Market Table

[zEli173]

Doesn't appear to be a thread yet so I'll start it up. Going tonight for the first time. Any suggestions? I'll follow up with the results.

[Noodlebot]

My favorite items (went last weekend) were scallops in bacon and lamb shank.

[zEli173]

Less than blown away.

I've only had brunch at Little Owl, but if dinner there is on the same level as Market Table, then all the affection it garners is somewhat inexplicable. If that is indeed the case, then I have to imagine that the Little Owl buzz is just a case of some run away hype bandwagon. Considering that Market Table is more or less a sequel to Little Owl, it's not surprising that the younger sibling is already beginning to bask in the glow of undue attention and figures to receive even more in due time. I for one went to Market Table thinking that it would be on par with all the great things I have heard about Little Owl. This isn't to say Market Table is a bad restaurant (in fact, it's a good restaurant), or that the operators have any reason to apologize for the praise it may find, it just didn't make the great impression I expected.

The menu is, if anything, consistent -- solid sounding dishes from top to bottom. But nothing leaps out either. Execution was sound but not flawless. We chose the gravlox to start and two other seafood dishes for our mains. The gravlox itself was a very nice example which was thoughtfully arranged on a piece of pumpernickel. Unfortunately, the other half of the dish, a salad composed mainly of frisee and hard boiled egg, did nothing for me.

My main was the swordfish with crispy onions over corn and avocado. I very much liked the corn-avocado both on it's own and as a sweet and somewhat rich counterpoint to the swordfish. The fish was well seasoned and cooked just slightly more than I'd like. My girlfriend had the halibut over mashed potatoes and zucchini. The mashed potatoes were nice, the zucchini I didn't try, the halibut was a bit more overcooked than the swordfish.

For desert she had the pear-apple crumble and I had the chocolate vanilla cheesecake. The crumble was the best thing we ordered. The fruit was perfectly cooked with just the right balance of sweet and tang, and the crumble was spot on. Topped off with a scoop of Il Lab Mascarpone gelato, this was a delicious desert for any time of year but especially the Fall. The cheesecake was totally in the vein of the rest of the meal; agreeable but hardly memorable.

The room is very nice, the location is terrific, our server was kind and attentive, the food is appealing, and the prices are reasonable. In theory, Market Table is a restaurant I would return to on occasion, the neighbors would cherish, and those form farther afield would appreciate. But the experience is not nearly enough of a reward to justify the foresight and diligence needed to secure a reservation. In practice Market Table's popularity will both keep me bewildered and keep me away.

Edited November 3, 2007 by zEli173 (log)