directions.htm
340 Ignacio Boulevard
Novato, CA. 94949
Phone: 415.883.0901
Fax: 415.883.2802

BAR BITES: Boca Steak and Seafood

If you blend the culinary sophistication of the Bay Area and the casual culture of Sonoma, you might wind up with something like the bar at Boca Steak and Seafood in Novato. Arrive during happy hour, and you will probably need to nudge your way into the often-busy bar.

That's no wonder. Boca has a welcome combination of solid cocktails, a strong wine list and surprisingly affordable, satisfying food. On weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., it's an absolute bargain, as items on the bar menu are offered at half price.

The vibe: Boca's bar is a little like a large country living room, with light wood and plenty of natural light. The bar seats about 10 and the lounge seats dozens more. It's just the right size to have a lively buzz without having guests elbowing each other.

The crowd: The location near Highway 101 in Novato makes Boca an easy stop for commuters. The result is that people come and go early, before prime dining time starts in the adjacent dining rooms. On a typical day, you'll find everything from T-shirts to suits.

Best seat: Any of the lounge chairs facing toward the window provide sunlight and a chance to eye your fellow patrons.

Killer app: Empanadas are a highlight. Four combinations of fillings are offered: beef, raisins and olive; potato and chorizo; zucchini, tomato and manchego cheese; and chicken with mole sauce ($7.50 for an order of two).

Signature drink: The Boca Martini ($8.50), made with Bombay Sapphire gin and a splash of the brine used for the house-made pickles, is a nice twist on a dirty martini.

Also on tap: Pyramid Hefeweizen, Stella Artois, Sierra Nevada and Moylan's Irish Red Ale (all $5) are on tap. Among the bottles is Quilmes, from Argentina ($5). More than 15 wines by the glass ($7-$13), mostly from California. Wine tasting flights of three 2-ounce pours are offered at $8 for white wines and $10 for red.

Bonus: Most wines by the bottle are offered at half off every Tuesday, and a featured winery pours free tastes on the last Tuesday of every month. Boca Steak and Seafood: 340 Ignacio Blvd., Novato. (415) 883-0901. www.bocasteak.com. Bar open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 5-10 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

San Francisco Chronicle, Doug Levy, July 22, 2010

"Argentina is known for the exquisite beef that roams the open pampas and feeds on the scrubby -- and flavor-packed -- herbs and plants that grow there. It's at its best grilled on

the large outdoor barbecue grills known in Argentina as parrillas .  The Boca Bone-In Filet is a succulent, 12-ounce piece of 2 1/2 -inch-thick grilled tenderloin still attached to the flat bone from which the sirloin steak is cut away. “

“Dessert started with a Creamsicle Ice Cream Soda ($7 ***), a simple thing that immediately put me on a fast track back to my childhood. Three scoops of orange ice are given a dash of vanilla syrup and a long spritz of seltzer water. I really thought the creamsicle soda was untoppable until they brought out the Dulce de Leche Ice Cream with Hot Fudge Cake ($7 ****), a dessert so good it alone is worth the trip to Boca (which is Spanish for mouth, and into which you should shovel this incredible dessert). The ice cream is sweet and good, but it's the hot fudge cake and sauce that are way over the chocolate top -- so intensely chocolatey that I thought, ``This is what I've been looking for all my life.''

“To sum up: Steak , chocolate, and malbec: what's not to love?"
Press Democrat, Jeff Cox, May 15, 2005

“Boca Steak is, hands-down, one of Marin's most beautifully decorated restaurants. Boca is the collaboration of celebrity chef and cookbook author George Morrone (of Argentinean ancestry) and business partner Aabi Shapoorian. It opened in Novato four months ago, in the building that was formerly Orsi's. And it is stunning.” 

“I've rarely seen a Marin restaurant with this level of attention to detail…..the restaurant makes a rugged, elegant statement from the moment you arrive.” Outside, one of Marin's best and largest dining patios feels like an extension of the indoors….”. 

“It's all so sumptuous.  Even the 150-bottle wine list, with vintages form California, Argentina, Spain and India, is generous in the volume of selections by the glass. There are 15 of these, ranging in price from $6 to $14. A serving is a hefty 6-ounce pour, enough for moderate drinkers to share.” 

“All of this was not only fun, it made me feel special, cosseted, aware that no visual or comfortable stone has been left unturned.” 

“I find the grass-fed utterly delicious, and I feel safe with it, because the cattle are raised by local growers under controlled circumstances.” 

“I find Boca an exceptional restaurant in the areas in which it excels: steak, vegetables and ice cream. I can't wait to see how it grows as it settles into the county as one of the top dining destinations in Marin.” 

Marin Independent Journal, Leslie Harlib, August, 2005
“Morrone earned four stars from The Chronicle for his cooking at both Aqua and the Fifth Floor….” 

“The encyclopedic adult menu has an Argentine bent that pays homage to the owner's heritage, leading off with empanadas in four flavors: beef, raisin and olives; potato and chorizo; zucchini, tomato and manchego; and chicken in mole. It's hard to make it through a meal without ordering a basket of them ($15 for one of each flavor), and they're so substantial that only a power eater will have room for much more than a salad before moving on to a hunk of meat.  He's even created a children's menu that includes chicken fingers ($5), halibut fish sticks ($5), grilled cheese sandwiches ($5) and lobster corn dogs ($7).” 

“…the interior of the restaurant, designed by Michael Brennan, incorporates a perfect balance of sophistication and folksiness. The freestanding building, with a handsome rock- accent wall and slate floor that extends from the outside through the thick wood and glass doors, seats 120 in the main room and 60 more on the patio. Walls are covered in diagonal planks of rough-hewn wood; thick wood screens divide the room and work as accents, adding a Japanese touch. Cowhide adds a western touch to the banquettes. Rustic chandeliers made of logs decorate the perimeter around the partly open kitchen. With heavy wooden tables and comfortable wood-backed chairs, it's everything a steakhouse should be -- masculine, yet upscale.” 
San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Bauer, June 19, 2005
Ian Andersen