Bar Blanc

Nestled on a quiet west village block, Bar Blanc took over the space that The Place’s sister restaurant once occupied. The walls are pretty stark (i.e. Blanc), but there is a vibrant energy that contrasts the décor nicely. I had a drink at the bar. The bartender was very nice and attentive. That type of service resounded throughout the meal. Our water glasses were never empty and wine glasses always full. Our waiter was often accompanied by the floor manager and another server, so all the food came out at once and all the plates were taken away in a timely manner.

Now… onto the food….

We tried both of the two salad apps, as well as the scallops (of course).

Scallops were cooked very nicely, seared on top and bottom to a golden brown. But it was still cooked with enough heat to partially cook the inside of the scallop enough so it was not slimy in the middle. The scallops were accompanied by a green sauce that was so good it might have made the dish. We were sopping it up with bread. (Ok, maybe not, but if I was with the BF instead of girls, I definitely would have.) The salads were just salad. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing bad. The baby Boston lettuce salad actually looked more like a heart of lettuce (which is a restaurants nice way of saying half of a head of lettuce that has no nutrition value but will fill you up just the same).

I had the Halibut (a go to lately). My halibut, although cooked fine, actually tasted very fishy, which is not the norm. I was surprised, and a little taken aback, by the crusted skin on top. I actually peeled it off, which I shouldn’t have because that is seemingly where all the taste laid. Squash, being in season, was used in many of the different main courses we ordered. I know I’ve talked about risotto before, I love it. But, I only appreciate a well cooked risotto. Al dente risotto is the bane of my Italian food eating existence. This al dente risotto was overwhelmed by the butternut squash sauce, or should I say soup. Why not just call it like it is? Butternut squash soup with rice. That way, people won’t be disappointed when they get the bowl of soup with barely cooked rice.

Like I said before, the service was really great. Bar Blanc is frequented by many of the girlfriends, probably because it’s very girly. I don’t think I’ll be hearing any of my guy friends saying they really want to go, or the bar scene is great. It’s good for a date. I would suggest it as a date, as the atmosphere was nice and food was decent. I’m sure I’ll be back.

Late Addition: I guess I need to add a disclaimer here. I didn't hate this restaurant. There were issues with my food, yes, but other people really enjoyed it. I'm just trying to be honest here, but I do realize that I am often very harsh with my critiques. Some people like al dente risotto...