BanQ
Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: South End1375 Washington St
(between Monsignor Reynolds Way & Pelham St)
Boston, MA 02118 (617) 451-0077
- Nearest Transit:
Union Park St (Silver)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
32 Reviews for BanQ
The decor is something that I will remember about this restaurant - the wooden puzzle that resemble the skeleton of a whale - it reminds me of Pinocchio and his father being swallowed by the giant whale. There were high banquettes that seats a party of 6 -8 people. The place was on the dark side - I couldn't exactly see what we were eating, and my cousin couldn't see if her duck was cooked raw, medium or well done. We had a braised veal appetizer to start and it was tasty. The mini naan were good but I didn't care too much for the yogurt dip. The haddock entree i had wan't anything memorable and my cousin's duck was just okay; nothing spectacular. It was on a Monday night and the place was not that busy at all; the service was just okay, as the server was absent during most of the meal. At the end of the meal we decide that it's a drink and appetizer kind of place.
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Architecturally stimulating, this restaurant is funky looking and it makes you feel like you are inside one of those wood cut-out dinosaurs I used to play when I was a kid.
However, the food is a bit disappointing, and the portions are a bit small for the price. There was only one dish that really caught my attention during my two visits, the shortrib appetizer, which is also available as a main course.
Otherwise, the duck was cooked decent, but the sauce was not that amazing. In fact, they had a side shredded duck leg salad that didn't even taste that good when combined with the duck. My friend liked the halibut, but when I tried it it was obviously overcooked. I also tried the coffee flavored baby back ribs, which was not that special either.
I agree with a lot of the reviewers, it's not a place you go for the food. But the bar area seems promising for the trendy people in that part of town.
On first impression the decor is something else - very cool. but it is quite loud in there.
We ordered a few cocktails at the bar and they were tasty, but the waitress was very, very, sloooow bringing us the check, and then taking the check so we could sit down at our table. We basically ended up having to stalk her to get her to cash us out.
We sat a a comfortable half booth table and ordered some more drinks while looking at the menu. We had 14 people and our waitress seemed like a deer caught in headlights. Maybe she was new? She just seemed overwhelmed (I thought she was doing fine, just not that fast with the drinks). We ended up getting a second waiter to help our table.
Cocktails were tasty, and so were the wines. Menu had a wide selection of tasty sounding items - it was hard to narrow it down.
We ordered the Vietnamese shrimp with coconut and vermicelli as an appetizer. It was fantastic. I was a *little* sad I had to share it with the BF. Entrees we got: the sirloin (it was fine but a little boring - said it had cilantro, but I didn't notice any I wouldn't order it again), and the flounder with rice and a coconut sauce (very tasty). For dessert - we ordered Creme Brulee - which came in 3 little cups: 1 regular, 1 chocolate, 1 strawberry sorbet - all fantastic! LOVED the dessert!
Portions are kind of small for the price - I was fine, but some of guys we were with complained they were still hungry at the end of the meal. Other folks we were with ordered vegetarian dishes and loved them - said they were even better than they sounded.
Service was overall fine, but I could definitely see and sense the aggravation (audible sighs etc) from the servers when we took too long to order, ordered drinks at different times, and changed seats during the meal. I know it can't be easy to wait on a table of 14, but I think you still have to keep the annoyance under wraps.
Had a 9:30pm reservation on a Friday and was sorely disapppinted. The only positive I can think of was the decor.
Seated 40 min late, and the rest of the evening just went downhill from there. At least we got a free appetizer out of it.
Waiter was either overworked, distracted or bad (stoned?), since our drink orders didn't come out until after we had our entrees! And we never saw him in between. Constantly had to flag other staff to even get water refills.
Most importantly, the food was a huge disappointment. We were starving by the time we got served, so it should have been an easy sell. The phyllo dough pastry that came with my entree tasted as if they got it at the Market Basket frozen section. The reduction sauce was boring and overpowered the meat. The other entrees were also underwhelming. And to pay those prices for mediochre food was, well, just sad. I could have had better elsewhere at a fraction of the price.
Valeted the car, but couldn't pull up in front of the restaurant. What's the point of going to a posh restaurant in a hot car if you can't show off a little? Expected a restuarant of this caliber to have ops right out front.
Will not go back.
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T as in Tasty. BanQ totally delivered on the comida. It was a bit crowded as we entered the bar area because the Mayor was there, but the restaurant itself was calm and relaxed. It was also pretty much empty, but I think that was because we were so early.
My mom and I came here pre-theatre. We were both overwhelmingly satisfied with our food: i got the encrusted cod and she got the cornish hen. My mom is as loquacious as they come, but even she was silenced by her incredible meal. My cod was cooked to perfection, the pok choy was richly delish, and the lotus root was a nice crunchy touch. Also, we loved that instead of a traditional bread basket we received a basket of mini naan that came with a yummy Indian sauce. Get the brulee of the day - ours came with a mint sorbet. Yum!
The service was outstanding and again, the food was so amazing. Apparently the chef trained in all sorts of tasty places in Asia and India. I would totally come back here to sit up front near the open doors and order off the appetizer menu...everything looks so good!
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Food was okay. Really not much more than okay. The room makes quite a first impression. The atmosphere is either "lot of good energy" or "lot of people trying way too hard", depending on your mood for the evening.
I can't really complain, but on the other hand, it's not a place you go for the food.
The restaurant is like the inside of a prehistoric whales body, as depicted by a minimalist Japanese architect. Very chic, spacious, loud and almost anonymous; it could be a spot in midtown Manhattan. You're likely to spend probably 10 minutes staring around at how interesting the space is.
Though the portions were paltry, the flavors were rich and tasty enough to offset what you think you are missing. It took forever to get our courses though, and rather than apologize and take responsibility, our waiter passed-the-buck and blamed the chef, who graciously came out with the manager, and served us a complimentary appetizer. That was very nice and appropriate, but still the main courses took a seemingly long time.
I'd definitely come back here to check out the bar, but I hope they improve their professionalism and wait time before my next visit for dinner.
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I love that the South End continues to welcome more and more fun, funky restaurants with terrific food, like BanQ.
The decor is a delight. It reminds me of those little wooden dinosaurs I used to put together as a kid. Undulating layers of sand colored wood flow across the ceiling like a soft wave. The space feels open and friendly and somehow cozy at the same time. Little plants (what were they?) at the tables are a nice added touch that didn't get in the way when the food came out.
The food is fresh, light, and delicious. My friend and I split a number of small bites and appetizers, and then a dessert, which was just a perfect way to sample the variety of tastes that BanQ offers. The shrimp with glass noodles was phenomenal. The pear pie left something to be desired, but I can be a little more picky when it comes to dessert. I think summer might not have been the best season for it.
The servers were pleasant, and said thank you every time they put down or picked up a dish. I'm not sure why. But they certainly contributed to a great experience, that I look forward to having again soon!
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Great design, reminds me of a bare hull of a ship. The service was very friendly, although after taking our order and us waiting for a good 30 minutes the server returned informing us that they've run out of one of the dishes ordered. hmmmm where they trying to figure this out the entire time?
So as I understood it, the restaurant is supposed to be French Asian fusion, but what is French (other then the fact that they served duck) and what is Asian (other then the Vietnamese rolls) about this place I honestly can not tell you. Why was there naan on the table, I do not know. Lets just say that the dishes were confused. There was no theme to any of the plates. Not to say that the food was not good, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything to write home about. I think the only thing that's saved the dining experience was that fact that the meal was not too over priced (although I don't think I would be coming back).
Over all I was left with a sort of emptiness inside. A void perpetrated by the lack of anything memorable in this dinner. In any case the over hyped experience left a lot to be desired.
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Decor - A+; service - A+; menu - enticing, varied (a bit pretentious, but hey...)... dining at Banq is a VERY nice experience. The staff know their shi(z) and the food is great. The Amuse portions are teeny tiny... scallop means scallop, not 2 scallops... but, we aren't going to Banq for the all-you-can-eat buffet. Great wine list.
Men's room is tiny for such a large establishment (and shared by the kitchen staff?).
If you have friends visiting from NYC or London or Tokyo, bring them to Banq to show them that 'lil ole Boston IS a cutting edge Metropolitan city.
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I've only been here for drinks, so can't comment on the food. However, in my opinion booze is more important than food anyway....
The drinks were good and moderately priced. Our server was attentive and polite, and was able to make suggestions on the drink menu.
LOVED the decor. Very different and sexy/metropolitan feel.
Worth a trip...
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If you want to feel what it's like to be right in the middle of a real, live topographical map -- check out this spot!
I knew from the site that I'd love the decor. It's modern, stylish and looks eco-friendly.
The location in the old Penny Savings Bank is cool. I love to see how old buildings can be repurposed and turned into something so brand new.
There was something really bizarre playing in the bathroom ... I could barely hear it, but it was like some sort of audio art thing ...
Negative: I was completely turned off right away by our waiter who decided to explain to us that the amuse-bouche were really small and wouldn't suffice as appetizers to share. NO SHIT. That seemed really tacky. Yes, we were a table of 20somethings, but that doesn't mean we don't know what an amuse is (anyone who watches Top Chef should know that!! haha). But really, it came across as him trying to get us to order more because he was worried we would be cheapskates or something (which I must say I don't think we look like we would be!). And when we decided to order 1 of each of amuse AND appetizers AND entrees AND 3 bottles of wine AND dessert AND after-dinner drinks ... I think he relaxed. haha
The report: I would skip the amuse. Wasn't thrilled by any of them. However, the appetizers and the entrees were cooked and presented beautifully. I think that most places overcook things but all of our dinners here were done so well - so moist they just melted in your mouth.
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As a designer I had to go check this place out and the inside was amazing. Office d'A did an awesome job with it. The service was pretty good. We were sitting in the bar b/c the wait was too long for a table. I didn't warm up to the menu, really. I can't put my finger on it but something was off about my choices. The appetizers were great, but everything else, like I said was off. I am still giving it four stars for the risky design, and service. Oh and the women's stalls are at least 4'-0" wide, amazingly spacious
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Banq? Vault? Restaurant in a former bank tittled after something banky!? Done before?
I don't know, kinda bothered me that the Vault (though now more bar than blue blooded restaurant) had already broken this bank/pun/restaurant world-order wide open back in the nineties.... and now Banq was following suit. Maybe I'm just a loser and the only person that thinks of these things.
Anyways, I was, and perhaps have never been as impressed with a dining room as I was with Banq. Very cool- I almost felt like I wasn't in Boston. I feel like (while I love our little city) we have fairly bland restaurants and funky/hip/Cool design-phobia. Banq breaks these boundaries, and I couldn't find any thing I didn't like about the dining room. Also, you should note that the Bar was also very open and was dark, but had an inviting feel to it. Not somewhere I'd come every day, but not a bad idea to stop in and have a drink with a date or something.
The service was equally good; our waiter knew the entire bar menu by heart, bottle by bottle. The Hostess took my coat and checked it almost intuitively without me having to finish my sentence. Service was quick and attentive, but not rushed even though it was a Tuesday night and our reservation was on the later side.
I would have liked to see a few more options for entre's, but I will admit, it was varied enough that there should be something for everyone, but it seemed a little weird that there were more options for apps and starters than there were for the main course-
My (super, super, super pretty) girlfriend had the sirloin, and I had the duck after starting with the mussels; the mussels were good, but not as good as Union's take next door. The duck was unbelievable though; very good cuts, with not a lot of fat, which is tough to do- my only gripe was her sirloin was a bit overcooked. It was flavorful, but it was cooked gray in the middle and was overly seared on the exterior. Typically, that would have ruined the night for me, but the overall experience, service, and wine list made up for it and I'm chalking it up to be an unfortunate fluke.
Overall, a great experience, but the food was really only decent. I don't' think I'll become a regular, with union right next door but will definitely stop in at the bar from time to time to have a few apps and cocktails!
So in short- a must for a one time dining experience, but probably not somewhere you'd want to check out a few times a month.
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5 STARS FOR
1. HUGE and SUPER WELL PRICED Wine List :)
2. Veggie options that were sooo yummy! The noodles under the Tofu steak were great! Not to mention the meal itself.*
3. The decor. The walls reminded me of those things you build as a kid
4. Service - our waiter did not know everything, but sent over the gm to help with wine etc. Everyone was super friendly and helpful
5. Our seats - I was told we had one of the best seats in the house, an l-shaped booth that overlooked the entire room! It was great people watching!
I am hoping they will add some more options to the dinner list or rotate it every so often, I can't wait to go back!
*We were told the chef is awesome and if you are vegan will cook an entire vegan meal for you!!
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I was very pleasantly surprised by Banq. To be honest, when I heard "new", "South End", "Mantra", "fusion", "hip interior", I said holy shit, this place is on a one-way trip to Ass Island.
The food is more traditional than fusion, though, the interior is actually beautiful and not as cavernously loud as I feared, the cocktails are great, and the service was surprisingly good considering how recently the joint had opened. It's also very, very reasonably priced, which was another pleasant surprise. The wine list is extensive and doesn't have an obnoxious markup. Our server suggested some very good pairings.
All in all, thumbs-up to Banq. It's not at a five-star level just yet, but it's on the way.
EDIT: Can't believe I forget to mention the hole in the wall above the men's urinal, which looks into the ladies' room (but not in such a way that you could see anything. Perv.) You can try to wing quarters into the ladies' toilets while taking a whizz.
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Banq has a modern sculpt ceiling with casual tables and chairs. The Bar is fairly large spanding the front with cafe doors that open to the street. Similar to Mantra (sister restaurant)
Food = 3.00 Stars
Service = 3.5 Stars
Decor = 4.00 Stars
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This is my new favorite upscale impress-my-friends cool and wonderful bar/restaurant. Very beautiful inside & notably interesting arhitecture! So happy it is in my neighborhood because I find I am often wandering over with pals to just have a drink at the unfortunately very very crowded bar. Interesting cocktail combos! I've had dinner here three times and each time was really delicious! For first timers, I would recommend doing a tasting of some of the smaller plates & please promise me you will splurge on dessert - the trio of creme brulees rocks my world! The staff are also so so nice and helpful and notably calm and patient even when the place is hopping. Lastly, the bread basket they serve before the meal is incredibly good!
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The 5 stars represent:
1. Flavorful Food...entices your taste buds
2. Imaginative Cocktails
3. Warm Hospitality and Attentive Service
4. Stylish Decor
5. Reasonably Priced
A restaurant you would want to keep visiting and the bar, after-work hours
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Had a really yummy dinner here with my two friends. First of all, the place is gorgeous. The bartender was very nice, helpful, and the whole place had a hip, yet not pretentious vibe. The food was also good, although maybe the portions were a bit on the small side for the price. The entrees we shared--the cod and the short ribs--were delicious!
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Major points for the amuse menu!!! Major points for a big variety of tastes and flavors. Major points for the most kick ass decor I have ever seen in a restaurant, esp the beautiful striped wood floor and tables. I never get apps because they're always too big, but I love having a few tasty little bites of something other than my entree. We had the duck confit samosa, pretty tasty, but the quail & date triangle stole the show. We also had the pork app which was a disappointment, it tasted kind of fishy.
Problem with timing, they serve naan (that day with a delicious smoky tomato + marscapone relish), but they brought the tasty bites at the same time as the bread, come on man, let me enjoy one thing at a time. The wine service was excellent, it was brought promptly, but the food has to be more appropriately spaced.
The entrees were very tasty, I had the short ribs and the yams they were served with were incredible, it was an odd pairing, because it was a cumin-y Indian-themed side with short ribs, not a perfect union but everything was so delicious in its own right that I don't complain (uh, Jane, you just did). The sides here are so tasty and varied that it more than makes up for the less than perfect pairings (it isn't that noticeable unless you are a pain in the ass who analyzes everything you eat - ahem).
Nice wine list, decent desserts.
LOUD - do not expect an intimate conversation here, everyone is hollering like crazy and damn if we weren't seated right next to a party of twenty or so men (all men -sphinx riddle what kind of career has only men and they all wear - uniform by choice apparently - either blue or white button down oxfords with dockers???)
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South End French-Asian fusion with a lot of style and surprisingly good food.
You will hear endlessly about this place's interior design. I personally think it's original and great-looking.
I had expected a Mantra knockoff for several reasons: one principal here was involved with Mantra's opening; it's in a former bank building; there's an eye-catching interior design; the concept is French/Asian fusion, etc. But the analogy falls down once you taste the food and pay the much more modest check. The menu isn't just French/Indian fusion, which is mostly what Mantra is doing. Banq draws fusion elements from all over Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan), mostly pretty successfully, but it isn't Myers+Chang: it's Western, read French, fine dining with an Asian fusion slant.
Starting with the Big Caveat that it hasn't even been open two weeks, I'll say:
* Prices are better than I expected for a fancy South End place. $4-6 small plates, $10-12ish apps, entrees mostly around $20-25 (a useful contrast with Mantra's moslty $30-40 entrees).
* They have at least one bartender, Steven, who knows what he's doing. The cocktail menu doesn't wow me, but at least muddles some fresh fruit and herbs, and doesn't lean too heavily on flavored vodkas. The bar space itself feels a bit cramped, especially in the corners. This is one spot where the demands of the design trumped comfort and space efficiency.
* The dining room is very attractive, soaring ceilings, pretty hardwoods (a lot of zebra wood), well-spaced booths. I'm frankly amazed the room isn't, like, Via Matta Loud, given all the hard surfaces. Soundtrack is that by-now-utterly-cliched series of Hotel Costes compilations.
* The wine list is a nice surprise, not overloaded with $100+ bottles. It's got geographic range, doesn't pander with a lot of familiar, overpriced Cali wines, and has plenty to choose from for under $50. Serving temperatures are currently a problem (underchilled whites).
* The complimentary "bread of the day" is a great idea: I had a couple of different Indian flatbreads with superb spreads. I'd pay for these if they put them on the menu.
* The food is mostly very good, few outright misses. They need to start preheating the soup bowls; mine wasn't, which led as it invariably does to cold soup before you're finished. That's a simple oversight to fix.
* Service is still finding its feet, to be expected in Weeks One and Two.
Overall, a pleasant surprise so far. I'll be watching to see how they fine-tune the menu (I really enjoyed almost everything I tried, only tasted a dish or two I wouldn't order again) and burnish the service. I'll also be hawking the prices; they're attractive now, but it wouldn't take a big bump-up for me to question the value.
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Blue Cheese under the Banyan Tree
The SE has a great new restaurant, and one that doesn't quite fit the typical Boston mold. Thank God. I'll be back, often. 4.5 stars overall, but I'll kick a little extra Yelp love their way with 5 out of 5 for exceeding my expectations.
At first glance, Banq's striking interior looks like either a well-lit cave or a "made-by-Ikea" whale skeleton, with slices of precision cut blonde wood hanging in undulating waves from the ceiling, but it's actually supposed to be a banyan tree, with a wine room hidden inside the "trunk". The zebrawood floors, tables and banquettes rise up to meet it, encapsulating diners in a cozy lagoon that is relatively quiet and private, despite the relatively large size of the dining area.
A party of four, we were seated at probably the worst table in the house at first blush - right next to the bathrooms and in view of a service station - but as the dinner progressed it was actually a lot of fun to keep tabs on the still-wet-behind-the-ears but very attentive staff (and the well-heeled clientele.) The manager seated us and gave us a little background and some delicious detail - just the sort of personal attention that any new restaurant needs to help it over the chaos of the first few weeks.
Our server (can't remember his name) was excellent - spot on with the menu and though he wasn't perfect with the wine list, he ran to the bar several times to ferret out a perfect pinot for us. I didn't look at the wine menu personally, but Banq has some interesting coctails.
The first section of the pan-asian/french fusion menu is Asian Amuse'. Though our waiter and the manager suggested that they're simply a single bite for our pre-dinner amusement, they were slightly more substantial (2 bites!) We tried the beets (sweet and golden) and a few other items that were simply perfect.
The appetizers followed promptly and were spot on. I don't actually remember everything we had - too lost in conversation - but I remember everyone loving their selections, especially the the duck & date "cigars" with a "shot" of something absolutely delicious.
Two of us had the tofu entree, which was an amazingly creamy blend of subtle spices - Indian-inspired comfort food - and one of us had the cod, which was cooked perfectly over a bed of greens, though a little less warm overall than we would have liked. The only disappointment was the pork shoulder, which came out a little tough and fatty. Our waiter took it off the bill and the manager came by to apologize, but we ended up discussing the finer points of braising various cuts of pork. Educational as well as engaging!
Of course, we had to try the desserts, but held to just two: the creme brule and the pineapple wontons with chocolate sushi and blue cheese ice cream. The creme brule was presented in two small cups, and though one was slightly frozen in the middle (?) they were quite good, but nothing compared to the pineapple wonton. The blue cheese ice cream scoop was sweet and heavenly, the wasabi ice cream was sweet and spicy, and the entire dish had the four of us clashing spoons and shooting each other dirty looks as we polished off the final bits.
Banq definitely rates a look-see, but you should stay for the food. I can't wait to go back and try out the rest of the menu, and sit at the bar for a few drinks to soak up the ambiance. Though young, it has a lot of potential and didn't exhibit any of those "just opened" jitters. I can only hope they keep up the level of enthusiasm and professionalism we saw last night.
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Banq was good, not great. We went for a couple drinks and dinner a few nights ago. The design is great; very nicely done. The service was friendly and knowledgable, although a little slow at times. The drinks were decent, and they have some great, inexpensive wines by the glass. The food was okay...my tofu and zucchini steak was average, but the rice noodles underneath were awesome. My girlfriend's short ribs were good, but we've had better. For dessert, we ordered the sampler, and it was a little disappointing. The bleu cheese ice cream was my favorite on the plate...the bleu cheese flavor doesn't hit you until the end. The wasabi ice cream was a little too weird. The pineapple spring roll was unimpressive, and the chocoalte sushi was disgusting. We would probably return, but we're in no hurry.
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This place is crazyyyyyyyyyy fun. I love it!!!
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I had a drink at the bar... no food though.
The interior was awesome... really well done. The bathrooms in particular... cool design elements.
I definitely intend to get back over for dinner soon... the food looked delicious and very well prepared and plated.
Do these guys have a website? I haven't been able to find anything other than a page that says they are opening soon...
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This was probably the most unique decor I have seen in a restaurant outside of the village in NY. The food was good, not great. Make reservations for weekends, otherwise you will fight for a bar table with everyone else. Out of the table of four, we didn't know what some of the dishes were. Our waitress was attentive, but clearly overwhelmed. Bottom Line: Loved the look, and the price, but not the food! Isn't that what it's all about?
Probably the coolest restaurant ceiling I've ever seen. Undulating slats of wood. It makes the acoustics a little tough, but the scene more than makes up for it. The food is good, particularly the aps, and the drinks are cool. This is definitely one of those see-and-be-seen kinds of places. I think the food will continue to improve as they hit their stride.
I'm gonna start this review with WTF? We went on Monday night for our monthly dining out experience. Wanting to try somewhere new, we chose Banq.
Now, I'm not gonna lie...I went to culinary school for 6 years and I tend to know about exotic foods and spices. But many many items on this menu mystified me and had me guessing. When we asked our server what things were, he was polite, and said he didn't know...but he never went back and got us an answer. Minus one star.
The decor was stunning and comfortable. Not what I was expecting at all, but it was stylish, chic, and well done. Plus one star.
The hostess and the server really were pleasant and sweet. Plus one star.
The appetizers and amuse were described as small cosmopolitan plates. Um? Does that mean tiny? I thought it did and we were not impressed, they were odd. Minus one star.
My cod fish dinner was more expensive than the halibut that my friend ordered. But it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned with whatever it was they put on there. My friends chuckled at the idea of items being scented with that or that (I know its out there, but some things are better left off menus). The short rib dinner also seemed to go over fantastically well. My bellini tini was out of this world (and only $8). Smallish plates, but to be expected. Plus one star.
Parking wasn't bad, but it was Monday.
I probably will not go back, but it was a fun experiential dining experience!
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I have been to Banq twice and I have enjoyed it. Once in the dining room and then at the bar on a week night for apps and drinks. One thing, i do wish the bar was larger, it is a great space and would be fun for just drinks, but doesn't seem big enough to accomodate.
I loved the food, it was interesting and everything was very yummy. You have to try the short ribs, and creme brule. The interior is very cool, I think they did a good job on that aspect. They could use some work on the cocktail menu, you must have real watermelon for a watermelon mojito, not liquer, just my opinion.
I would definitely recommend a trip over there, it is definitely something different.
I went to Banq on Friday night, just a few days after the restaurant initially opened. Patrons are immediately greeted with a modern and trendy bar & cocktail tables to mingle and socialize. The atmosphere and interior are certainly inviting; your eyes, oddly enough, are attracted to the ceiling which is a compilation of whimsical, light colored woodwork.
The wait staff was friendly & accommodating. Chairs were pulled out before being seated and our waiter provided helpful menu/plate/restaurant commentary.
Drinks:
My date ordered a Watermelon Mojito, but was told that the bar had run out of Watermelon mix; a traditional Mojito was given to him and was subsequently a disappointment. The cocktail menu had creative drink combinations which were a bit intimidating because of my lack of familiarity with the ingredients. Despite the Mojito mishap, the drinking experience was fine...
Food:
It was really good! Much like the drinks, main courses were creative. The ingredients were non-traditional but certainly added to the overall character, taste and quality of the main course which we ordered (steak and fish). Main courses came in small portions with a focus on presentation.
To break it all down, if you are looking for an upscale dining experience that will massage your palate with exciting and inspired gourmet flavors...go for it!
Happy Dining...
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The interior is one of the most impressive things I ever saw. What a neat feel and vibe created atmospherically (is that a real word). The windows will be supper awesome when opened in the summer season.
Our waiter was down to earth and cool.
I got the Asian apple pie shot, and it was THE WORST MIXED DRINK IVE EVER HAD. I felt like something went tragically wrong with the drink like someone didn't rinse out all the soap when they cleaned it. I really hate to complain but I had to say something. My date had a some other drink that tasted good but was literary covered in sugar, the entire out side of the martini glass was a nasty stick mess. No fun at all.
I will totally give this place another go, and will take some out of town friends here to impress the pants off of them.
Id say just be careful what you drink. I think whomever made up this CRAPTAIL menu is getting a little ahead of them self's. Its a new place so I cant get to hard on them for experimenting.
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