Good News/Bad News: Bar Q

Kalina, 4/9/08

Bar Q, one of the more highly anticipated Spring '08 openings, finally served its first meal to the public a week and a half ago. The restaurant seats over 100 people, has an 'atrium', and serves Anita Lo's take on Asian barbecue. We've heard some grumblings that the menu and the wine list are overpriced (no bottles under $50), but so far all early reports on the boards and the blogs are coming back positive. As always there are some mixed reviews, but let's get straight to the good news and the not so good news:

1) Good News: An eGulleter files an early, positive review: "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...All in all this was a great restaurant...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." [eG]

2) Pretty Good News: NYC Foodie heads to Bar Q three days after the opening, and if it weren't for some over-saucing, this would be a rave: "I went with a starter of Spit Roasted Pork Belly and and entree of Stuffed Spareribs...this was an outstanding appetizer...It all worked well together. I could not stop eating this bun, it was totally addictive...my entree of Stuffed Spareribs ($23)...came out and looked more like a piece of meatloaf then a sparerib...I would say that I think there was too much sauce on the dish and the peanut sauce was way too heavy." [NYC Foodie]

3) The Halfway Decent News: A commenter chimes in on another early experience: "I ate at Bar Q with my family two nights ago. It was a mixed experience --The Good: Appetizers of avocado soup, eel fritters, oysters, lobster, and pork belly; Main dishes of stuffed spare ribs, lamb and shrimp. Great cocktails.The Bad: Very boring short ribs and eggplant main dishes. Tables that were insanely small. High noise level despite the lack of a crowd. I did see Anita Lo come out of the kitchen at one point, so she's on site (for now). Hopefully the kinks will be worked out and it will get better over time!" [Eater Comments]

4) The OK News: Savory Tidbits was one of the first blogs to hit up Bar Q. From their first night impressions: "Overall the experience was enjoyable and we plan to return soon to explore more of the menu. While we can't recommend sitting in the front, the main dining room looked comfortable and the atrium and outdoor areas will no doubt be popular when warm weather arrives. Lo isn't doing anything revolutionary here, but she does seem to be filling a niche for creative comfort and Asian-inspired cuisine in the West Village." [Savory Tidbits]