The Pint-Sized Palate — A Kid’s Take on Food

The Velvet Underground

By Churchill Stone

La Boca at Faena New York
500 W. 18th St. (at 10th Ave.)

On a Friday night, my parents were already at La Boca, inside the Faena Hotel. They had gone without us, but soon decided my sister, Charlemagne, and I would probably love it too.

So my dad jumped in a taxi, came all the way back home, and told us we had to get ready quickly. Charlemagne and I put on nice dresses, then ran out into the rain, got into a car, and drove up to the restaurant.

When we arrived, I understood why my parents had come to get us. The entrance was beautiful ─ people greeted us outside and guided us in. Going upstairs inside a hotel automatically makes dinner feel more like an adventure.

At first, the restaurant was mostly empty. But around 7:30, people flooded in and soon the room was full and loud. So the lesson is: do not judge a restaurant too early. Sometimes you are just there before the real party starts.

The first thing I noticed was the room. It was gorgeous: red and maroon, with dark wood, velvet, marble, carpeting, and little lamps on the tables. There were roses in a see-through red glass vase and comfortable chairs. Some restaurants try to be beautiful, but then the chairs feel like punishment. These chairs did not.

The restaurant also had music, which made the night feel special. There was a DJ to start, and later a band. The band’s lead singer had a beautiful voice and wore sleek, incredible dresses. She even came over to say hi and told us she was going to change clothes later. I did not know how her second dress could be prettier than the first, but somehow it was. A lot of the songs were in foreign languages, especially French, which made the restaurant feel like New York, Paris, and a movie.

Before the food came, I asked what mocktails they had. They offered a Shirley Temple and a hibiscus mocktail. I love hibiscus, but I played it safe and got the Shirley Temple. It was one of the best Shirley Temples I have ever had. It was a beautiful pink-red color and came with two cherries, lime, and “blackstrap.” I am not exactly sure what blackstrap is, but it sounded fancy and tasted good. My sister and her friend loved theirs too.

The staff was one of the best parts of the night. They were incredibly kind and understanding, especially with us kids. This matters because some fancy restaurants say they are kid-friendly, but really mean kids may sit quietly and eat bread. At La Boca, we ordered off-menu and changed some items, and the staff and chef were completely accommodating. They acted like they actually wanted us to enjoy dinner.

The breadbasket was delicious. There were several kinds, but my favorite was a little mini loaf: slightly sweet, slightly salty, and basically perfect.

For the kids, we ordered two butter pastas and a tomato sauce pasta though they were not on the menu. The kitchen made them anyway, which gives La Boca big points. My butter pasta arrived quickly ─ creamy, buttery yellow, rich, and delicious. I asked for parmesan on top, which made it even better, because parmesan is one of the easiest ways to make pasta really good.

Then came the skirt steak.

This may have been one of the best things I have ever eaten. It was cooked perfectly, not too rare and not too well done. It was huge and probably could have fed three people. My sister had a lot of bites too and while my dad was eating it, he just mumbled, “amazing.” That is a very strong review from my dad because he usually has more words.

The chef, Francis Mallmann, is from Argentina, and he is famous for cooking over a big open fire, which is called “asado” in Spanish. So it makes sense that at this Argentine restaurant, the steak was so good.

For dessert, there were many kid-friendly choices. I ordered an ice cream sundae and they let me customize it: vanilla, chocolate, and dulce de leche, with no whipped cream and dulce de leche sauce on top. The almond crumble came on the side for my parents. The sundae was so big that we all shared it, which was probably the right thing to do, even though I do not always believe dessert should be shared.

A beautiful woman in uniform was incredibly kind and let me take a photo with her. My dad said, “It’s like from another era here, a time capsule ─ like going to The Stork Club or one of those places 75 years ago.” I have never been to The Stork Club, but I understood what he meant. La Boca felt glamorous in an old-fashioned way.

It is not for every night. It is a fancy place for a special night out. But if your parents want to go somewhere beautiful, and you want to eat well, hear a great singer, and not be treated like you are a problem, La Boca is the best choice.

Thank you, La Boca!