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. 

The Facts:

Banq is located at 1375 Washington Street in Boston’s very trendy South End neighborhood.  It is open for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays and for brunch on Sundays only.  The restaurant also has a semi private dining area that can accommodate up to 10 and an extensive list of wines from around the world.  If you’re nice to them they might even let you take a peek into their distinctive wine room. 

Bon Appétit

Rob Lubin