The Sexy Mediterranean

There is a newcomer in town.  This sexy Mediterranean is bold, stylish, vibrant and full of passion.  And it has me in a tizzy.  

Boca Mezze Eatery and Bar just opened its doors on Bedford street in Stamford.  Gino, the owner of Osianna in Fairfield as well as Quattro Pazzi in Fairfield and Stamford had a vision.  Him and his partner Judd wanted to bring the sexy and sultry vibe from Miami and pair it with the bold and delicious flavors of the Mediterranean.  And boy, did they succeed!   

With an all white interior dramatically contrasting with dark tones of the wood and a sleek accent of blue lighting (reminiscent of the greek islands), complete with a dynamite menu and luscious drinks from the bar - this has all the ingredients for becoming THE spot in town.  The food is specifically designed to be bold and colorful - so as to  complement the predominant white tones of the interior.  It is a fabulous play on hot vs. cold!  And this irresistible combination plays a sexy dance with one’s senses.

The menu is all tapas.  With items priced between $4.5 - $13, this is an exciting place to experiment with whatever on the menu takes your fancy.  The best part about this menu, if you ask me, is that it can be enjoyed at any time of day or night in - totally catering to how hungry you may or may not be.  

Delicious spices and ingredients are being pulled from Mediterranean and North African regions to create flavor profiles that are familiar yet have an extra oomph which is downright addictive.  Between Gino, Judd, and chef Domenic in the kitchen, there is a wealth of knowledge of spices from all over the world and they are putting it all to great use.  I loved how the spices never overwhelmed the main star on the plate - be it meat, seafood or even a vegetable.  Like the Moroccan spiced Lamb Chops which had such depth of flavor yet the gorgeous inherent taste of lamb meat (that we love) still strongly came through.  

It was so interesting to hear Gino and Chef Domenic boldly declare that their lamb is American.  I commented that most restaurants make it a point to announce that there lamb comes from New Zealand, and that I have never heard anyone proudly announce that theirs is American lamb.  They told me, “why should we get frozen lamb from New Zealand, when we can get excellent fresh lamb from right here”.  Why indeed?

I loved the fun and playful Crostini with fresh chorizo, piperade quail egg and a sprinkling of smoked paprika.  There was a gentle dash of honey on top of the quail egg which did such a fabulous job of rounding all the flavor profiles in one bite.  The end result was a really smooth composition as it hit my palate.

The Veggies a la Plancha was expertly prepared with a delicate dressing of fresh herb lemon dressing.  The Kamut-Panzanella Salad was vibrant and flavorful from the luscious tomatoes, sour dough bread, tuscan beans and oil and vinegar dressing.  The crunch of the bread, the succulence of the tomatoes, the creaminess of the beans goes to show that a lot of care went into choosing the ingredients on this plate.

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