Bara Review: Down-to-Earth Frenchy-Japanese Drinking Food
At which a Momofuku Noodle Bar alum makes Worcestershire Sauce from scratch
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Once word gets out about the tremendous fried chicken, I’m afraid no one’s going to bother with less-obvious pleasures such as the lettuce or the tripe. This would be a shame because at Bara, a restaurant that opened in December in Manhattan's East Village, the tripe is in soft wide petals—wide enough so you can really enjoy that fluttering, grainy bounce, alongside wee potatoes and radishes in a rich, wonderfully old-school sauce made from lobster stock and cream.
It deserves your attention. So does a modest salad of crisp, sweet, sparkling-clean lettuce leaves covered with tiny dried shrimp and pumpernickel croutons in a sharp vinegary dressing. But yes, alright, the fried chicken at Bara is very good. Distractingly good.