La Boca

I love La Boca, from the Spanish music playing in the background, to the live dance floor on certain nights at the Pavilion branch, to the colourful walls of the interior – it all really seems to embody the warmth and passion that the Latin America is known for. Both branches have the same theme running through with a lively crowd, although the Life Centre branch has a more intimate feel about the centre.

I’ve been to both branches – the one in Pavillion and the one in Life Centre, and they both exude the same vibrant atmosphere. Lunching at Life Centre is definitely more laidback, and it’s great to be able to people watch as well. Pavillion offers the extra attraction of the open dance floor – on Sundays the place has tango classes, and I’ve seen people just get up and dance sometimes, which makes the dining experience very entertaining. 

I had the ravioli cheese balls for starters, which were huge pasta pockets filled with delicious crumbly cheese and topped with flavoursome tomato sauce. There were only three or four per serve, but these things were big chunky bites, and could stand for a plate of its own if you weren’t very hungry. 

Fajitas, simple but full of flavour.

The fajitas could do no wrong, with tender strips of chicken, warm tortillas and the accompanying guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and tomato – often the chicken strips can be a bit too dry, but this was just nice. I do think they could have been a bit more generous with the accompaniments, but I always have this complaint every single time I have fajitas. 

Churros to share.

Naturally, a meal isn’t complete without dessert, and La Boca makes fantastic churros, nice chunky, chewy things that you can choose to dip in caramel or chocolate. I would recommend you ask them to take the churros out last and eat them while they’re still hot, because it does turn a bit too chewy once it’s cooled down – and the portions are definitely to be shared. 

I do intend to go back and try the more unusual offerings on their menu that I’m not familiar with; but while I like to try different restaurants, I tend to pick the things off the menu that I’ve tried and tested. I've heard fantastic things about their grill as well - when I was there I couldn't stop salivating over the delicious looking barbecued meats just glistening away. There's a microwave ban at their restaurants, so there's a guarantee that everything is made there and then, with none of this heating up business.

At the Life Centre branch, people watching.

Check out their website here, for further details of both their branches.