With just two days left in the Bar Blanc Bistro (142 West 10th Street) opening week deal, we decided to pop in and see how they were doing. The bar was fairly busy but the restaurant mostly empty when we arrived. We grabbed a pair of empty seats at the bar and were handed the menus. The bartender clearly explained the half-off deal and the exclusions - no bottled beer, burger or oysters for half price. Fair enough, we thought, since the bar menu had a good bit of choice.
The half-off special applied to draft beer, wine by the glass and carafe, and house cocktails. (The not-included bottled beer is your typical rip-off with $7 Stellas, Leffe and Hoegaarden). There were lots of choices among the cocktails, normally $12, generally classics or riffs on them including a caipiroska, sidecar (very popular) and a grapefruit martinis. We stuck to beer and wine. The Grimbergen ale was new to us but quite good (normally $7) if a bit sweet at the bottom of the glass while Blue Moon is... Blue Moon. Wines were interesting but suffered from being too warm and open for a while. A Pinot Noir from France was good but neither the mundane Tempranillo nor the White Bordeaux excited us.
Food-wise, we enjoyed most everything - the chicken liver mousse was very good as were the beef croquettes, though the underlying mustard was way too hot. The burger was large and juicy while fries were perfectly crisped.
Overall, the space looks the same from its previous incarnation (pre-bistro). It certainly doesn't read bistro and it's way too dark - reading menus was only possible by candlelight. Will this incarnation make it? Certainly the bar is comfortable but beer and wine are a bit too expensive for it to be a regular stop. The restaurant itself is a tougher sell and they have their work cut out for them. The previous restaurants struggled in the same space so you have to wonder if it is cursed.
In the meantime, is it a deal? Heck yea! 50% off the entire check (tip on the whole amount fellow boozers). We suggest you hurry over before it expires tomorrow night at 8pm. Rumor has it they will have some type of happy hour after the deal is gone but it won't be nearly as good.
The half-off special applied to draft beer, wine by the glass and carafe, and house cocktails. (The not-included bottled beer is your typical rip-off with $7 Stellas, Leffe and Hoegaarden). There were lots of choices among the cocktails, normally $12, generally classics or riffs on them including a caipiroska, sidecar (very popular) and a grapefruit martinis. We stuck to beer and wine. The Grimbergen ale was new to us but quite good (normally $7) if a bit sweet at the bottom of the glass while Blue Moon is... Blue Moon. Wines were interesting but suffered from being too warm and open for a while. A Pinot Noir from France was good but neither the mundane Tempranillo nor the White Bordeaux excited us.
Food-wise, we enjoyed most everything - the chicken liver mousse was very good as were the beef croquettes, though the underlying mustard was way too hot. The burger was large and juicy while fries were perfectly crisped.
Overall, the space looks the same from its previous incarnation (pre-bistro). It certainly doesn't read bistro and it's way too dark - reading menus was only possible by candlelight. Will this incarnation make it? Certainly the bar is comfortable but beer and wine are a bit too expensive for it to be a regular stop. The restaurant itself is a tougher sell and they have their work cut out for them. The previous restaurants struggled in the same space so you have to wonder if it is cursed.
In the meantime, is it a deal? Heck yea! 50% off the entire check (tip on the whole amount fellow boozers). We suggest you hurry over before it expires tomorrow night at 8pm. Rumor has it they will have some type of happy hour after the deal is gone but it won't be nearly as good.
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