It has been a while since I have typed my taste buds into words and posted. For this, I apologize. I have moved to a new city (Madison WI), crafted a grown up apartment (sort of) and started a new job. A job which pays for my meals when it travel, I might add.

For the average traveling Joe, free food would be a nice, but for me, this is an opportunity. I get to drop my penny pinching ways of college dining I was never very good at this anyway) and decide to order the fillet, so to speak.

My life is completely different than it was 6 months ago when my daily schedule involved studying the Latin American Politics and attending mid afternoon yoga classes followed. Now, I live in the working world and try to become a real human as much as possible. Indeed, my life got a makeover, and so will this blog.

I have a little disposable cash, a company credit card and an appetite. Let’s fly.

I promise to write about all things Wisconsin (the rumors are true, this really is the best cheese and the best beer around), but first, I have just returned from a week-long trip to Cincinnati where I worked myself to the bone, but also managed to eat a sea bass, a scallop and a mini burger all in one meal. 

Last Wednesday, I took myself on a date to Boca, a New American restaurant with Mediterranean and Italian influences.

Table for one! I said when I came through the door, and lucky for me, I got a spot at the “chef’s table.” This meant I was essentially dining in the kitchen. Eating alone is a personal experience; the flavors drive my thoughts as if each dish were an artful conversationalist, challenging my views of grilled frisee and the politics of over fishing.

Boca’s chef table over looks the 12 top range, wood fired oven, the square grilling station and the four men who made it all work. It was the hot seat, both literally and figuratively as I sweat ever so slightly beneath the oven’s heat and the questions from the Chicago-bred maitre’d. I still don’t have an answer to “what’s your best meal in the last six months?” question.

I ordered mainly on what looked good coming out of the kitchen. I knew right away that the tuna sashimi with tiny diced avocado and housemade ponzu sauce was happening. And then I witnessed the beauty of the hamburger slider with carmelly onions embedded in the meat that I knew this place was gastronomic therapy for the four straight 13 hour night shifts I had just completed.

Things started to get a little out of hand because this is what I ended up eating:

Granted, the Scallop was a little gift from the kitchen, but still. Ellie, indulge a little why don’t you.

There were two winners of the evening (besides myself simply for the privilege of eating), first, the slider. The meat and onion combination was silky and intoxicatingly meaty. Topped with strong cheddar on the classic, slight sweet hamburger bun, it was 2 square inches of heaven. The second winner was the seamless integration of bok choy, a traditional asian green into the Mediterranean themed sea bass. Held together with the buerre blanc, the dish capitalized on the bok choys eager character–each leaf soaking in the brininess from the yet at its core, maintaining its gentle spiciness that too often goes upraised in strip mall stir fries.

While there are no losers in a place like this, not dish can come in first place.  Boca’s signature scallop dish is very tasty, but their crown jewel, the caramelized Brussels sprouts don’t live up to the hype. It is a four hour process, they boasted to me.

That’s all well and good, but the butter overrode the vegetable’s character, which is a true shame especially during this season. Because scallops are naturally buttery and this dish needed the sprouts to bring a pungent or sharp counter point against the richness, or an additional ingredient to deliver a punch.

I left Boca in a full on food coma. The whole afternoon was really wonderful, I think i built the best Cincinnati date ever.  Start at the arboretum, then check out the sunset from the Cincinnati Art Institute’s white columned windows, wander around Mt Adams to take in the last rays of light before heading to Boca for a truly stellar meal.

After all of my adventuring, the prospect of waking the next morning at 4:30 AM was daunting, but at least I was fortified with good spirits, a wonderful staff and great flavors.

Thanks Cinci! See you in two weeks!