Restaurant Review: Q- Comfort Food for the Soul

t was a much needed respite from the countless hours spent at the library poring over my notes and textbooks thinking of the various ways PV=nRT could be manipulated, or what would happen to ka if tmax were increased. Granted, school had started less than three weeks ago, but already I was feeling overwhelmed by the workload and anxious about the first two midterms of the year. And as if the one-two punch of Physical Chemistry and Biopharmaceutics wasn't enough, the windy, foggy evening was a stark reminder that I wasn't in Southern California anymore.

A visit from a friend from San Diego and a dinner of comfort foods at the restaurant Q was just what the pharmacist prescribed. Located in the Richmond district amidst a slew of restaurants, Q almost disappears from sight because of its nondescript front: the single letter Q on the window and two sidewalk tables in front of it. But during the weekend, you won't be able to miss the countless people waiting outside with their drinks. Expect an easy 30-minute wait, but you'll agree that it was worth it. However, since we went on a Thursday, we were able to get a seat within seconds of walking through the door. The first thing you'll notice as you walk through the door will depend on the direction in which you happen to be looking — perhaps it's the big chalkboard on the right with the specials and desserts written for all to see. Look to the left and you'll see local works of art (currently "My Spiritual Life" by John Held and Mike Dickau) displayed above the funky tables with triangular backrest cushions, but below what I think looks like a big cheese moon. But the majority of people will first see the long bar stocked with countless bottles of wine. We were seated underneath "the moon" at a table near the door. Each table has a glass top with different theme or scene displayed underneath. Ours had a coloring book drawing of Mr.. T (sans hair) with metal shavings scattered around. Already the tension was slowly draining from my shoulders as I used the magnet-pen to fashion Mr.. T's metal mohawk. While the entrees are sizable enough to satisfy large appetites, we were too curious about the appetizers to pass them up. Q offers a variety of familiar favorites with an eclectic panache.

One would probably yawn at a grilled corn on the cob offering. But the corn at Q comes with a tantalizing jalepeno-lime butter ($3.50). Baja fish tacos or grilled wings sound a bit boring? Not when one's dressed up with a papaya salsa and the other with tropical fruit-habanero dipping sauce ($6 and $6.50, respectively). Some of their signature Down Home Favorites' dishes are their Beer Battered Catfish, Southern Fried Chicken, and Meatloaf. Q's generous portion of catfish is topped with a corn relish served on a bed of garlic french fries ($9.75). If you're not a big fan of relish, or if you're a "sauce on the side" type, order it just like that. The fried chicken is done to a golden brown and served with a side of mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables like squash and zucchini ($11.50). If you're feeling extra sinful, they have a Macaroni and Cheesy dish served with golden fried Tater Tots ($8). 'Nuff said. If you're in the mood for steak, you'll love the grilled strip steak topped by a scoop of garlic butter with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies. This and Smilin' Andy's BBQ Pork Spareribs are a few of their daily specials that, while not on the regular menu, have been available on the several occasions I've been here. Q, which according to the bartender is short for barbeque, knows ribs! I was not disappointed with the tender slab slathered in smoky homemade BBQ sauce.

For those who are not as hungry, there are a variety of salads available like a caesar salad with asiago cheese ($6.25) that can be served as is or topped with grilled chicken or salmon (add $3.25). Also available is a spinach salad served with apples and caramelized walnuts ($7.75). If you do not know how to pair wines with your meal, you will be happy to know that chef-owner Andrew Gillen has listed in the menu his suggestions of which wines suit which dishes. This comes in extremely handy as the wine list spanned 11 pages. It's extensive if not daunting (until you read Chris Nguyen's ongoing series on wines in Synapse). By the time dinner was done, I was thoroughly happy and content.

But as stuffed as we were, we couldn't pass up dessert. Fortunately we had some extra room in our dessert stomachs, which is separate from the dinner stomach. With each spoonful, I forgot about the worries of the week and just focused on what was immediately ahead of me — an amazing chocolate mousse that was so rich, yet so light. Ahhhh, there's nothing like the comforts of good company and good food.

Q, 225 Clement St. (between 3rd and 4th Avenues), 752-2298

Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/content/rest/q.html