On a recent bitter cold night, I decided to ditch my usual winter routine of couch + candle + TV/book/computer. Instead, I put my hair in a fancy top-knot bun, snapped on some rhinestone clip-on earrings and headed out to dinner at the vibrant and buzzing Boca Chica, which serves pan-Latin cuisine in the East Village. Even with its dim lighting, it made for a fun, festive and super cheap Thursday night dinner.
Feeling veg: Vegetarian burrito; super quesadilla (super!); garden salad with roasted corn and beet vinaigrette
Feeling non-veg: Chicharrones de pollo (Dominican seasoned and broiled chicken); grilled chicken breast sandwich with avocado and tomato and fried yuca; moqueca de peixe (shrimp and fish in coconut sauce); Argentina chopped steak sandwich with chimichurri mayo; piniones (spicy meat-filled plantain)
{Croquetas de Platano: green plantain balls with onion mojo – loved, loved the plantain balls but I am no fan of raw onion. Seriously, who can handle that stuff??}
{Complimentary plantain chips with black bean dip}
{Pollo Havanero: grilled with almond, parsley, garlic sauce – my boyfriend absolutely loved the almond topping on the chicken}
{Vegetarian quesadilla: Packed with more than just tomatoes and corn, and massively filling}
{Inside shot}
{Caramel flan – I rarely dislike dessert and this was no exception. It was light and airy, and a much better follow up to heavy rice and beans than chocolate would’ve been}
Boca Chica
13 First Ave. (at 1st St.)
212.473.0108
F, M to 2nd Ave.