text: I went to Caffe Boa last night for a friend's birthday. I'd never been, but this is apparently one of her favorite places. I checked it out some of the reviews here to figure out what kind of place to expect and I got a little worried once I saw how varied the experiences were. Unfortunately it seemed like the best thing about this place was their happy hour, and we were going to miss that (uh-oh). So, I shook it off and decided that I would just have to see for myself.\n\nFirst things first: I just can't say enough about how great the staff at Caffe Boa was that night! Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Our waiter, Wally, was fantastic! His initial soliloquy about the concept of the restaurant and review of the specials was borderline overwhelming, but he was happy to answer our questions, so it all worked out. Granted, the food and drinks took quite a while to get out to us, but we were busy chatting and generally having a good time, so we didn't mind. Wally was great about checking in on us: friendly and entertaining when we needed him and totally unobtrusive when we were otherwise occupied with each other. I also love that even though our meal had ended long before we decided to leave, we weren't rushed out. What a great, relaxing place to catch up with some friends! \n\nFor our meal, we opted for the pitcher of red sangria, and were not disappointed. They didn't mind a special request to make it sans-Sambuca (black licorice in my wine? - yuk!), and overall it turned out pretty strong, with a fruity kick. We also got the grilled rustic bread appetizer (aka bruschetta). The tomatoes were beautiful! Perfectly ripe and drizzled with olive oil - so sweet and delicious, but tragically piled high atop some very burnt toast. (Sigh.) Luckily we had some more sangria to drown our sorrows. By the time the main course arrived the blackened bruschetta was but a distant memory. It was a pasta-extravaganza for all - farfalle, tortelloni, and ravioli were stuffed or mixed with organic goodness and smothered in their various sauces.  Jen raved about her rosemary chicken ravioli, but my tortelloni stuffed with sirloin and prosciuitto left a bit to be desired. Picture little chunks of hamburger wrapped in pasta. It wasn't terrible, just not worth 18 bucks. Its just too bad none of us could afford any of the other dishes on the menu, they really looked delicious. \n\nAll in all a good time and worth a trip back for happy hour.