Monday, October 13, 2008

The Best “Undiscovered” Restaurant - The Market

When I first walked into the Market, I was immediately taken in with the alluring atmosphere, and was greeted by a friendly host and wait staff that promptly seated us. I noticed the elegant white linen tables, flickering candles, and soaring ceilings surrounded by old stone walls placed well over a hundred years ago. But looks can be deceiving.


Instead of the typical high priced, gourmet fare of many Napa Valley restaurants, The Market offers classic American cuisine at reasonable prices. Their goal is to be a simple neighborhood restaurant, serving food made from fresh seasonal ingredients from the local markets, as their name suggests.

It is a casual attire restaurant, but I notice that many patrons are quite dressed up, while others come in blue jeans and sweaters. While its atmosphere suggests formality and high-end (and high price) cuisine, this restaurant is anything but stuffy.


We started the dinner with their appetizer special—spring rolls with black beans and goat cheese. They were incredible. For my main course I opted for the chopped market salad with seasonal vegetables, hardboiled egg and mustard vinaigrette for $8.50. I also tried the market burger with ½ lb natural Angus beef, cheddar and grilled sweet onions and fried for $11.95.


They also offer 3 course dinner specials that change nightly for around $32 and a 3 course lunch for around $24. I love their gourmet take on American classic “comfort” foods such as mac and cheese and fish and chips (but these are champagne battered), and the buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and cornbread is not to be missed.


Every now and then, after dining at places where everything is new, rare, and foreign, it’s nice to eat something that reminds us of grandma’s home cooking, and delight in our childhood comfort foods—now just a bit more grown-up.


Written by Karen

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