BanQ Restaurant and Bar

Menu descriptions of Banq's Asian-influenced French food make the mouth water, full of intriguing ingredients and combinations: Tea-smoked quail and date cigar with a pea tendril Caesar, almond tamarind shot. Fire-charred sirloin with smoked cha choy, cilantro and taro pave, caramelized lotus seed, creamy chanterelle sauce. Is this not food poetry? Don't you want to read the menu aloud with plummy Dylan Thomas inflection? But as vivid as the dishes sound, in practice they are often muted. France does the talking while India, Japan, and Thailand whisper in its ear. Much of Banq's food is delicious, in a surprisingly classic vein. The decor, meanwhile, is anything but classic: an undulating landscape of blond wood ribs affixed to walls and ceilings. It's very cool. -The Boston Globe (May 7)

Executive chef: Ranveer Brar
Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Cross Street: Union Park Street
Parking: Valet
Public Transit: BanQ is conveniently located on the MBTA's Silver Bus Line.