Following the fantastic blogger dinner at Alma, my pal Lisa and I decided to meet up for a Restaurant Week lunch. We picked Marty’s Market, since neither of us had been there before and were both eager to try it out.
I got there a little early and kicked things off with a latte. Marty’s Market is serious about their coffee, both in the quality of the product and the execution of the drink. The barista was SUCH a barista! He had a beard and a jacket with suede elbow pads. I wanted to take a picture of him making the drink because it was just so stereotypical coffee house (of the friendly variety, he was not snobby), but I didn’t want to be a creeper. The latte was delicious and pretty and everything wonderful.
Lisa and I both opted for the price fixe lunch, and actually made the same selections for each course. The first course was a beet salad. From the menu, I assumed it would be a salad made primarily of beets, not a green salad with beets on top of it. Even though I was confused about the dish, it was a good salad. I’m always happy when a green salad is not the same old iceberg/tomato/onion song and dance, and this salad was made of fancy curly lettuce and was generously portioned. While generously portioned entrees put me in a battle with my waistline, I’m always thrilled to get a generously portioned salad.
The entree was boef bourginion (spelled incorrectly, I’m sure). Let’s just say French beef stew. The noodles were fresh and cooked perfectly. The stew as a whole was hearty and a good tummy filler for this cold day. Although Marty’s has a good start on this recipe, it does need a little tweaking. The broth needed a stronger flavor, probably more onions. I added salt to the dish, which is something I very rarely do. It was not a bad dish by any means, it just needs some work before it can be considered a really great one.
The finale really stole the show. The pot au creme was just delicious. I’m wary of cacoa nibs because I don’t much like dark chocolate, but they, along with the dollop of creme fraiche, perfectly complemented the thick, flavorful pudding. The dish was perfectly portioned that your sweet tooth was completely satisfied, but you’re not overwhelmed by too much dessert.
I would happily return to Marty’s Market cafe. The food was high quality, the service fast and attentive, and it was an all around great place. I like that there is a parking garage right there, so you won’t have to drive in circles around the strip district to park your car. Also, since it’s not a parking garage exclusively for Marty’s, you can park there, grab a bite at Marty’s, then go wander down to the strip for more shopping. Marty’s recently has been offering a number of events like butchering demonstrations and wine tastings. I need to get there soon, because I’m sure they are excellent.
