Let’s talk about reinvention.
The reinvention of Banq, which opened in 2008 to much fanfare. Unfortunately for the restaurant, much of it had to do with the groovy interior, tricked out with undulating ribs of blond wood, not the Asian-inflected French food.
The reinvention of Patricia Yeo, a New York chef acclaimed for her restaurant AZ, but less well-received at several subsequent establishments.
Two months ago, after a year and a half in business, Banq changed its name, its concept, and its chef. It’s now called Ginger Park, and it serves small plates that put Asia front and center. The food is conceived by Yeo, who relocated to Boston for the new post.
Is there such a thing as a fresh start? Tiger Woods hopes so. Ginger Park and Yeo testify yes. The place looks much the same as before; a wall was removed behind the U-shaped bar, opening up the space, the design equivalent of a breath of fresh air. Its owners are the same, Hemant Chowdhry and Mark Raab. But it is now a much stronger restaurant. Flavors are bolder. Dishes are downright addictive. Cocktails seem less sweet and more refreshing. (The tamarind margarita and shiso-jito are both quite good.) And the menu is less serious, more fun. It’s now the kind of place you want to return to regularly.
Menu offerings rotate often, small-to-medium-size servings filed under “cold plates,’’ “hot plates,’’ “dumplings & things,’’ “noodles & rice,’’ and “specials.’’ These are meant to be shared, and servers recommend ordering about two items per person. (Specials are closer in size to standard entrees than the other selections are.) Ordering here is like salting a pot; start off conservatively and add more to taste.
The dishes span an entire continent; Yeo spent several years in Asia, and she apprenticed with street vendors in Thailand and Malaysia. Peppery Vietnamese shaking beef is folded into pancakes, moo shu style - drippy but so flavorful. Duck meatballs spiked with lemongrass and cilantro are served with soft, smoky eggplant puree and Thai massaman curry. It’s a beautiful dish. So is dan dan mien - in your mouth, if not in the bowl.A brown heap of thin noodles, these are referred to on the menu as “Sichuan-style ‘Bolognese.’ ’’ They match their Italian meat sauce cousin in savory satisfaction, but they’re quite a bit spicier. (If there were questions about whether Ginger Park is too similar to Myers + Chang, also serving Asian small plates right down the street, this dish answers them. It’s so different from Myers + Chang’s light, cool dan dan noodles laced with ginger and peanut sauce, you wouldn’t think they shared a name.)