try that Bombay Sapphire Gin. Great stuff.
@Tim Clack: The song of the evening! I'm going to post it shortly.