In the other group of appetizers, the yin might be gray sole ($12) rolled around wild mushrooms and black rice, with a garnish of excellent beet and carrot. Yin and yang seemed in balance in the small but impeccable lemongrass-scented mussels ($9) and the flash-seared Vietnamese shrimp ($12). The shrimp aren’t really wok-seared, but are nicely undercooked with cellophane noodles and a tortilla-chip cup of lively shredded-coconut salad. A rice croquette with veal breast meat and cheese inside ($11) was one of the better arancini I’ve had. This kitchen can fry. The only appetizer that doesn’t work yet is “Tea Smoked Quail and Date Cigar” ($12). It’s really a pair of mini-enchiladas, but the wrapper masks the stuffing flavors.
Entrées are pretty much yang. My favorites were the pan-seared Muscovy duck breast ($25) and the char-grilled haddock ($24). The duck breast wasn’t seriously seared either, but it was lean and delicious, with snow peas, a bit of mashed cauliflower, and a heap of shredded bell pepper and mushrooms. The haddock was a superior piece of fish, cooked just below the flake point, as it should be, with a crisp crust, a “chestnut” ragout (actually stewed water chestnuts), and a tomato-olive cream sauce that just wouldn’t quit.
There’s also grilled cod ($26), but it wasn’t as great. It’s garnished with beautiful slices of lotus root and some nice bitter greens. Braised short ribs ($22) bring a boneless chunk, falling-apart tender and quite good with sweet potato “fries.” Zucchini and tofu steak ($19) is more like a burger, served on a bed of noodles with chopped tomato (real ketchup might have been better) and a sprig of anise basil. As vegan entrées go, it was stodgy but acceptable. But with a South Asian chef, how about some aloo chole and a salad? Or, in the Southeast Asian style Banq is mostly using, one of the Vietnamese coconut-milk vegetable curries?
The wine list is split, America versus World (a world consisting mostly of France), and it’s fairly priced, with some bottles as low as the high $20s. We tried the 2004 Louis Bernard Gigondas ($39), a serious Rhône that needs a little more age, I think. It was quite astringent with appetizers, but opened up in the glass by the time we got to the entrées. A supplementary glass of 2007 Crios de Susana Balbo malbec ($9) from Argentina was easier drinking and more fruit-forward. Decaf ($2) and cappuccino ($4) were fine. A glass of moscato d’Asti ($6/glass; $26/bottle) with dessert was light and refreshing, and had that wonderful mock-orange scent. Taylor Fladgate 20-year tawny port ($12) was too subtle for the loud room (or it came from a long-open bottle and had faded).
The dessert course was the weakest. My favorite thing was the chocolate crème brûlée ($9) served on a platter with an edible flower and three little cups, the others filled with a conventional crème brûlée and two scoops of strawberry sorbet. Chocolate cake ($9) was a cupcake of molten chocolate cake with blah vanilla ice cream. Chocolate hazelnut torte ($10) was a pyramid of what I would describe as frozen mousse with cherries and blueberries. A “five-spice pear pie” tart ($9) had little discernable spice or pear flavor, so it was really about the raspberry sorbet.
Service was good on a full night, and remarkably accurate in the din. The crowd appears young and out for fun, so maybe the noise is intended to set up the line, “Why don’t we go somewhere quieter to talk? How about my apartment?”
Robert Nadeau can be reached at RobtNadeau@aol.com.
