Die Bank

Die Bank Review

The brasserie held onto the grand exterior of a 1897 bank. Brave visitors who open the restaurant's huge door are hit with a large room boasting a warren of small tables covered in white tablecloths, a grand bar with seating for diners who were not lucky enough to get a reservation, a few feet from the bar black-clad tipplers talk the night away at a seating lining the wall, and three tall and long tables near the entrance for revelers. There's a lot going on here but everything is done well and with a twist. The snob factor has been replaced with a good sense of humor. Lightboxes highlight the image of Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill. Observant visitors can catch the Renaissance man blinking. Lounge music is always moving above the din of the restaurant. On the weekends, a DJ brings the noise when the kitchen closes and diners become revelers. Despite the activity, Die Bank has not forgotten the food. The petite menu brings the flavors of Asia to French food. Nothing is what it seems. The menu says Breast and Thigh of Black Feather Chicken "Oriental Style" with shallots, couscous, and carrots. What arrives is a spoon and plate with chicken breast slices atop a small pool of pungent sauce next to carrot slices, a slightly mushy square of spicy couscous with vegetables, and a transparent glass with layers of mousselike concoctions of different colors. The spoon is used to dig through a layer of seasoned pureed lentils, a layer of carmelized shallots, and a chicken thigh shredded in a exotic sauce. Fun-loving foodies can spend an entire evening at Die Bank.