On Thursday night Adelaide Food Central was invited to La Boca on North Terrace to sample their Omakase ‘Chef’s Choice’ Degustation menu. La Boca Bar and Grill is well known for their flavoursome meat dishes and thoughtful sides. We were treated to six courses including a combination of seafood and meat dishes and an outstanding dessert. We were very impressed with the quality of meat and the way the chef cooked it. Each menu item was paired with a wine that matched the flavours and textures of the dishes.

Selection of artisan sourdough with house-made duck pâté; paired with Cabernet Shiraz Sangria

The lightly toasted white sourdough bread was topped with a creamy but light duck pate. It worked well with the crisp bread and was a perfect choice for this type of spread. The wine based drink, Sangria worked well as the sweet notes paired perfectly with the gamey but slightly honeyed pate. A stunning start to the degustation.

Grilled Spencer Gulf prawn tail with salsa Verde; paired with Pikorua Sauvignon Blanc

Prawns are one of my favourite seafood items, and when cooked well bring out a light but tasty flavour. It was interesting to see the prawns still in their shell but half cut open, this enabled us to slip into the shell and pull out the prawn, we love simplicity when eating. The salsa Verde worked well with the charred seafood, and a sweeter Sauvignon Blanc.

Duck, prosciutto and fig terrine with roasted pickled onion; paired with Argento Classic Pinot Grigio

Terrine is not something I would usually order when eating out, but I was excited to see La Boca’s take on it. The terrine was super moist and I loved the duck and prosciutto combination which is one I wouldn’t have thought of myself. The roasted capsicum was a perfect side and the dish paired well with the fruity and fresh Pinot Grigio.

Mayura Station wagyu rump MBS9+ with our famous chimichurri; paired with Gramp’s Cabernet Merlot

When I think of perfectly cooked meat I think back to this wagyu rump. Not only was the rump cooked medium rare the quality of the beef was top shelf, it melted in your mouth and I just wanted to keep eating more. The chimichurri sauce is a typical Argentinian side and the perfect one for this dish. The hearty merlot went well with the thick steak and this was my favourite course of the night.

Selection of wood-fire grilled Asador with jus; paired with barrel-aged old fashioned 

Slow roasted meats are super delicious so even before this dish came out I knew it was going to be sensational. Asador is the technique and the social event of attending a BBQ in many South American countries. This Asador was a combination of beef, pork and lamb and it was a great end to our savoury dishes. The jus helped to keep the meat juicy and soaked the flavours throughout. The old fashioned is not my usual style of drink but it was great to pair with the succulent meats.

Churros, tres leches and caramelised banana; paired with caramel espresso martini

To end the beautiful evening we had a hearty dessert of churros dipped in chocolate sauce, banana and chocolate cake. The churros were my favourite as they were super crispy, oily and slathered in chocolate. The banana worked well with the moist cake and topped off with delicate fruits. I love espresso martinis so this was a great addition to this sweet meal, especially with the caramel.

Thank you for the team at La Boca Bar and Grill for having us. We love how well you cook your meat and recommend your eatery to any meat lovers.

The Omakase degustation menu is $109 per person or $139 per person with paired beverages.

Words by Tomika Salerno

WHERE: 150 North Tce, Adelaide