A new look, new menu, new leadership and a new attitude have done wonders for the establishment formerly known as Bump.
Q Lounge, 1234 Locust St., boasts a sleeker décor worthy of its status as one of the better places to kick back and relax in the Gayborhood. But it’s the lounge’s menu that has had the most dramatic transformation, with lower prices and far more adventurous fare.
The martinis are still a great reason to stop by, with the Vendetta Martini (Absolut Pear, Domaine de Canton ginger, lime and pear juice) and the Madame Q (Grey Goose, elderflower liqueur and Brut Rose champagne) being standout favorites. The fact that they are twice as big as they used to be — up to 8 ounces from 4 ounces — and only $1 more in price doesn’t hurt either.
Brunch still packs the place on Sundays, which finds patrons clamoring for favorites like the eggs Benny, Belgian waffles and turkey BLT (all $9.95 each). But that doesn’t mean you should skip the dinner menu, which is superb.
On the dinner menu, the appetizers are real crowd pleasers. The wasabi calamari ($10) was a spicy treat made even better by the sweet chili sauce that accompanied it. The Philly spring rolls ($9), loaded with seasoned steak and presented with a side of spicy ketchup, are tasty enough to make most people forsake the traditional (and far greasier) cheesesteaks offered around town. Vegetarians and carnivores alike could definitely get hopelessly hooked on the tasty and addictive tempura sweet potato fries ($7).
Vegetarians can also rejoice that the menu offers more than just the tasty hummus — previously the only non-meat option. Q Lounge offers a handful of salads and pasta dishes to satisfy those who prefer something meatless.
And the dinner menu is chock full of artfully executed dishes. Some of the standouts include the Mediterranean chicken ($15) and the succulent pork chops ($16).
The wasabi-crusted yellowfin ($22) was an incredible dish with a wonderful and artsy presentation that made brilliant use of negative space on the plate and flavors that played out like a deconstructed sushi roll. The perfectly cooked tuna was crunchy and flavorful. The Asian flavors of the sticky rice, seaweed salad and soy reduction complimented the dish well. The accompanying pickled ginger was a pleasant surprise, as it eschewed much of the pungent flavor that less-refined portions seem to suffer.
As good as the entrées were, dessert completely blew us away. The chocolate cake was an excellent example of how something simple can be a sinful experience. When it first arrives, it looks like an unassuming but tasty and small chocolate cake with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and strawberry reduction on the side. But you have no idea what’s about to hit you. Cutting into the cake, it started to slowly ooze the hot liquid chocolate goodness contained inside.
Even if you’re not the biggest chocolate fan, watching the thick, rich stream of decadence gliding across your plate is not unlike watching someone you want to have sex with slowly undress.
And that’s before you even taste it. And believe us when we say it tastes better than it looks. If you can’t close the deal after this dessert, you need to find somebody new.
Larry Nichols can be reached at [email protected].