HispanicBusiness

For a chef, opening a restaurant is always challenging. But Chef Alex Garcia had some interesting things to take into consideration for Boca that most other restaurants do not. Namely, the noise.

Boca is a new restaurant that is part of the recently reopened, popular Los Angeles music spot The Conga Room, both at the L.A. Live plaza. We spoke with The Conga Room's founding partner Brad Gluckstein shortly after the venue's star-studded grand opening. A little more than a month later, we caught up with Garcia to discuss the culinary component of the venture.

Garcia should be comfortable hosting star-studded affairs, since he's very well-known himself. He caught the culinary world's attention with restaurant ventures such as Yucca in Miami, and Patria and Calle Ocho in New York. Then he became a star on the small screen with his Food Network show, Melting Pot, and a bookstore fixture with "In a Cuban Kitchen."

"Our biggest challenge is to develop a faithful clientele," he told HispanicBusiness.com. While Boca can rely on the crowds brought in by Conga Room events, as well as other high-profile neighborhood activities (such as the L.A. Lakers), Garcia is keen on providing a reliable dining experience that will keep the people coming back.

To this end, Garcia says it's very important that Boca stand out as a restaurant on its own, and that people recognize "the food is serious."

A design choice of the facility, the strong soundproofing, also serves to keep the Boca experience a separate, if complementary, one from The Conga Room.

"The soundproofing was one of the greatest choices we made," he said. Diners can "see the action" at The Conga Room, but "still have a conversation."

The fact that the restaurant is tied to a music club also influences the flow of business. A daily routine just can't be counted on when the tenor of the patrons can change drastically depending on the day of the week or what entertainment event is taking place. One of his most intense nights to date was when the Gipsy Kings were playing next door.

"It goes from pretty calm, where everyone is very intensely focused on food, to busy and craziness," Garcia said. "The amount of people the club is bringing in is astounding."

Garcia describes Boca's menu as representative of all Latin American countries. "We wanted to have a nostalgic influence on our patrons, so we created a 'classic' part of the menu, with recipes presented unaltered, as they were conceived," he said. His thought was to "go 'back to basics' with great dishes that might be kind of forgotten." So far, it appears to be working.

"Of course, every family has its own version, but our take on arroz con pollo, roasted pork, and the like have proven very, very popular."

Garcia noted that he has some room to play with the rest of the menu, to satisfy more adventurous or curious palates, but the classics help keep the restaurant a reliable experience. "When you want it, it's there," Garcia commented.

Weekends, with the entertainment-based neighbors, are naturally very busy, but Garcia says weekdays are very accessible for L.A.-based patrons. He recommends reservations about a week ahead of time to be sure of a seat.