Lisbel Diaz
Boca Chica, Sabor Latino
Located on 96-20 37th avenue Corona, Queens, Boca Chica offers a Dominican seafood cuisine suitable for the Hispanic population situated in this area. The restaurant is small yet accommodates its clients well. It offers a buffet in which costumers can come in and order take out food. It also has the option of delivery and of course dinning in the restaurant. The restaurant primarily serves seafood dishes but serves other dishes for meat lovers. The workers are friendly which gives the restaurant a welcoming feel. Although there is one major setback, the in-dinning service is slow. But if you’re willing to enjoy a delicious Hispanic meal, its well worth the wait.
The restaurant offers complementary appetizers of soup. The choices of soup are fish soup, seafood (marisco) soup, and- for those who prefer meat- chicken soup. The restaurant has authentic Dominican foods listed on their menus such as Mondongo (which is Tripe soup), Asopao de camarones (Shrimp soupy rice) and Mofongo (mashed platains). The menu, aside from having authentic Dominican cuisines, contains dishes that attract any Latin food lover taste buds. They serve latin dishes like Ceviche and their tropical shakes. They even have burgers and fries to accommodate what may be more Americanized food. Their dishes are flavorful and cooked with natural ingredients and are low in sodium. I had arroz con habichuela (rice and beans) with steak. The steak was well done and had a juicy flavorful taste. The rice and beans intermingled well with the steak and left me wanting to continue eating even though I would’ve never be able to finish the big pile of food on my plate. My order could definitely be dinner for two. Although the service was slow the food was well worth the wait. It tasted like food I can find in the Dominican Republic and definitely was authentic to that culture. The desserts were also typical Dominican pastries such as flan and tres leche. They were just as delicious and rich in milky caramel flavor like the typical Dominican sweets I’ve had before.
Even though Boca Chica is a Dominican Restaurant it reaches out to the other Latin immigrant community in Corona. From Columbians to Ecuadorians to Mexicans, all clients enjoy the rich and flavorful food at the affordable price offered at Boca Chica. To reach other Hispanic groups the owner welcomes Mexican Mariachi bands play at the restaurant at around Dinnertime on Sundays. It’s a great place to have a family Dinner and bring culture to your taste buds.
The environment of the restaurant and layout offer a very welcoming Latin vibe. The workers all speak Spanish and are more than happy to greet you. Most of the clients go often so they have a special bond with the owner and waitresses. There is an open bar and buffet for take out food which offers more variety to the restaurant. Latin music is always playing and the ball game is on for the sport fans to watch. The restaurant tries to reach a large audience by offering various commodities. Even though the restaurant is small in size it does well for the space it has. The take out buffet also gets a lot of business from outside workers on their way to work or coming back from work that don’t quite have the time to cook. The food prices are affordable which makes it possible to get food more than once a week at this restaurant.
The layout of the restaurant is organized well. The buffet is in the front for those who are interested in take out and the bar is located in the back for those who want to have a drink and watch the game. Tables for four are situated around the restaurant. It is great for families or for to bring a small group of friends. On the other hand for a bigger party of people it would be too crowded and difficult for seating. This can also be a setback around lunchtime when there is a line at the take out section and affects people who are eating at the restaurant.
All in all, I would give the restaurant four out of five stars. The restaurant does have friendly workers who make you feel right at home when you enter the restaurant. It offers various dishes at affordable prices. It isn’t too roomy and the service may be slow, but it can be good place for a small gathering of friends or to eat Dinner with your family. Corona, Queens has various Dominican restaurants but not too many seafood restaurants so it is definitely a place you may want to check out if you’re ever in the area. Boca Chica brings Dominican culture to food beautifully and will leave you more than satisfied.
