Markt

[alacarte]

If you weren't already aware, Belgian beer-and-frites haven moved from its roomy home in the Meatpacking district to a teeny new spot in Chelsea (6th ave and 21st St -- formerly the home of the dismal Sensa, formerly Tomato, and before that the late lamented Lox Around The Clock)

Although I miss the elbow room of the old spot, the menu is unchanged as far as I can tell, and the frites still are spot-on, golden and crisp. No wonder the room is now as packed as grubby Sensa used to be echoingly empty.

While they still are working out some kinks (read: pleasant, knowledgeable, but slow service...needs more waitstaff...and the acoustics are LOUD when the place is full) I am impressed by the FOH great attitude.

We didn't have a reservation, but the maitre'd still produced a table. When the table was snapped up because I was running late, the maitre'd found room at the bar for mr. alacarte to wait. When mr. alacarte got up to look for me, and the bar seat was occupied upon his return, the maitre'd was apologetic and offered to refresh mr alacarte's drink, on the house. And he was visibly, genuinely disappointed to hear that mr alacarte was drinking...water. The entire exchange was surprisingly endearing.

Edited April 23, 2007 by alacarte (log)

[oakapple]

The g/f and I dined there last night. No complaints about the food, but the server was somewhat rude. He showed obvious impatience that we didn't instantly know what we wanted. After we'd sent him away twice, he came back and said, "Well, what'll it be?" At the end of the meal, after we declined to order dessert, it took all of about 30 seconds for him to plunk down a check, although we clearly had quite a bit of wine yet to finish.