Boia De, located in the heart of the Buena Vista neighborhood in Miami, has built quite a reputation and even holds a Michelin Star. Naturally, expectations were high going in.
Personally, I wasn’t particularly impressed by the food overall. Given the Michelin recognition, I expected something a bit more memorable. It sometimes makes me wonder whether the same standards are applied across regions, as the experience often feels quite different compared to many Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe.
I started with the crispy polenta, a dish I had heard many people rave about. In the end, it felt fairly straightforward, essentially fried polenta. It was fine, but not something that stood out.
The beef tartare was one of the better dishes of the evening in terms of flavor, though I wish it had been served with good bread or something similar. Instead, it came with an airy chip that was quite oily, which didn’t really complement the dish in my opinion.
The lamb ribs fra diavola had nice flavor and a pleasant level of spice, but they leaned a bit on the dry side.
The dish that really redeemed the meal for me was the pappardelle alla lepre. This was excellent, rich, well balanced, and easily the highlight of the night. A very well-executed pasta.
All in all, it was a good dinner, but with so many strong dining options around Miami, it’s not necessarily a place I feel compelled to return to.
