La Boca, North Terrace’s new Argentinian restaurant, is a place of contradictions.

A significant and costly renovation has transformed what used to be a seedy nightclub by night and a pokie bar by day into a fire-pit-fed restaurant which can seat 100 plus.

Entering through the sliding door, one is immediately hit by a warm gust of smoke and the sweet smell of barbecue meat.

The sight of several sides of meat strung to a cage and searing over red-hot charcoal would make any vegetarian queasy – but for others, it is a mouth-watering display.

The asador (fire pit) is the centre-piece of the open-plan dining area. Large and high communal tables face the front, while booths and more intimate areas for larger groups are towards the back. A long bar runs down one side and into the food service area and kitchen.

The fit-out is of light wood, colourful walls and carpet, with high stacks of caged wood creating privacy. In the end, it feels more African than Argentinian.

What can only be described as crass cow cartoons (mostly a sexual play on cow’s udders) feature on table surfaces and bathrooms; they aren’t funny and cheapen the overall atmosphere.

We are seated at one of the large communal tables by the well-dressed maître d’ and given laminated double-sided menus.

The menu is large and features a selection of set menus, steaks, asador (barbecue grill), vegetarian dishes (which seems almost comical) and daily specials, such as a $15 steak and pint on Tuesday.

The wine list is unexpectedly extensive and well-priced. There’s a great range of mid-priced options as well as a small selection of top shelf.

We decide on a selection of four picadas (Argentinian tapas), empanadas (little pasties), morcilla (blood sausage), baked oysters and homemade dips and bread.

The empanadas are the pick of the bunch – soft, buttery pastry encases succulent pork from the asador and a small mix of vegetables. The home-made morcilla is also spectacular, with the dense iron flavour and a slight spice shining through a wonderful texture.

The baked oysters are somewhat lost in a heavy crust of chimichurri and bacon, but are delicious nonetheless. The flat bread is served warm in rolled-up pieces and brought to the table in a bag. It’s perfect for scooping up a tasty array of oil and herb-based dips.

At $19 for the selection, it offers great value and variety.

By this stage, the restaurant, as large as it is, is packed. Serving staff struggle but do an admirable job of attempting to keep pace.

For mains, we share a $42 plate of beef, lamb, suckling pig and vegetables. No sauce, nothing fancy – the meat is served in uncomplicated lumps on a long clay plate.

It is, however, delicious. The lamb is stringy yet amazingly moist, the beef is juicy and rich, and the suckling pig is highlighted by a layer of intensely crisp crackling.

The faint taste of smoke is spot-on – not enough to overpower the delicate flavours of the meat, but sufficient to add a unique and hard-to-replicate taste. It is the culmination of a long cooking process and a lot of care, and it’s quite special.

Serving a $42 main course of unique and delicious Argentinian barbecued meat puts La Boca in the realm of Gougar Street institution Gauchos. Yet the decor and general style of the restaurant leans more towards Hog’s Breath Café.

Therein lies the beauty of La Boca: it doesn’t take itself too seriously and asks you to do the same, allowing the food to speak for itself.

Three and a half out of five

La Boca bar and grill
150 North Terrace, Adelaide
Ph 8461 0860

Open for lunch and dinner daily.