Everyone has favorite holiday traditions. Trimming the tree, making cookies, lighting the menorah. One of my favorites was checking out what creative holiday cocktails the mixologists at Boa Steakhouse concocted for the season. Nothing beats a Santa’s Little Helper on the patio overlooking the Strip. The warm rum and cider cocktail warmed my hands while I sampled delicious holiday desserts.

This coming year, I better add a new location for Boa in my letter to Santa because the restaurant is closing its doors after January 27. Fans of the restaurant and its award-winning mixology program can visit anytime between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. to pay their respects and enjoy one more order of truffled cheese fries.

Boa is first and foremost a steakhouse and its position in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace made it a popular spot for dinner and late night bites. Appetizers like the goat cheese baklava and sides like crab and black truffle gnocchi sure hit the spot after a long day of browsing the shops or wandering the Strip with friends.

Photo: Sullivan Charles

Boa's 405 cocktail.

In addition to the food, Boa will be sorely missed for its creative cocktail menu that was always changing to incorporate seasonal items. Though I was more a lover of the special holiday cocktails, a fan favorite was the 405 which featured 45 Below Vodka, fresh strawberries, simple syrup, fresh lemon sour, balsamic vinegar and a dash of cracked blacked pepper. Many mixology programs feature creative cocktails like these, but few were integrated into such a unique venue with a menu, view and atmosphere that rivaled the top steakhouses in town.

For those wondering where to get a Boa fix down the road, fear not; the Santa Monica and West Hollywood locations will remain open while Boa’s operator, Innovative Dining Group, searches for other possible venues locally. IDG is working to relocate Boa’s employees to its other California restaurants and Sushi Roku, also in the Forum Shops. Boa’s mixologist Eric Smith will be relocated to Los Angeles to oversee the beverage program at Station and Living Room at the W Hotel Hollywood.