Review: The Breakfast Champion becomes The Boco Restaurant

Toasted cubes of spongy sweet sesame sprinkled bread form an absorbent base, toasted on all sides of course. Sliced lamb sprawls itself over the bread like lazy brown seals on a sandy beach. Then a light garlic tomato sauce blankets the meat and bread delicately. A full roasted jalapeño and tomato sit proudly on top to garnish. Beside the pile rests a healthy portion of thick yogurt, a stark white glob in comparison to the vibrant orange sauce and deep green of the pepper. 

Once the dish is set down before the diner, the server reveals a full ladle of butter to pour over the full gold tray. Our server remarked to tell him ‘when,’ so enough butter would be poured to our liking—however there should never be a “when” in reference to melted butter. These components culminate to become iskender, a meal that evokes a pang of guilt for not knowing it existed until that moment. 

Anyone who frequents good restaurants knows they reside in plain sight, and the best are in strip malls. In fall of 2020, a glowing review of a small Turkish restaurant in Boulder came up in my TikTok feed. A few friends and I blindly followed the video’s directions and the smell of Baklava to the spot on Baseline just past Williams Village. 

A year later, I found myself sitting in the same spot, watching the sun set behind the Flatirons, the mall’s low one story structure shyly hanging below the scene. The first thing I noticed was the name change; The Breakfast Champion was now The Boco Restaurant. 

Though the restaurant has changed owners, the theme remains similar in decor and style of cuisine. The restaurant itself has a small dining room and counter for ordering at the back. Several clear pastry cases flank the cash register and do a fine job at inviting customers to come in and take a closer look at what’s inside. By the dinner rush, most of the pastries were gone, a mark of a good day. 

“We have a little bit of a fusion menu now, and Boulder has a fusion culture,” said owner and chef Rojan Shrestha on the name change. 

Shrestha spoke while he fed the store’s fish, their tank and filter adding a calming water sound to the quiet space. Rainbow umbrellas hung from the ceiling in an odd but cheerful decorative touch. The furniture was simple, especially in contrast to the gold plates and utensils used for certain dishes that were more authentic in nature. Most guests, though, sat outside and enjoyed the last bits of the warm summer air and humbling view of the mountains. 

Shrestha and his family recently bought the restaurant and operate it themselves in a self-touted “Mom and Pop” fashion. Shrestha said they appreciate the mix of cultures that is Boulder—specifically because residents are more perceptive to smaller restaurants with less common cuisine. Though the popular TikTok brought new customers for a short time, the spike has not sustained, he said. 

Associate CU professor of marketing, Dr. Lawrence Williams, cautioned that while “TikTok has proven to be a powerful platform for generating interest … it is up to the business owners to deliver [when the consumer shows up].” He stresses that “consumers value authenticity, so brands should be careful about artificially generating hype to boost business” when discussing advertising under the guise of social media. 

Aside from myself, everyone in the restaurant seemed to be a regular, exchanging waves with owners and staff, asking for their usual orders. Shrestha explained that many are from the retirement home across the street, which has cultivated a communal setting. Long-time Boulder resident, Frank Merrem, sat at the table across from mine. Shrestha greeted him with a smile while the two discussed what Merrem should order that night. I later learned this is a game the two play almost everyday. 

For me, Shrestha suggested iskender, a popular dish in Turkey since it was called the Ottoman Empire. Every bite is a near perfect balance of spice from the jalapeño, the crunch of bread which turns to an ooze of butter, the tender lamb, all married by tangy yogurt—the yogurt is essential in the dish, as the dairy offsets the very necessary spice.  

A mango lassi and baklava are almost mandatory for dessert. The drink, a yogurt base with sweet mango, is the consistency of thick chocolate milk but far more complex in taste. From the side, the Baklava looks to have about a hundred layers of carefully rolled pastry crust, the bottom bundle drenched in a sweet mixture of honey and ground nuts.   

Shrestha was kind in a humble way, making sure all were satisfied. He shared stories about running his family’s other restaurant in Nepal, where he’s originally from. Though he’s worked in multiple restaurants in Boulder, this is the first that he’s owned by himself. It was immediately clear that his heart was in it. This was not a money making venture, but one of passion and a desire to expand this community’s interest for Mediterranean and Asian food. 

“The food’s good, but the friendship is equally, if not better … this place is a bit special,” said Merrem.

Though the shawarma may be the best for miles, the warmth of human kindness is what keeps people coming back to The Boco Restaurant.