Cilantro, lime, avocado and other bright flavors at Bohemia Restaurant

Fried Green Plantain Cups Stuffed with Shrimp in Garlic Sauce ($10) is one of the appetizers at Bohemia, a Colombian restaurant at Main and Camden streets in Hackensack.  

Another appetizer is Seafood Ceviche served with green banana chips ($14).

A whole fried Red Snapper is served with salad and tostones, which are smashed and fried green plantains ($17). Sides of white rice and black beans were $2.25 each.

An entree of Grilled Shrimp is served with an Avocado Salad ($13).

Carne Asada or grilled skirt steak can be ordered with white rice and black beans ($11).

A highlight of our diner for four on Saturday night was a complimentary salsa filled with cilantro and onions that lent a spicy accent to plantains, fish and other items.

We ordered two sides of Tostones ($3 each). This is only a portion of one of the sides.

On our second visit to Bohemia, we had a $36 Groupon good for $60 worth of food for four people, but that and a photo menu that made every dish look delicious only encouraged us to order too much. The BYO, at 287 Main St. in Hackensack, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. As on our first visit in March, servers took our order right away and brought us batidos and other drinks, but we had a long wait for our appetizers.

-- VICTOR E. SASSON

Enjoying a bountiful meal of fresh seafood at Bohemia in Hackensack

A fresh whole red snapper is served as a stew at Bohemia, a Colombian restaurant in Hackensack offering Latin fusion cuisine.

A bowl of light, delicious fish broth is served on the side.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I've long noticed that Bohemia has one of the most attractive storefronts on Main Street in Hackensack, catty corner from the Johnson Public Library.

And after a wonderful dinner on Saturday night, I can report the food at this moderately priced Colombian outpost is great, too.

I bought an $18 Groupon for $30 worth of food at Bohemia, and that may be why we ordered too much: Three small plates and an entree to share. 

Or, maybe I went overboard because photos of the dishes look so good on the bilingual, four-color menu.

Fried Green Plantain Stuffed with Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, served with guacamole, was one of three small plates we ordered ($10).

A Fish Ceviche, served with green banana chips, is made with corvina, also known as croaker ($13)

Ensalada Tropical or Tropical Salad includes fresh mango, avocado, tomato and red onion tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper ($9).

Good service, slow delivery

We saw at least three young servers in the two dining rooms, and our order was taken right after we got a chance to look over the menu.

But Chef Jorge could probably use more help in the kitchen.

There was a wait for our three appetizers, and as we were enjoying them, our Red Snapper Stew or Viudo de Pescado arrived.

The fresh whole red snapper was covered in a thick sauce, with tomato, sweet pepper and scallions, and came with boiled green banana, yuca and potato ($21).

We loved everything, and all of it can be shared:

Plantain cups filled with garlic shrimp, the ceviche with green banana chips and the avocado-mango salad, which was such a nice combo I overlooked the bed of iceberg lettuce.

We took home ceviche and salad, but finished the wonderful whole red snapper.

As you'd expect at a Colombian restaurant, the menu is filled with beef, pork and chicken of every description, but there is an appealing selection of seafood for non-meat eaters.

The last time I ate Colombian food in Hackensack, it was in 2011 at Villa de Colombia on Mercer Street.

Now, Bohemia is at the top of my short list.

You can ask for a batido or smoothie made with water, instead of milk, and without sugar ($4).

Bohemia Restaurant opened in 2004, but has been expanded since then, and the storefront at Main and Camden streets in Hackensack was completely restored, below.

Details

Bohemia Restaurant, 287 Main St., Hackensack; 201-488-1010. 

Open 7 days for breakfast, lunch and dinner; BYO; metered parking on street and in municipal lot off of State Street until 6 p.m., except Sundays.

Web site: Latin Fusion Cuisine

For Groupon users, Bohemia adds a mandatory 18% tip on the food total before taxes.