Hen Quarter (Bridge Park, Dublin)
A friend suggested we try this newer restaurant in the Bridge Park area of Dublin. The menu is small, but I'm generally up for trying something new. The decor is fabulous, so it was well worth a visit. First, a few thoughts about the food:
As I say frequently, I spent a lot of money eating out. I'm happy to do it if there is a value to dollar ratio or the experience overall is "worth it". Today, I ordered a lobster roll, subbed out the side of fries for green beans (another side dish on the menu), and an iced tea. My bill was $31 before the tip. The lobster roll was top notch, as were the green beans. But $31 is really just too much for a sandwich, any sandwich, and the tip brought my meal up to almost $38. Sooooo not worth it.
The menu really doesn't match the decor (as you'll see in the photos below.) Everything about this place screams high-end dining, but the menu is very small. What is there is not much more than sandwiches. With things like private dining rooms and a very extensive wine cellar, I think the menu just calls for....more.
The decor, however, *is* worth it. And since this blog is dedicating to reviewing the decor of a restaurant, and not the food, let us begin.
Let's look at the waiting area first:
Cozy, isn't it? Here's a bit of a close-up:
We didn't have a wait and were lead into the front dining room. This space is marked by lots of natural light and an informal feeling while still feeling high-end. The table decor is sparse but lovely:
There is a huge hen mural on the far wall:
And those cascading light fixtures were everywhere:
There is a row of banquette seating that's really pretty:
Before we move on to a close-up of that fabulous upholstery fabric, check out that floor (above). It's wood-look tile. I'm always a fan of that!
So that upholstery fabric is the equivalent of encaustic tile. I couldn't stop looking at it and the photos aren't a match for how gorgeous and textured it is in person:
After my friend and I finished eating, we walked around to enjoy the rest of the venue. First, there is a beautiful bar area:
And a wider view:
My favorite photo of the bunch is this little vignette from the bar. The copper, wood, and organic elements are beautiful together:
There is seating directly across:
Beyond the bar seating, there is another "public" dining room. There is a beautiful lattice grid of lighting on the ceiling:
One booth in this area felt like a little den. I couldn't get a great picture because I don't generally want people in my photos (and funnily enough, when I poked my head in to look, my manager was there having lunch - ha! He's not the person seen in the photo, though). But here is the outside; it almost looks like a small log cabin:
Beyond this area, there are two private dining rooms, both of which are gorgeous. My only issue with them (as stated above) is that I don't think hot chicken sandwiches merit private dining. There must be some kind of demand for this, though.
The back hallway leads you to the private dining:
This workstation in this hallway could almost pass as residential decor:
And then you come to the first of two private dining rooms. I loved the first one:
Finally, if you continue past this one, you come to the second private dining room at the end of the hall. This one is darker and more brooding. It's the heaviest and most formal space in the restaurant:
I'm not sure what that centerpiece was (well driftwood, succulents, and moss), but here is a close-up:
I always love to try new places, and this was great eye candy, really good food, but terrible value. I would not discourage you from trying Hen Quarter if you are okay with a $38 sandwich lunch :)
Hen Quarter
6629 Riverside Drive
Dublin, OH 43017
614.905.1666
M-Th 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sun 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
As I say frequently, I spent a lot of money eating out. I'm happy to do it if there is a value to dollar ratio or the experience overall is "worth it". Today, I ordered a lobster roll, subbed out the side of fries for green beans (another side dish on the menu), and an iced tea. My bill was $31 before the tip. The lobster roll was top notch, as were the green beans. But $31 is really just too much for a sandwich, any sandwich, and the tip brought my meal up to almost $38. Sooooo not worth it.
The menu really doesn't match the decor (as you'll see in the photos below.) Everything about this place screams high-end dining, but the menu is very small. What is there is not much more than sandwiches. With things like private dining rooms and a very extensive wine cellar, I think the menu just calls for....more.
The decor, however, *is* worth it. And since this blog is dedicating to reviewing the decor of a restaurant, and not the food, let us begin.
Let's look at the waiting area first:
Cozy, isn't it? Here's a bit of a close-up:
We didn't have a wait and were lead into the front dining room. This space is marked by lots of natural light and an informal feeling while still feeling high-end. The table decor is sparse but lovely:
There is a huge hen mural on the far wall:
And those cascading light fixtures were everywhere:
There is a row of banquette seating that's really pretty:
Before we move on to a close-up of that fabulous upholstery fabric, check out that floor (above). It's wood-look tile. I'm always a fan of that!
So that upholstery fabric is the equivalent of encaustic tile. I couldn't stop looking at it and the photos aren't a match for how gorgeous and textured it is in person:
After my friend and I finished eating, we walked around to enjoy the rest of the venue. First, there is a beautiful bar area:
And a wider view:
My favorite photo of the bunch is this little vignette from the bar. The copper, wood, and organic elements are beautiful together:
There is seating directly across:
Beyond the bar seating, there is another "public" dining room. There is a beautiful lattice grid of lighting on the ceiling:
One booth in this area felt like a little den. I couldn't get a great picture because I don't generally want people in my photos (and funnily enough, when I poked my head in to look, my manager was there having lunch - ha! He's not the person seen in the photo, though). But here is the outside; it almost looks like a small log cabin:
Beyond this area, there are two private dining rooms, both of which are gorgeous. My only issue with them (as stated above) is that I don't think hot chicken sandwiches merit private dining. There must be some kind of demand for this, though.
The back hallway leads you to the private dining:
This workstation in this hallway could almost pass as residential decor:
And then you come to the first of two private dining rooms. I loved the first one:
Finally, if you continue past this one, you come to the second private dining room at the end of the hall. This one is darker and more brooding. It's the heaviest and most formal space in the restaurant:
I'm not sure what that centerpiece was (well driftwood, succulents, and moss), but here is a close-up:
I always love to try new places, and this was great eye candy, really good food, but terrible value. I would not discourage you from trying Hen Quarter if you are okay with a $38 sandwich lunch :)
Hen Quarter
6629 Riverside Drive
Dublin, OH 43017
614.905.1666
M-Th 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sun 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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