Quincy goes uptown, gets tapas bar & lounge

Great conquerors are always pushing forward in a bold effort to culturally enlighten new areas –- like bringing modern weapons to Asia, horses to North America, or cute, tiny, harmless pox to Peru. Now boldly bringing small plates to Quincy, Kama Lounge & Bistro Chi, soft open now.

From a family that owns four other neighborhood joints but was eager to bring Quincy that missing tapas link, KL/BC serves cocktails and comfortable Chinese fare in an elegant 60-seat beige dining room adjacent to a chandeliered all-black lounge w/ 12-seat bar, leather couches, and a row of short tables/stools that can't believe you just called them short, because they're not short, they're average sized. The tiny biting starts off with "Peking" glazed warm duck confit w/ crispy pork rind; sweet purple mustard eggplant petals glazed w/ Kabayaki sauce; a tomolive-topped country fried steak and potato puree; and a truffle oil, Amaretti, and hazelnut foamed mushroom cappuccino, which keeps you super awake so you can keep admiring the vivid colors in that field. Because lounges are made for imbibing, there're over 25 wines, sangria, and scorpion bowls to accompany an eclectic list of cocktails and martinis like the Cabana (citrus vodka and watermelon liquor); the gin, St. Germain, and pear pureed Pear Me Up; and a Champagne-topped pomegranate vodka/juice and pineapple treat called the Pom Queen, although outside of the dudes on your cheer squad, most people just call you Karl.

More traditional favorites include spicy shredded pork w/ bamboo shoots; beef/pineapple satay chow foon; and shrimp with candied walnuts, a dish that proves that in lieu of cultural enlightenment, you can always add a crap ton of sugar.