A follow-up to last week's post about Cafe Balaban's reopening: One of my operatives scored me a copy of the new menu, which executive chef Andrew White described as "approachable" American bistro fare. There's a lot to approach: twelve appetizers, thirteen main courses and a raw bar — as well as sides, salads, snacks and daily specials.
Entrees include grilled hanger steak, duck confit, braised pork shank, roasted leg of lamb and grilled veal liver. Old-school Balaban's fans will be pleased to see that beef Wellington is still available; at $31, it's the most expensive main course. The other entrees run from $16 to $24.
Appetizers range from $3 to $15 and feature the Southern classic shrimp and grits, pan-seared foie gras and applewood-smoked-salmon pizza. The "Snacks" menu looks like fun: fries for $4, "bar nuts" for $5 and deviled eggs for 50 cents a pop.
A caveat: New restaurants change their menus often, so if you head over to Balaban's over the next few weeks, don't be surprised to find some of these dishes prepared differently or missing altogether.
