Bocas Grill

Looking through the menu at Bocas brought back memories of my decade in Venezuela. That was a long time ago, when that rich, beautiful country could be traveled and enjoyed without the burden of political upheaval, the disturbing reality currently unfolding in those parts.

    

A breakfast platter seemed like a good choice to sample a variety of items, so I picked the arepa, steak, eggs, and grilled white cheese combination. Arepas are the daily bread of Venezuela and Colombia, but also feature prominently in Panama and Ecuador. They're made of cooked flour, and if done right, as they were today, they're doughy on the inside with a toasted crunchy shell.

     The steak was well seasoned, and the slice of white cheese was grilled, which brought out its natural saltiness without overwhelming. The eggs missed the mark on the first try. The yolk was overcooked and dry, but David, our amiable Lenny Kravitz-lookalike server, was quick to replace them with perfect sunny side ups. When that velvet yolk broke, it spilled its goodness on the dense, meaty arepa, and all was well in my world.
   

     My friend Kim ordered a stuffed arepa called Catira or 'The Blonde', filled to bursting with savory shredded chicken and American cheese. She added a little pepper for spice, but I thought the chicken was well seasoned without it, and combined effectively with the mild cheese.
     The food was flavorful and satisfying, and prepared with care and creativity, but the motivation for my visit was their milkshakes. Yes, their milkshakes. Sounds too simple, right? Hold on.
     The menu offers three options: Dulce de Leche Churros, Oreos and Churros, and Nutella. Not an easy choice to make, but we finally went for the Dulce de Leche Churros. What arrived was a tower of sweets that can only be conjured in dreams... or nightmares, depending on your taste. The base is a thick dulce de leche shake, as promised, in a mason jar smeared in all the right places with sticky, caramelly dulce de leche and crushed vanilla oreos, and glued onto a plate with more of this delectable mixture. Over the rim of the jar sits a perfectly crunchy round churro, then a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped by another churro, all of this dripping in syrup.
     I don't advise that you tackle this dessert on your own. Make sure you have a friend to help you, and possibly consult your doctor before attempting it. But if you're healthy and willing, it's worth every sugary bite.

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