On my girlfriend Hannah's last night in Bristol I took her out for a meal. I wanted to do something special, so I asked around at work the night before for recommendations of really good places to eat. My friend Isla said the Boca Nova was her favorite place, so I decided we should i try it.
I had left it late, but luckily there was a table free for us. I was told it was South-American food, but I was surprised at how little influence there appeared to be. There were hints in the food, but the decor, music etc. were very subtle. They did serve Super Bock though, which I hadn't had since I was in Portugal a few years ago.
The menu was fantastic though. I have never been so spoilt for choice. I decided to start with king prawns in a lime, ginger and parsley sauce. They were absolutely delicious, the sauce was perfectly balanced with the high-quality prawns.
After that Hannah had the swordfish, which was wonderfully cooked. I meanwhile had, (I love saying this), roast duck on a bed of pancetta-infused borlotti beans, served with orange and mango sauce and red onion marmalade. The duck was cooked to perfection, and the beans were delicious. The highlight however was the sauce, which was very rich, but not over-powering, and left you wanting more after each bite.
I was surprised, as the portions that we were given were quite generous for an expensive restaurant, but they also bought out a tray of potatoes and vegetables. These were all delicious, but I couldn't eat many. This removed the feeling that I normally leave a good restaurant with; the feeling that it just wasn't enough.
Isla had insisted that I tried the Crème Brûlée. It was actually strawberry Crème Brûlée, and I'm glad that I had it even though I might not have had a desert at all. Hannah refused to have a desert, but I forced her to get the white chocolate and cardamom mousse. It was equally fantastic, and quote unexpected.
I was thoroughly impressed with the evening, and while it wasn't cheap I will definitely be returning if another special occasion crops up.