Bohemian on a Thursday night seemed like a good idea. Here's my experience dining at this secret garden in the middle of Palm Beach, Aruba.
Bohemian has been fairly new to our culinary scene in Aruba, their social media indicates they started operations in 2018. Located in the heart of Palm Beach it shows itself grand and mysterious with steps that lead to a massive wooden door and lush trees that shelter the bar and dining area. The stylish and warm interior is beautiful and take you out of the busy strip feeling and into a chill ambiance. I had been to Bohemian for a wine glass by the bar before but the opportunity for dining never presented itself until that night.
They offer different vibes starting Wednesday with Rumba Gitana and Flamenco, Thursday with sounds of Violin, electro lounge Friday and Saturday, and Salsa on Sunday. The clientele seemed to be loving the Violin being played in front of them. It definitely elevated the experience.
Let's dive into what you get once you step in... you get greeted by the staff wearing suspenders and berets, definitely different and stylish. Our server DJ was very nice and casual without being intrusive or persuasive. They let us pick our table and was quick to deliver the wine and food menus. Also he was very kind to suggest us a different wine since the one we ordered was not in stock considering the price range we were willing to spend on it. To me, that is great! nothing more annoying that a server that is trying to push the pricier bottle from the list. Our bottle suggested by DJ was Château Maucaillou Le Bordeaux de Maucaillou for $39. Oak and woody. We really enjoyed it.
Let's go to the food part! Me and my friend never miss an octopus dish when there's one on the menu. Grilled octopus with a fennel and curly parsley salad and some dollops of Rouille sauce. It was VERY good! cooked and seasoned to perfection. The price tag that the tentacle holds is $22.
One tentacle won't be enough for two hungry diners. We almost ordered a second tentacle but last minute made the decision to change it for Calamari & Chorizo Ibérico de Bellota. Unfortunately the calamari was very hard to chew. Definitely a miss. Looked good though!
Now, after reading the options and even though it seemed a little heavy for a 9PM dinner, we ordered Paella de Bohemian. Glossy rice beans al punto with herbs, clams and mussels in the shells, chicken thigh bone-in and even a small lobster tail. Lemon wedges to brighten it up. The price is hefty but the quality is there. This is definitely a shareable. $42
Dessert time is the best time. Indulgence on a Thursday night just because. My lovely dinner date asked for Moelleux au chocolat: french way to call a Chocolate Lava Cake. Vanilla ice cream and a mint frond all with a slight dusting of confectioners sugar. She expressed it was good. $12
I went for the big guy. Profiteroles au Chocolat Chaud: Massive portion of 3 Choux pastry balls filled with ice cream and covered in chocolate sauce. $12. The slow motion speaks 1000 words
I would recommend Bohemian as an option to scape the arid island climate and get into a dimly-lit luscious tropical garden with french flair. Different vibes for some days of the week are offered depending of what you're into. Our server let us know that they have a full cocktail bar available (and nice to look at btw) which is an alternative if you want to sit and sip cocktails by the bar while enjoying the music. That I would love to try next, the cocktails.
What did we learn? that Bohemian is a unique option to the other restaurants of the hotel strip of Palm Beach, hidden from the stares of the walking tourists. We learned that the French and Spanish flair is very present on their wine and food menus and that also their price range is up there a little bit but competitive, considering their neighbors.
Here is a link to their Facebook Page and Instagram.
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