Banq Restaurant + Bar Adds Award-winning Sommelier

banQ Co-Owner's Mark Raab and Hemant Chowdhury announce the edition of Geoffrey Fallon to the internationally recognized restaurant's team.

Recipient of Wine Spectator's coveted Award of Excellence for the past seven years, Geoffrey Fallon, has joined banQ restaurant + bar as the restaurant's new bar manager and sommelier. Fallon is already making some big changes, having re-vamped the restaurant's wine list as well as banQ's overall approach to wine. Fallon is just as committed to his patrons as he is to wine, which is why he has instituted a Sunday Night Wine Club, which gives guests the opportunity to experience special, high-end wine at cost both by the glass or bottle.

On Sundays Fallon offers wines such as a 2007 Livio Felluga "Terre Alte", Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy, which normally sells for $160 a bottle in restaurants, but is offered for only $64 a bottle or by the glass for $16.

"I love good wine and I love to share that experience," says Fallon. "Being able to offer patrons a wine at cost, one that they typically might not be able to try, is one way we can show appreciation for our guests."

After getting his B.A. in creative writing at Eastern Michigan University, Fallon moved to Boston to pursue a career in stand up comedy, but this did not quite pay the bills, so he decided to join friends in the restaurant business. Fallon learned a lot about the industry through direct experience, starting as a busser and eventually working his way up to beverage director/sommelier. It was the personable staff, intriguing menu and overall uniqueness of the restaurant that drew Fallon, wine chair for "Cooking for a Cause" 2005-2009 and recurring luminary at the Nantucket Wine Festival, Tanglewood Wine and Food Festival and Martha's Vinyard Harvest Festival, to banQ.

"The menu is a joy to pair wine with," states Fallon, who admits that at first he thought it may be difficult because of the many different levels of flavors, but then came to realize that it was the unique, varied flavors that made it interesting.

Fallon's wine philosophy dictates that the wine menu should represent the restaurant. He achieves this by carefully selecting wine to pair with the food, while also including a wide variety of styles and flavors. To Fallon, the wine and/or cocktails are a part of the dinner, incorporated into the night's experience, not just an afterthought.

At banQ, Fallon has also been given a chance to experiment with drinks. He enjoys experimenting with different flavors and ingredients; currently using unique ingredients such as tamarind paste, cucumber puree, lemongrass, Thai basil and agave nectar. Fallon is able to display his creativity through banQ's new specials, including Thursday's weekly Mojito Madness when Fallon creates five unique mojitos all priced at five dollars.

Fallon knows dinner should be a night out, a social experience with food, wine and friends. This is something that he believes all should be able to enjoy and the reasoning behind the creation of banQ's new Mojito Madness, 2 for 20 special (a pitcher of sangria for two and an appetizer from the bar for only $20) and the Sunday Night Wine Club.

Keep up on everything going on at banQ at Geoffrey's blog: banqblog.blogspot.com

banQ is open for dinner Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30pm-10.30pm and Thursday through Sunday from 5:30pm- 11:00 pm. banQ is open for Sunday brunch from 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. banQ is also offering a special *CD - 3 course prix fixe at $29.95- available Sundays thru Thursdays from 5:30pm- 7:30pm and $5 Bar Menu offered nightly from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm. banQ is located at 1375 Washington Street, for reservations please call 617-451-0077. www.ban