Bauer Awards AQ Three and a Half Stars for Food

All Seasons Bauer has a Sunday review of the new AQ, and he likes chef Mark Liberman's food so much he gives it a rare, glowing three-and-a-half stars. On the other end of the spectrum the service, which he describes as "bored" and "amateurish," is only competent enough to warrant a 1.5 star rating. And he thinks the location at Seventh and Mission (right by the Chronicle's offices) is "depressed - and depressing." Thank goodness the menu and the decor are outstanding enough to outweigh the negatives:

"The food at AQ is refined, which belies the more rustic industrial space...when you walk into the dining room, it feels like a protected oasis surrounded by the warmth of the brick walls and the coolness of the winter decor."

Although desserts can "seem forced," there's so much Bauer loves on the menu. He calls out cauliflower, lamb's tongue, sturgeon, veal breast, and cobia, noting, "dish after dish shows a similar fine-tuned craftsmanship."

· All AQ Coverage [~ ESF ~]

[Photo: Chron/John Storey]