Restaurant Review

Boojum

31 Bold Street, L1 4DN

By Will Carr | Mexican | ££ |

Belfast-founded Mexican restaurant chain Boojum opened its latest branch here on Bold Street just before Christmas to great fanfare, making a fine addition to Liverpool’s well stuffed mecca of culinary options. If you’ve never been to Boojum before, you’ll find the instructions printed on the wall in large, easy-to-read letters – very helpful if, like me, your dining companion is tired of explaining them. First, you choose a base: rice or beans to form the foundation of your meal. Then, select a filling – options include chicken, barbacoa (a kind of molten hot beef), or pork. Next, pick your salsa, followed by cheeses, sour cream, and a variety of extras too numerous to list. If you have a friend who, like me, is a fussy eater, this is the place to bring them.

After giving our order, it was impossible not to be impressed by the efficiency and near-military precision with which each meal was prepared, wrapped, and placed in front of us within minutes. Equally impressive was the staff’s patience as they refrained from leaping over the counter to throttle the customer ahead of me, who insisted on asking about every single ingredient in painstaking detail – a minor miracle in itself.

Having made plans for after the meal – and knowing that burritos have an irritating habit of becoming part of your outfit – we each opted for a bowl. I chose a combination of cilantro lime rice, chicken, barbacoa, and mixed peppers and onions. Though I was initially apprehensive watching each ingredient being scooped from the colourful, soup-like trays (triggering unwelcome flashbacks to school dinners), everything tasted amazing. The rice had a tangy brightness that teased the palate without overstaying its welcome. The chicken was moist and flavorful, while the beef – tender and delicious – packed a fiery kick, like a mule on Bonfire night.

My partner went for Mexican rice, chicken, chorizo, mixed vegetables, pickled onions, mild salsa, and cheese. Despite some overlap with my choices, her meal took on an entirely different character. The sharpness of the pickled onions gave it a bold edge, while the mild salsa balanced everything out, preventing the flavours from becoming too overpowering. For those who prefer a more authentic burrito, you won’t be disappointed. Even from across the room, we could spot the vast, generously stuffed packages, swaddled in foil like handheld, edible babies. Their owners’ euphoria remained unshaken, even as the burritos were gloriously doused in rich, delicious guacamole.

Hiding in the corner of the restaurant, watching the freezing world pass by, we concluded that Boojum is definitely here to stay. Our bowls were more than satisfying, leaving us wishing for other restaurants bold enough to offer deconstructed versions of their signature dishes. Where’s the spaghetti and meatballs in a bowl? The roast dinner in a bowl? They could call it ‘Bowl-ed Street’.

As for the name ‘Boojum’, what does it even mean? Depending on who you ask, it’s either named after the strange creature from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark, or it refers to a type of tree native to Mexico – which, admittedly, makes more sense. Personally, I prefer the former explanation, as the restaurant perfectly captures the quirky, whimsical spirit of the mythical creature.

After all, the Snark is famously known for “softly and suddenly vanishing people away, never to be met with again.” If that happens to a loved one, don’t worry – they’re probably just back at Boojum.

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