Digital Chaos Media

So this week I am continuing my asian themed reviews but have moved from the east village to the west. Bar Q, the second restaurant from Chef Anita Lo, of Anissa fame, is an ambitious, loosely asian barbecue themed restaurant on Bleecker St. In the interest of honesty once again, I will admit that the kitchen is also helmed by my good friend and former colleague, Sean Scotese, formally the chef de Cuisine of Mai House. This however was not enough to swing my opinion of this restaurant completely in its favor.

I have been to Bar Q a number of times now and the food is consistant. Not consistantly excellent, but consistant none the less. The menu has not changed since they opened with the exception of their Raw Bar. And their raw bar often contains a few fresh seafood delicacies served with a trio of lovely dipping sauces. That is, if they remember to bring them. The service at Bar Q is iffie at best. The servers often seem overwhelmed even in a dining room that isnt that packed and can forget to solicit drink orders, refill water, or deliver the appropriate accompaniments. The dining room however, especially when empty, is very attractive. Stark white walls, white ceilings and gentle lighting permeates.

Bar Q

Per usual though, I like to focus more on the food of the restaurant. There are a few gems hidden in the menu. Chef Lo does well with her tea smoking tecnique. The tea smoked salmon app and the tea smoked duck entree are both exceedingly well executed. Pork also shines on the menu. The pork belly, reminiscent of David Chang’s steamed buns, replaces the melty mouthfeel of Momofuku’s with crispy skin and tender Berkshire porkflavor, a welcome change. The stuffed spare ribs, while sometimes being over bearingly sweet, often succeed in bringing together the pork, lemongrass, and peanut flavors in harmony.

Taking a step back from Bar Q from a second, I want to state that I will never give stars or points or smiley faces in my reviews. These reviews are my personal opinion and I can only give a thumbs up or down with a recommendation on whether to do there or not. That being said, if you stay away from the squid salad and desserts at Bar Q, I think it is worth a visit. It is difficult to find perfect upscale asian food in this city, but with restaurants like this, there are steps being made forward. It is no Buddakan or Morimoto or Nobu, but it is also more affordable and less packed with yupsters (yuppie hipsters) and business folk alike. Try to sit in the enclosed garden patio out back and as always TIP WELL.