Review: After a novel unveiling, Pop Sparkling Bar & Restaurant becomes a destination for everyday celebrations
During a media night in January, restauranteurs Dave and Kara Bailey literally unveiled Pop in the middle of dinner service in the former L’Acadiane restaurant space.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Scallops with beet hache and lattice chips
Pop, the sparkling wine bar and restaurant in the former L’Acadiane space debuted in anything but the usual style. During a media night in January, Dave and Kara Bailey literally unveiled Pop in the middle of a dinner service. This included scraping L’Acadiane’s name from the window, switching out the art, and having the staff change uniforms. After the dramatic reveal, he shared his hope that Pop would be a place to celebrate not only special occasions but everyday ones as well.
Pop is split between two rooms decorated with Warhol-esque floral wallpaper in shades of coral and gold. Bubble-motif paintings in gilt frames line the walls. In the front room, a dark wood bar stretches across one side of the narrow space, and a long banquette and bistro tables line the other.
Pop is, first and foremost, about bubbles. The sparkling wine and Champagne list is extensive, with options from France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. America is represented, as are Australia, Chile, and South Africa. Also on the list: a Japanese sparkling sake, fizzy ciders, and carbonated cocktails.
Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
The dining menu is full of inviting comfort foods (poutine, cheesy gougères, carbonnade) and ritzier offerings (caviar, duck crostini, octopus). A pert wasabi–and–ras el hanout popcorn is a novel starter. The Missouri paddlefish caviar with crème fraîche, egg yolk, and vinegar chips is a clever presentation. Other dishes, such as the aforementioned savory gougères and the popovers, work better accompanying entrées than as starters.
A nest of tender potatoes peeks out from the red gravy blanketing the poutine. The dish is finished with meaty lardons and melted cheddar. Piercing the golden yolk of the salt-cured egg nestled atop the flap steak tartare gilds the meat. The tender beef almost melts in your mouth. Pickled shallots punctuate each bite.
Three boards include a traditional charcuterie board of capicola, Genoa salami, and duck. The seafood board comprises a shrimp terrine, salmon lox, and cured sturgeon, served with horseradish cream and dill crackers. The cheese board, with three cheddars, could benefit from a bit more variety.
The rustic dishes outshine the more deliberate composed ones. The carbonnade, a beef stew cooked in beer and cider, has a rich depth. It’s served over tagliatelle and finished with a garlicky gremolata. Crisp potatoes rest atop scallops with deep golden-brown edges, the result of a patient proper sear. The paillard chicken breast, a perfume of preserved lemon and finished with a sage jus and beurre blanc, imparted layers of flavor. And a tender squash hash made for a delicate side.
Whatever your mood when you walk in the door, the bubbly wines, relaxed dining, and sparkling atmosphere may just inspire an impromptu fête.
