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It's almost impossible to chance upon La Boca by mistake. Even if you've been blessed with a keen sense of smell for quality meat you'd have to raise your head towards the second floor where the now famous restaurant is located. Since opening, La Boca has served as the Holy City's embassy for fine South American food with minor adjustments to the Israeli palette. Until recently in Jerusalem, the quest for a meat meal usually culminated in a working-class joint where the walls are plastered with photos of soccer players and which served up plates teeming with French fries, hummus, and Israeli salad, or, for real experts, in the "do it yourself" method at the local butcher. And then La Boca appeared on the scene, the restaurant whose name means "the mouth," whose walls are decorated with colorful paintings from Buenos Aires and boasts a delectable menu of the highest quality South American and international fusion style food.

La Boca understood that Jerusalem couldn't pride itself on being an international capital without a top notch, quality meat restaurant whose heart is in the right place-the far away shores of South America. La Boca was born out of the dream of chef and owner Gai Kimchi who travelled to South America following his army service, fell in love with the local food, and decided to bring the cuisine to Jerusalem. La Boca opened close to a decade ago in the German Colony and has since become a success story which attracts an eclectic variety of customers: Jerusalemites, visitors, diplomats, and tourists.

La Boca is located at the heart of the vibrant Emek Refaim street, on the second floor of one of the German Colony's signature Templar buildings. The restaurant's design is understated and elegant, with an inner room, outdoor patio, and a sun filled terrace which offers an unbeatable view of the Emek Refaim scene at a safe distance from the noise and crowds on the street. The atmosphere is romantic and laid back with low lighting and cozy, heavy leather chairs, perfect for couples looking to treat themselves to an intimate dinner, but also great for small groups and friends who know how to appreciate a top notch meat meal that puts Jerusalem on the map. The restaurant also hosts small private events for up to 120 guests with a festive, generous events menu.

If you think dishes like Venezuelan style aged asado steak, mixed grill platter with entrecote, lamb chops, spring chicken and chorizo, or spring chicken in coconut milk and Brazilian salsa sound good, just wait until you taste them. La Boca's kitchen uses only the highest quality, freshest meat, which then dances the salsa on the fire until grilled to perfection and is then served on your plate not a moment to early or late. The dessert menus features South American classics such as churros, of course, though you can also choose a fragrant apple pie or hot chocolate cake topped with ice cream and halva. Kashrut observers can rest easy knowing the restaurant holds Kosher Rabbinate status and uses only "halak" Beit Yosef meat.

But the real test of a restaurant like La Boca is what South Americans themselves think. Does the restaurant live up to the standards of the tastes and atmosphere of the food culture they grew up with? Andrea, who now works at La Boca, moved to Jerusalem from Venezuela and claims that to experience a meal at La Boca is the closest you can get to the South American original, and definitely the tastiest in the area. But words can only convey so much - head on over to La Boca for your own firsthand, authentic and luxurious South American meat meal experience.