Best of Bocca
The Next Level at Bocca Ristorante
By Jan Walsh
If I could whip up a perfect evening at Bocca, it would be tonight’s…
The valet is waiting at the door as we arrive. Inside Owners Tom and Christy Saab’s daughter, Ashley Rose welcomes us and leads us to the dining room. Here Chef Saab, dressed in his chef whites greets us.
Seated at our favorite table under the sky light, our server, Molly takes our order from the Featured Cocktails list: Espresso Old Fashioned and Barrel Aged Black Manhattan. The bourbon concoctions up the ante of their traditional namesakes and captivate us. The old fashioned is a frothy mix, boasting notes of brown sugar, vanilla bean, espresso, and cocoa bitters that build on but do not outshine the flavor of the whiskey. And the Manhattan, served in a Champagne coupe, is deep, dark, and decadent. Rich flavors of chocolate, caramel, and oak are accented with herby angostura, and the bittersweetness of house made Italian liqueur, Averna. Both are a must try for bourbon connoisseurs.
Looking over tonight’s menu, we are tempted by, but strategically forgo dishes we previously enjoyed: panzanella, meatballs, Caesar salad, shrimp scampi, and Tuscan ribeye. My reviews of the dishes are in the Reviews section of Birmingham Restaurants. Oh, my! Tonight, clams are on the menu. I encourage Kev to order, while I opt for the Mozzarella Caprese Salad. Much like I grew up with seafood from the Gulf, Kev grew up with clams from the Atlantic. So, I am always excited for him to see them on a menu but also know he will critique our Southern chefs’ choices of preparation. As a teen Kev and friends would order two dozen, little necks steamed with melted butter each at local restaurant/bars in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His favorite spot was family owned, “Judges,” located in a Victorian house, this Irish style pub had only ten tables on the main level. Upstairs the owners, the Judge family resided. Just mention clams and he is back there with his buddies tasting their buttery succulence. It is difficult to complete with this memory.
Yet Kev raves that Bocca’s flavors of olive oil, lemon, and red pepper enhanced the clams, more than butter alone. “A rare experience!” he exclaims. He shares one and a little linguine with me. And I swoon over my clam tangled in ribbons of buttery pasta. Indeed, this is the best clam dish ever. Highly recommended! My salad is a lineup of large, dead ripe heirloom tomato slices drizzled in balsamic vinegar and crowned with Ovoline Mozzarella and fresh basil. The tomatoes are a meaty mouthful bursting with juiciness and Alabama ‘mater flavors. The Ovolini Mozzarella is high in moisture, firm and creamy in texture, and mild in flavor. Every little thing is an opportunity for excellence here, including this dish’s beautiful work of art basil garnish.
The wine list at Bocca is a product of Sommelier, Carlos Cisneros, who is also the general manager and beverage director here at Bocca and at the Saab’s other locations, Bistro 218 and Sloan’s. I appreciate finding my favorite style of still, white wine, a French Sancerre in this Italian restaurant. Cisneros reveals that this modern, food friendly Sancerre is Bocca’s most popular wine. View Video
From the Secondi list, Kev has the Garganelli Al Forno, and I select Pan Seared Grouper. Kev’s house made pasta arrives piping hot, cooked in its own cast au gratin pan, topped with melted mozzarella. Inside a hearty, savory synthesis of Italian sausage, spinach, and marinara delights the palate and comforts the soul. It is a newfound favorite on first bite. My grouper arrives with a crispy, golden top and bottom. It is served atop risotto in a white wine butter sauce with oven dried tomato. Having never seen grouper cooked like this before, I ask Carlos the secret. He shares that it is hard seared on one side in a cast iron skillet, roasted in the oven, and finally flipped and finished with a hard sear on the other side. Next level! This crisp outer layer is better than fried. And the inside is pristine, mild and sweet. Best grouper I have ever had! And this is saying a lot because I have had a lot of grouper. The creamy risotto here is always close your eyes extraordinary. I have given up inquiring what makes it so special, as Chef Saab seems to keep the lid on his secret for making risotto. Catch this amazing fish dish!
For dessert we share Coconut Cheesecake. The cake is fluffy and snowy enhanced by creamy vanilla ice cream. Perfect dessert for sharing when you just want a light bite to end the night on a sweet note. Bocca is at its prime. I can’t wait until next time…
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