This isn't a review of Boca Park as a whole so much as it's a review of the ~village~ (I.E. the back section that a lot of people don't even know is there).
As everyone knows, Boca Park is a pretty one-stop shopping experience. One can literally find everything within. That being said, I didn't ever trek north of Vons in the past. But now I live within walking distance to Boca Park, so why not explore this part a little more?
I have to say, I was impressed with the mini "village" like experience going on here. It was more compact and conductive to a browsing experience. There's a good amount of dining options (including a Westside location of Grimaldi's and Sambalatte) I think the biggest flaw is the fact that it can be so easy to miss, especially to those accessing Boca Park from Charleston (which is where I usually accessed Boca Park in the past). Oh, and it COULD have a movie theater too. True, the Suncoast is around the corner but their theaters are just so blah.
The Final Verdict
Pros:
Walking distance from home
Has "mall quality" stores in neighborhood environs
Somewhat New Urbanist in feel.
Cons:
Easy to miss, depending on where you're accessing Boca Park from.
Would be a perfect location for a movie theater, and yet it doesn't have one.
Return Factor: 10/10. Always nice to have somewhere to shop and hang out in walking distance from one's house.