Banq Restaurant
(617) 451-0077
1375 Washington St
Boston,
MA
02118
42.3414
-71.0696
Neighborhoods: Harrison Lenox, South End
What People Are Saying About Banq Restaurant
The Editor
Gerrish Lopez
Citysearch
An enormous, undulating, slatted plywood ceiling, zebra-striped floors, and zebra-wood tables create a visual spectacle that belies this restaurant's origins as a bank. The food is equally unique, with heavy Asian and Indian influences. Appetizers inclde two-bite items (coho salmon on a sugar cane stick) and small plates (lemongrass-scented mussels), perfect for group sharing. The more limited entrée menu includes standard dishes such as char-grilled haddock, braised shortribs, and Cornish hen. A respectable wine list and dessert menu round out the offerings.
User Reviews
TravelsinTaste
June 25, 2009
Last Monday Banq, the fabulous Boston restaurant in the former Penny Savings Bank Building, celebrated being named “Best New Restaurant” at the Wallpaper* Design Award 2009. I had barely enough time in Boston last week for brunch and a stroll around town, but my local fashionista friends insisted that I had to check it out. This restaurant is gorgeous (and the food is pretty good too). The Penny Savings Bank building is a 1917 Classical Revival design, the type of edifice that Banks used to build before the days of subprime lending and collateralized debt obligations. Nowadays, with bankers having to account for their operating expenses in front of congressional committees, we may see a lot more fancy Bank buildings converted to fine restaurants. Maybe that’s not so bad. Walk inside the door of Banq, and all semblance of a traditional bank building melts away. Rich layers of curved white birch climb the walls and soar across the ceiling, forming a dense ‘tree’ canopy that makes this vast space feel intimate and inviting. Designed by the Boston firm of Office da, which also won an interior architecture award for its effort, the dining room at Banq is an inspiring space to showcase an innovative cuisine. Chef Ranveer Brar has created a menu that draws from his classical French training as well as his work and travels in Asia. Put it all together and you get things like Eggs Benedict with wasabi hollandaise or crepes with anise spiced bananas and mango sauce. My Eggs Benedict was superb, and the parmesan home fries were fantastic. My dining companion fancies himself a breakfast potato connoisseur (he flies to Los Angeles for his favorite hash browns), and he loved them! And now a request. I was in and out of Boston so fast last week that I did not get to dine at Banq for dinner. If you have been to Banq in the evening please click on comments below and let me know how it is. The menu is intriguing and I’m very curious. They have a char grilled duck breast on the menu with Kaffir lime scented celery root au gratin and orange shiso sauce that sounds like the most amazing take on a traditional duck a l’orange. I’d love to hear from someone who has tried it. You can read more about our interesting dining experiences on TravelsinTaste...
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lsarao
April 05, 2009
Visited BanQ for Sunday brunch and was super impressed the moment we walked in the door. The decor is definitely modern and fun and the staff was friendly and attentive. I had a hard time deciding off the brunch menu because everything sounded so good, but finally settled on the signature French Toast with Kahlua marscapone, stewed cherries and lavendar honey - and was so glad I did. Although the portions were a little small (I could've used one more "triangle" of french toast), every bite melted in my mouth like pure joy. The parmesan hash browns were also to die for. Every bit had a burst of flavor and I wanted to lick my plate when they were gone. The service was fantastic, the price was very reasonable and the decor was stunning. I'd highly recommend BanQ for Sunday Brunch. I'll definitely be back to check out dinner.
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simon311b
February 27, 2009
I really like this restaurant though some of my friends say they have had mixed experiences. I've been there about 6 times for brunch, a dozen times for dinner and a couple dozen times for drinks, and I've always had a great experience. Maybe they didn't order the right things. I like the Spice menu. These dishes have a bit more of the Indian flavor that I had always expected. It was lacking in the earliest versions. I think the service has always been on point except for one brunch when I had a server that must have been new. The design of the place is simply amazing. It has the feel of the coolest restaurants in London or Barcelona. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because I'm saving those for a few very special restaurants.
read full reviewThe Details on Banq Restaurant
Know Before You Go:
The restaurant can get extremely loud, so diners wishing to partake in intimate conversation may want to stick to less busy hours.
Parking:
Valet parking is available for $16, operating in front of Union Bar & Grille just down the street.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, People Watching, Date Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
No
