The Bohemian Café, located on Stone Avenue, is a dining experience unlike any other. With an attached record store and an impressive wine and beer list, the Bohemian Café offers something for everyone in an upscale dining environment.

While you wait for your table at The Bohemian, you can browse the adjacent Horizon Records, which offers new and used CDs and records. The environment in the restaurant itself is calming and dimly lit, a prime environment for a date or special occasion. Signed records and artwork featuring various musicians adorn the walls and add to the character of the restaurant.

The wine and beer list is extensive and outstanding. Wine by the glass ranged from $6-8, but they have an impressive variety of regions and grapes represented. I was accompanied by my German friend, who informed me that many of the beers, including the König Pilsener and the Reissdorf Kölsch, are hard to find in America but regarded very highly in Germany. Beers were reasonably priced ($4-6) and definitely worth trying due to their unique and unconventional tastes.

I was impressed by the versatility of the menu. While entrees averaged around $15-20, it is very easy to get exactly what you want. In addition to various curries and seafood dishes, a section of the menu features a meat of your choice (steak, shrimp, salmon, chicken, or tofu) and a preparation method of your choice featuring an assortment of cuisines (Mediterranean, Moroccan, Caribbean jerk, etc.). The customizability of the menu would probably make this restaurant a good spot to bring a large group.

I chose the tofu prepared with Singapore Percik barbecue sauce, served with jasmine rice, crispy shallots, cucumber salad, and a chili sauce that was shockingly spicy. The barbecue sauce was exceptional and combined over 20 ingredients into an intricate, bold flavor. My friend got the same dish but with salmon instead of tofu and reported that the salmon was a bit chewy. I found that the barbecue sauce went very well with the tofu.

My friend ordered the Indonesian Rendang curry, which the waitress said is one of their most popular dishes. The curry combined eggplant, onions, and tofu in a fragrant curry sauce with “just the right amount of kick.”

Another friend I was dining with tried the bleu cheese macaroni and cheese, which smelled incredible. He reported that it was rich, creamy, and a must-try for anyone who likes bleu cheese. The waitress said it was one of their more popular side dishes.

The Bohemian Café offers tasty food in a unique, funky environment, but its prices are a bit high for someone on a college budget to eat at regularly. I would recommend this local gem for a special occasion. It is definitely worth trying for the fun and unique experience.