Best Kava Bar
Nakava
140 N.W. 20th St., Boca Raton
561-395‑9888, Nakava.com
In our health-conscious society, even your vices must be good for you. But beer kills copious amounts of brain cells, and heroin will age you horribly. Enter Nakava, a Polynesian-themed space dedicated to a little plant known for curing stress and anxiety that is said to provide an unmistakable sense of well-being. Located a few miles from Florida Atlantic University’s main campus, Nakava begins making kava early in the morning in a painstaking process that involves a mortar and pestle, kava paste, water and a cloth for squeezing. A few hours later, the result is a thick and gritty cocktail that tastes God-awful—the staff will even tell you so—but will create an overwhelming sense of oneness with everyone around you. This feeling works well during Thursdays’ open mike, when no matter how talented, every performer gets a round of applause.
