Sinibar, a partnership between club operator Joe Russo and Chef John Bubala of Thyme restaurant, outgrew its original location as a back room at Thyme, and moved this year to a storefront on Milwaukee Avenue. At street level, behind floor-to-ceiling exotic sheer purple and red curtains, is a small café that had plenty of available seats on my first two weekday visits with friends. Once we came at 6:30, a second time at 7. We felt as if we were getting the early bird special: choice of seats, personalized service, great food.
The third time we visited was on Friday night (deliberately) at 9 p.m. The place was packed, but the wait for the table (at the small back bar) was painless, thanks to the soothing charms of Rockan Moroccan, a Bacardi Limon-sour-Gran Marnier-mint drink served in a Martini glass, and one of Sinibar's nine signature cocktails. It also gave us a chance to enjoy the Oriental, one-of-a-kind rugs that Russo brought back from his trip to Morocco and hung on opposite walls. Moroccan glass lamps hanging from the ceiling, and a few striking photos of Moroccan people complete the done-on-a-shoestring but successful decor. Then there are the chairs, which are at the center of a comfort controversy. They are small. They began life as children's chairs from Ikea. But Russo had them upholstered with cushiony padded seats and the backs slip covered with colorful, intricately patterned fabric. I found them comfortable; others were squirming in their seats. The chairs are in scale with the tables, which are also small. The dark painted table tops are a perfect foil for the small, appealing pottery bread dishes which come in the shape of leaves or circles. An oval pottery bread dish is served with a little pot of spicy humus and a sliced, excellent ficelle (skinny baguette).
On the flip side, Sinibar's risotto was almost perfect. The chef, who goes by the name Alvaro, has cooked in kitchens the caliber of Spago and obviously knows his way around some fairly sophisticated food. The menu was designed by Bubala and Russo, and I became an instant fan of his three steak frites: Steak Frites Classic ($13), Steak Frites au Poivre ($13) and Steak Frites Bordelaise ($14). They are thin, marinated, tender flank steaks with Parisian mustard, brandy peppercorn and Bordelaise sauces. And the plate is piled high with thin, crisp pommes frites. According to Anthony Bourdain, chef at Les Halles in Manhattan, bistro steaks are not thick, prime steak house steaks -- T-bone, sirloin, porterhouse and filet mignon. Traditionally French bistros use cuts we are just beginning to hear of: onglet or hanger steak, paleron or shoulder clod, and the bavette d'aloyau, related to the flank steak. Happily, Bubala has specified flank steak and Alvaro knows how to cook it. Steak frites at Sinibar is tender but not buttery -- a steak to sink your teeth into -- very flavorful and deservedly popular.
Salads are special. Grilled Calamari Salad ($7), featured tender, slightly charred smoky calamari (including tentacles) arranged around a bed of crisp greens with a subtle vinaigrette. The Arugula Salad ($6) is a standout. Peppery arugula leaves are perfectly crisp, punctuated in flavor and color by shreds of radicchio, and sprinkled with crumbled gorgonzola and spicy candied walnuts. On another occasion we ordered the salad special of watercress, julienned fennel, sliced pears and an encore for the spicy walnuts.
The Soup du Jour ($6), butternut squash, was fragrant, robust and left nothing to be desired. And two other first courses exceeded expectations. The Mussels Marinere ($7) come in a deep metal crock with a ladle-like spoon. It's daunting to eat, so here's a strategy. Take the mussels out of their shells and return them to the wonderful tomato sauce at the bottom. Discard the shells on an empty plate. Then ask for a dessert spoon and eat the mussels with the sauce. The second first course was a grilled Prosciutto-Provolone Pannini ($7), a smoky grilled cheese and ham sandwich in the Italian manner and almost a meal in itself.
We tried two Poisson du Jour (market price). The salmon was perfectly crusted on the outside and juicy on the inside, topped with a tomato relish, and set on a bed of couscous. The second fish selection was tilapia. Again two fillets were perfectly prepared and placed on a bed of fresh green beans. The only complaint I have is that the same sauce, I believe it is an undistinguished beurre blanc, is somewhat boring and repetitive.The market price on both occasions was $15.
Pasta -- try the Penne Arrabiata ($10). It is truly spicy and satisfying. the Moroccan Vegetable Plate ($11) was less inspired. A stew of vegetables -- red bell peppers, onions, olives, zucchini, and garbanzo beans -- surrounded a bed of couscous.
Coffee is good and fresh. The wine list is short, recited by the waiters, but the selections are good. On different occasions we had two red wines (all that were offered), Cabernet Franc and Merlot, both from Italy. Go for the Cabernet Franc. We tried three desserts: Chocolate Gateau with Coffee Ice Cream, Apple Crepes with Apple-Cinnamon Ice Cream and Chocolate Banana Crêpes (all $6). The chocolate gateau was a little round of intensely chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center, nicely paired with the scoop of ice cream, and what chocolate lover could argue with the small excess of chocolate sauce and small chunks of chocolate on the plate? The apple crepes were fine, not outstanding, but the chocolate banana crepe was to die for. Sliced bananas folded into a tender crepe drizzled with chocolate and topped with ice cream.
A small service issue. In general you get fresh silverware if your knife or fork has been used on a prior course. One night the bus person removed my used salad fork from its plate and set it on the bare table to await the entree.
And now for the action below stairs. The DJ is supposed to be in full swing by 10, but on two occasions was late. The club has two bars -- a long bar in the front room where the DJ sets the tone, and a tiny bar at the very back which serves specialty Martinis. Across from the long bar are cocktail tables made from English wash drums, and informal seating. The lights are low, the dance floor is large, and when the dancing finally begins -- you have to be there. Each night brings a different DJ, different music, different mood ranging from funk and soul to Afro, Latin, dub, future jazz and cosmic beats. Guests may go straight to the club without dining, dine upstairs after dancing, wait down in the club for a table to be free.
If your shoes aren't made for dancing, dine at the cafe, as you would at any restaurant with very good food at very reasonable prices. If you like to dance, head downstairs around 10. If you like to hang out, have a drink at the cafe bar or a drink downstairs in the lounge. If you want a stealth cocktail, try the Rockan Moroccan or the Urban Turban (Absolut Mandarin-Cointreau-pineapple-orange, both $7). Prefer a kinder, gentler drink? Order the Kasbah ($7) (Champagne-Alize-strawberry). If you're the last of the red hot spenders, order a bottle of Dom Pérignon or Perrier Jouèt ($150 each) for your friends. But whoever you are, whatever you do, don't leave Sinibar without a side order of some of the best Frites this side of Paris.
