DINING FEATURE
BY WESLEY GARDNER
3 DISHES TO TRY
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Ham and cheese plate ($18): Prosciutto, burrata, onion jam, herb salad and Italian griddle bread make up this dish.
WINE AND DINE Bocca Italian Kitchen’s wine list consists of selections primarily from Italy. Chef Justin Turner outlined the following wine and dish pairings. Carmina Prosecco ($10 per glass, $36 per bottle): Sparkling, pale bright lemon with intense fruit fragrance; pairs well with the octopus and frito misto Chef Justin Turner leads the cooking sta at Bocca Italian Kitchen in Generation Park. Friuli Pinot Grigio Schiopetto ($13 per glass, $40 per bottle): White wine with aromas of bananas and papaya; pairs well with salads, soups, pasta and sh dishes Barbera D’Alba Perpetuae ($14 per glass, $48 per bottle): Red wine with fresh avors of cherries, blueberries and
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Octopus ($18): Octopus is served with Yukon potatoes, spicy tangerine citronette and chives.
Lobster ravioli ($35): This dish consists of Maine lobster, ravioli, jumbo lump crab meat and grilled shrimp in a lemon chive mascarpone cream.
PHOTOS BY WESLEY GARDNER COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Bocca Italian Kitchen Local chef brings taste of Italy to Generation Park J ustin Turner said he still remembers the rst time he fell in love with ne dining. o ers high-end Italian cuisine in Generation Park, a master-planned community where Turner also serves as the director of hospitality. Despite challenges with
Turner said he hopes to move the menu toward more unique o er- ings, such as spinach lasagna. “We spend a lot of time creating new specials, and our menu will constantly change to adapt to specials that [customers] fall in love with,” he said. Turner said the quality of the ingredients used at Bocca Italian Kitchen is what makes them stand out from typical Italian o erings. “We use great ingredients, not just good, and that is what I know will set us apart,” Turner said. According to Turner, the aim of a great restaurant should extend beyond o ering quality cuisine. “This is about creating an experi- ence,” he said.
raspberries; pairs well with the osso-bucco and pork two way
He was 10 years old, and his father had hired a professional chef to cook for his family at their home. “It was the rst time I’d ever seen anything like that,” Turner said. Shortly after, Turner entered the restaurant industry and had worked in three di erent restaurants by the time he was 18. He eventually worked as a personal chef for NBA player Shane Battier and opened his own food truck that eventually became four brick-and-mortar locations until they closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Turner is the head chef at Bocca Italian Kitchen, which
Bocca Italian Kitchen 250 Assay St., Ste. 100, Houston 281-741-0203 www.boccahtx.com Hours: Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
the restaurant’s January 2021 opening—including supply and labor shortages due to the pandemic and damage from the February 2021 freeze—Turner said Bocca Italian Kitchen’s success can be attributed to its food. “The inspiration and style come from how [chefs] cook in Italy, but really, we want to pull from our local market and our local produce,” Turner said. The restaurant o ers Italian staples, such as spaghetti and meat- balls and chicken Alfredo, though
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