The word Sam Worley thinks best describes the barbecue at Barn & Company is “meaty.” The offerings from the smoker showcase an “exceedingly rich flavor that resists easy description.” The “best” is the brisket, which features “supple beef run through with a thick vein of fat, both chewy and particulate.” The barbecue is “often better off without” the barbecue sauces. Too bad the sides are “universally a bummer.” [Chicago Reader]
Vettel believes that Quay has a “split personality,” but luckily it “seems to be working.” The sports bar, lounge, and restaurant have separate identities, but they are a connected by the “solid and reliable” food of chef Nolan Narut. Vettel’s “happiest experiences” were with the seafood, including the “ale-steamed mussels, accented with lemon grass and chunks of chorizo.” He loved the “addictively cheesy” mac and cheese, though the flatbread pizzas “need work.” Still, Vettel gives two stars out of four to Quay for its “comfort food with style.” [Trib]
