As the former drummer of one of punk’s more polarizing and well-travelled bands, Against Me!, Warren Oakes has certainly seen his fair share of love, hate and food. But now, Oakes is combining two of those aspects as he gets behind his newest endeavor, opening a new Tex-Mex restaurant in downtown Gainesville, Florida called Boca Fiesta.
Utilizing Florida’s proximity to the ocean, Boca Fiesta features fresh tilapia and in-house spices on top of an array of other exotic meats. Will the slightly eccentric menu and restaurant prosper? One can’t help but think of a famous AM! line: “But if Florida takes us, we’re taking everyone down with us…”
There’s all kinds of other meats on the menu, including fresh gator and ostrich and kangaroo as part of Boca Fiesta’s rotating “Game” menu. Rumour has it Oakes himself also serves the food. I reckon he gets “Play Burn!” yelled at him from the bar thrice daily.
Further to the menu’s eclectic tex-mex fusion, Boca Fiesta aims to be a popular choice for late-night thrill seekers, with a nightly live band also on tap. Though, given the recent dispute between Oakes and AM!, the one which caused the latter to fire the former, don’t expect Tom Gabel to preview any of the band’s upcoming work.
Too bad. The pizzadilla still looks scrumptuous though.
Check out The Independent Florida Alligator for a complete review of Boca Fiesta.