Bar Q

[georgesimian]

I went to Bar Q last night. I thought it was excellent. It's not the Michellin starred restaurant that Annisa is, but it's not meant to be either. Judging from the crowd, this is looking to be a trendy, popular place. This was the first Friday it's been open and it was full, but the waiters all seemed to know what they were doing. The service was fine.

We had a sample from the raw bar, including some sashimi. The scallops and the oysters were the best I've had for a long time. It came with some dipping sauces, which I guess was for the sashimi. I tasted them, and one of them was excellent, but they didn't really add anything. It was all really great without the sauces.

For appetizers we had a pork belly dish and the lobster spring rolls. The pork belly came with some steamed buns, so you sort of assemble a sandwich. These were really excellent. As were the lobster spring rolls, which were sort of steamed spinach(?) spring rolls with the lobster served with it. So again, I sort of assembled it to eat it. They both came with sauces, and the sauces were subtle and really made the dishes different to what they would be. I mean, most of the stuff on the menu was stuff I've seen before at other restaurants, but these sauces made it a little different. I couldn't tell you what was in the sauces, or even the flavors, but they were good.

The other appetizers all looked good, but you got to choose something. The main courses looked more familiar, so again the difference was with the sauce. We had a fish stew and the pork ribs. The fish stew was sort of a korean style boullebaise with tofu. It was very good, kind of tamed down korean food. The pork was a little weird, with a lot of peanut sauce on it. It was good (it has a few pieces of cabbage on it that were really great), but not at all what I expected. In fact, my biggest complaint was that for a place that is saying it is Asian style BBQ, there wasn't really that much BBQ on the menu, or it didn't seem like that. Even the BBQ ribs didn't seem like BBQ.

We were too full for dessert, but there were two soups on the desert menu: a walnut and a coconut soup. The rest seemed pretty Asian style, like green tea cheesecake. That kind of thing.

All in all this was a great restaurant. Anita Lo was there, talking to a lot of people. I think the one big drawback is the expectations. If you're expecting Annisa, or BBQ, you're going to be disappointed. Otherwise, the food is really good, with the lobster spring rolls alone worth the trip.

[jimk]

A disappointing experience here wednesday night. Really wanted to like this place as it's a stone's throw from home. Called wednesday afternoon to see about a res that night and was told that all that was available was 5:30 or 10:00. I asked if there were any tables held for walk-ins, and was told no, but they "wouldn't refuse to seat walkins if there were a table available." Wow, I thought, that's big of them. She also added that there are a number of seats at the bar but that she had no idea if you could get the full menu there. An inauspicious beginning.

So heading out to dinner we decided to swing by at around 7pm - found the restaurant maybe 25% full and the host said there was no problem seating us. The room was very nice - clean lines bright, chearful ... the garden (pre-fire) looked great.

Service was clumsy - the menu didn't offer much detail so when we asked questions like "what comes with the lamb?" we got long discertations on what edamame is, from a server who seemed to assume that because she'd never heard of it before we must not have either.

Food was fine but really small portions with sides sold seperately - didn't feel right at this price point. $27 for three thin pieces of grilled short rib with a smear of sauce on the plate. The stuffed spare ribs also very flavorful and more realistically priced. Don't get me wrong it was all tasty, but it just felt a bit greedy for a brand new restaurant. We drank beer with dinner - again, $7 or $8 for really small pours of Sierra Nevada draft.

At these prices, seems like they have a lot of work to do in getting their service act together and delivering a better value proposition if they want to get the neighborhood crowd on board. And with a 120 seats they're going to need the neighborhood crowd.

[Sneakeater]

Just for the record, they do serve the full menu at the bar.

[oakapple]

Service was clumsy - the menu didn't offer much detail so when we asked questions like "what comes with the lamb?" we got long discertations on what edamame is, from a server who seemed to assume that because she'd never heard of it before we must not have either.

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These seem like typical flubs for a restaurant on its 3rd night.

[jimk]

Service was clumsy - the menu didn't offer much detail so when we asked questions like "what comes with the lamb?" we got long discertations on what edamame is, from a server who seemed to assume that because she'd never heard of it before we must not have either.

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These seem like typical flubs for a restaurant on its 3rd night.

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That certainly explains away some, but not all of it ... they didn't seem like a generally competent service team getting the hang of a new restaurant, etc...

Our server seemed more like someone who didn't know or care much about food generally ...

[Nathan]

I come not to praise this restaurant but to bury it.

It's a pathetic, cynical attempt to fleece people.

I haven't hated a restaurant this much in a long time.

If Korean, Asian fusion, Malaysian etc...didn't exist in NY...then it might be a halfway decent restaurant...just cause it'd be innovative. But they do exist.

when we walked in my companion said "this looks like a ghetto Bar Blanc"....the decor is pretty sparse and stark but I didn't find it disagreeable.

service was pleasant except for an attempt to upsell (I hate that ___.)

one palatable drink on the cocktail list...just a julep with some shiso thrown in.

wine list looked ok.

it was full when we came in at 8:30 but relatively empty by 10.

ok, the food:

trio of tartares in avocado soup. not a great dish by any means but it at least reflected an upscale restaurant kitchen.

mixed greens had a good, tart dressing.

unagi and scallion fritter. pure crap. all dough. literally. that was it. not as in the filling was too sparse...as in it didn't appear to exist at all. I'd expect this for $4 from the neighborhood Asian-fusion delivery place...but just because Bar Q passes the napkin test doesn't give them the right to serve this dish...at any price (nevermind the one they do serve it at).

ok, I forgot to mention...the best food item we had is the basket of crisps they serve in lieu of bread. those are seriously good. (nevermind that they took them away when we weren't done with them)

but credit is due...those are nice.

pork "wing".....ugh, this was more crap. a tiny amount (i.e. like a $1 in raw food cost) of overcooked pork on the bone in a one-dimensional, slightly (very slightly) spicy sauce. completely pathetic.

a side dish of "fried garlic milk" was somewhat interesting. fine for what it was.

I feel like I'm forgetting something else...but obviously it wasn't memorable.

at the same price point you can eat at Hearth, Insieme, Perry Street, Bar Blanc, or even Babbo (with care).

yes, I understand that their rent at that location must be extraordinary...but places at that price point have to justify it somehow...if you're serving small plates with cheap cuts of meat....at least show serious kitchen skill and layers of flavor...this place makes the $40 short rib at Grayz look like a bargain (it's not).

nevermind that Fatty Crab serves similar food (sort of) that's a. better....and b. half the price. but they don't fold your napkins when you go to the bathroom. so maybe Anita figures that justifies the markup and overcooked pork and fillingless fritters. maybe so.

what do I know?

yes, I realize I'm completely slamming the place based upon one visit (though I've since heard similar accounts from people I trust)....and maybe some days those fritters actually have fillings....but nothing would ever justify that pork "wing" (unless they forgot two-thirds of the dish and how to make the sauce last night).

[oakapple]

I think it's possible to have a decent meal here...but the word is "decent," not particularly distinguished. As Nathan did, I also found a tendency to upsell.

I agree that the cocktail list is pedestrian. Perhaps my server's best advice was to give them all a pass...which I did.

at the same price point you can eat at Hearth, Insieme, Perry Street, Bar Blanc, or even Babbo (with care).

I wouldn't go that far, but I agree it is overpriced in relation to the quality. Edited May 15, 2008 by oakapple (log)

[Nathan]

at the same price point you can eat at Hearth, Insieme, Perry Street, Bar Blanc, or even Babbo (with care).

I wouldn't go that far, but I agree it is overpriced in relation to the quality.

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if you followed the server's advice you'd spend at least a $100 pp. probably more.

one can easily eat at any of those restaurants (Babbo being tight) for that or less....easily.

[SobaAddict70]

So in other words, it's trying to be Spice Market.

Oh well, better luck next time.

[oakapple]

So in other words, it's trying to be Spice Market.

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I don't really put it in the Spice Market genre. It doesn't have the blow-the-doors off décor, it has a minimal bar, and the menu structure adheres more closely to the standard appetizer-entrée meal structure.

[Sneakeater]

The unagi fritter really pissed of the person sitting next to me at the bar last time I was there -- no discernable unagi -- and, since she gave me a third of her serving, it pissed me off, too. Although not as much as if I had paid for it.

[Nathan]

I'd say the fritter with the upselling is what sealed the deal for me. the pork wing was just the coup de grace.

though it appears that spotted professional critics manage to actually get fillings in the fritter.

[oakapple]

if you followed the server's advice you'd spend at least a $100 pp.  probably more.

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Perhaps I'm naively assuming most people wouldn't fall for that; it was so blatant.

[Nathan]

if you followed the server's advice you'd spend at least a $100 pp.  probably more.

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Perhaps I'm naively assuming most people wouldn't fall for that; it was so blatant.

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but even our very light ordering (I'd had a big lunch and my companion is a small eater) still put us at around 150....which I've definitely done as a total for 2 at say Hearth...

[foodhunter]

agree with nathan's commentary, also after one visit a few weeks ago.. unagi fritters were as bad as described, tuna ribs were pathetic. i actually did not hate the pork wing and even enjoyed the do-it-yourself pork bun. also found the wine list rather interesting. but portion sizes were laughably small and yes, the amateurish service seemed to be a deeper problem than simply matter of a new restaurant getting its legs.

[Sneakeater]

That's how I rated those dishes.

Unagi fritter -- pathetic.

Tuna ribs -- pathetic.

Pork wing -- not bad, really. But the price . . . . ?

If Bar Q were cheaper, it would be easy to tolerate, I think.

But it isn't.

[Nathan]

I didn't hate the pork wing...I just found it absurd.

the fritter was downright offensive.

[SobaAddict70]

I didn't hate the pork wing...I just found it absurd.

the fritter was downright offensive.

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Tell us how you really feel.

Okay, well I'm probably not going to give this a try based on this and other reports made elsewhere. I generally am a fan of Chef Lo -- the foie soup dumplings and skate in beet emulsion from Annisa are a very pleasant memory. More's the pity.

[weinoo]

It certainly looks like at least one of the print reviewers agrees with the assessments here, and I don't really feel the need to ever go to this place, not with so many other places around!

I guess this is a compliment from Sietsema review in the current Voice...here it is.

The popularity of American-style barbecue spots seems to be spawning all sorts Franken-cues. If Bar Q is the last big-ticket "Asian barbecue" we'll be seeing this season, I'll be surprised. Certainly, it won't be the worst.

[docsconz]

Bruni gives Bar Q two stars.

But Bar Q is more than flesh and bones, and only obliquely related to the explosion of barbecue joints around the city. It’s a laboratory in which Ms. Lo can root around, paying special heed to grilling and smoking and occasionally exploring the similarities of hoisin and Western barbecue sauces. In the end her triumphs, more than her wobbles, stayed with me.

[DutchMuse]

Interesting review though it sounded as if the restaurant barely made it into the two start territory. Still, made me want to go and try it.

[oakapple]

Interesting review though it sounded as if the restaurant barely made it into the two start territory.

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A number of us tried it in the early days, and were underwhelmed. Anita Lo is a class act, and it's certainly possible that she has improved the ratio of hits to clunkers. Bruni's review suggested as much.

But when the clearly superior Annisa also has two stars — a judgment Bruini has shown no signs of remedying — today's review seems rather absurd.

Edited June 18, 2008 by oakapple (log)

[Nathan]

its interesting that he didn't like any of the dishes that I had.....except for the unagi fritters....which as far as I can tell, only contain unagi when Bruni or Platt are eating them.

guess that's what happens when a critic is recognized.