"Market is a multifaceted restaurant and sports bar." That's how the restaurant's Web site puts it, and, by gosh, that definition is as accurate as a strike that catches the inside corner of the plate.
(Jean Lachat/Sun-Times)
1113 W. Randolph Chicago,60607
Phone: 312-929-4787
Cuisine: American
Parking: Yes
Serving: Lunch Dinner
And just to drive home the point, the menu at this West Loop wonder chips away with designations like "Starting Line-up" (the appetizers), "Super Bowls" (salads, not soups), "Sand Wedges" (take a guess), and so on. Factor in a gazillion flat-screen TVs, a beer garden, a rooftop lounge, a sidewalk cafe, and there you have it.
With its liquor license finally in place (it was still pending when the restaurant opened May 1), getting a drink on one of my visits was quite a challenge, though eventually the beverage did arrive. And it wasn't all that easy to get some food, either. I waited an hour to get a burger. Apparently, the ticket "got lost" in the kitchen.
I was, to a certain extent, also having a problem reconciling the style of the menu with the nightclub-cum-sports bar atmosphere of the place. Who came up with the "cute" emphasis on food presentation, style and offerings? For example, a big, very imposing plastic chicken (or was it a rooster?) sat on the plate with the roasted chicken (there's a piece of chalk so you can write something on the breast of the plastic chicken). A fillet of salmon in a rowboat? The dipping sauces for the wings were in a bucket, as in "basket," attached to a backboard.
If you want us to take your food seriously -- and, quite remarkably, the food at Market is very good -- don't make it look like we are getting a kids' meal at a chain restaurant.
Let's start with the wings: "Idaho vs. Buffalo," marinated and spiced chicken wings. A half-order boasted six wings that were so good -- meaty, spicy, tangy -- they flew off the plate. Buried under the wings was a blue cheese potato skin that was so good, Market should market those on their own.
Lamb lollipops. Four meaty "pops" of tender, meaty, succulent lamb got an exotic Moroccan glaze along with preserved lemon that counterbalanced the flavors of these beauties.
As for that aforementioned chicken, it was another good dish. The half-chicken was so dark (almost black) on the outside, I figured it was a goner. Not so. The breast on this chicken ("chili rubbed," says the menu) was as plump as you'd find on a baby turkey. Meaty, moist and packed with good flavor. The fennel and apple slaw under the bird wasn't all that great (it had little taste to speak of).
Once the long-awaited burger finally arrived, "The Bull," a fresh-ground Black Angus beauty, was almost worth the wait. Cooked perfectly medium-rare, it was juicy, with a mineral taste associated with a good steak. It was topped with crispy peppered bacon and, would you believe, a glaze of Merkt's Cheddar! Fries came with it, and they had the perfect flavor and crispness.
During a lunch visit, I got acquainted with some sliders, four to an order. Two were braised beef short ribs, and two were barbecued pork. The meats were stacked between sturdy buns, all held together with a toothpick impaled with a cornichon and a grape tomato. I liked the sweet, flavorful pork better than the short ribs, which paled in comparison. But that's a fine point.
Had to try the pizza -- a Vesuvio, no less, which was far better than I expected. Very impressive. The excellent thin, crispy crust got a thin layer of Alfredo sauce that was quite well made. The toppings? Strips of cooked chicken and slivers of "Vesuvio" potatoes. There were even peas. Good flavor all around and admirable restraint with the garlic.
Last of all, I had to try the whitefish, which arrived in a miniature rowboat. The two fillets were fine -- pan-roasted to perfection. Must have been a leak in the boat, though, because the fingerling potatoes and asparagus tips were awash in the preserved lemon and white wine broth.
For dessert, it was the "giant chocolate chip cookie" a la mode. Served in a cast-iron skillet, the dark and light cookie was a bit dry around the edges and could have used a little more of the ice cream and a lot more of the chocolate syrup.
Pat Bruno is a local free-lance critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com. Listen to Pat Bruno talk about food and wine Tuesdays at 6:23 p.m. and 10:23 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 7:53 p.m. on WBBM News Radio 780-AM.
