Everybody, it seems, is heading to dine at Marche these days, and I’m certainly not going to discourage them. The restaurant isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s lively and eye-catching and the food is very, very good.
Clearly, Marche is the flavor of the month among the beautiful people, who arrive by the carload to this cavernous space. As I walked out one night, Martina Navratilova, fresh from her Virginia Slims loss to one of the Maleeva sisters (Zeppo, I think, but I’m not sure), walked in. Clearly, word on Marche is getting around.
This is of some significance because Marche is the first French restaurant in Chicago to achieve supernova status. All the other ultrahip places in town-Bice, Centro, I Tre Merli, Scoozi and, of course, Marche’s sister-property, Vivo-are Italian. Most of the second-tier, mature hipster hangouts-Carlucci, Coco Pazzo-are Italian as well.
How did Marche crash this party? Well, start with the theatrics. Conceived as a grand-scale brasserie, Marche is awash in visual treats. You enter through a pair of massive mahogany doors, scootch past a set of heavy drapes you feel as though you’re sneaking backstage-and you’re confronted by a gaggle of images. To your left, a large granite bar and cafe area; straight ahead, a very long walkway that stretches to the coat-check (It’s fun to watch the more fashionably dressed patrons returning down that aisle, like models on a runway). All about you are more tricks-striped fabrics, curved walls, wildly painted pillars and oddly shaped ironwork-that suggest some sort of fusion between Jordan Mozer’s Vivere and Cirque du Soleil.
To the right, there is the two-tiered dining area, whose tables are angled to provide perfect views of the display kitchen, which takes up the northwest corner of the space. There, scads of cooks work behind a semicircular counter, in front of which stands chef Michael Kornick, his back to the crowd, directing the action like a master conductor.
Marche marks Kornick’s return to Chicago (he was chef at Gordon, The Eccentric and The Pump Room in Chicago before a two-year stint at the Four Seasons Boston), and by all reckoning it’s a successful one. Kornick’s bistro-ish menu displays a deft hand with the basics, plus a glimpse or two of imagination.
A duck leg and thigh confit is a very well-executed classic, with crispy skin and hearty flavor-the kind of duck confit that wins converts. Lamb shank, cooked and served on the bone, is a lusty dish, served with hearty, garlicky whipped potatoes. Not for the calorically timid.
Ribeye steak for two is presented whole, then carved in the kitchen and returned as thin, rectangular slices possessing very good flavor. Accompanying was a casserole of au gratin potatoes-sloppy eating, but good-and excellent, lightly dressed watercress.
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Seafood choices are less reliably interesting. A sauteed fluke was rather ho-hum, and a seared-scallops appetizer was similarly uninspiring. An exception was a superb skatewing, which had terrific flavor and flawless texture. Sauteed salmon fillet was perfectly pleasant, if nothing special, but the accompaniments-sauteed baby artichokes and very good asparagus-stole the show.
Soups are very good, from the solidly traditional French onion soup to an especially wonderful butternut squash soup, flavored with nutmeg and inlaid with a few slices of cooked apple. This was absolutely delicious. Salads include a fine signature Caesar salad and a very good salade Lyonnaise, billed on the menu as a frisee salad.
Appetizers are more traditional still, though nicely done. The steamed mussels are first-rate, and the kitchen wisely stays out of their way. Brandade is an acquired taste, a spread of cod, salt cod, potato and garlic served with crispy toast rounds. Grilled calamari, a tad undergrilled, is of impressive size, served with a nice tomato vinaigrette.
The lunch menu is similar to dinner, with a few extras. Marche makes a fine hamburger, with excellent frites; we were less impressed with a plate of rather gummy gnocchi.
Desserts are handled by Audrey Craig, who has been cooking with Kornick since 1986. The dessert list is very ambitious and reads like a wine list, the offerings subcategorized among chocolates, fruits, ice creams and custards. There seem to be no wrong choices.
The orange and chocolate creme brulee is a triumph; the sugar topping glazed until it’s like a sheet of ice. The coconut bavarian, topped with coconut tuilles, is also terrific; I had this many years ago when Craig cooked at Gordon, and it’s still great. The pecan caramel square, which resembles a fancy Rice Krispies Treat, is big enough to share and appropriately gooey. An armagnac-laced bittersweet chocolate mousse is sheer indulgence. And for a lighter finish there’s green-apple sorbet, spiked with crisp apple slices and given a touch of cider.
The dining room needs work. The odd-looking metal chairs are remarkably comfortable, and the room is cozy without being stuffy even when it’s freezing outside. Smoke infiltration is a real problem, however; wherever I sat in the room, it seemed a smoker was nearby. Kornick says his original plan of banishing smokers to the cafe area was derailed because there hasn’t been enough room; Marche, he says, has been attracting an inordinate number of smokers. This still is a problem in need of solution. The room is also, it seems, noisier than it has to be, thanks to a tendency to crank the sound system. It’s a bit too noisy on off nights and lunchtime; it can be downright deafening on weekend nights.
The original wine list, pricey and capricious, is being worked on. Kornick defends the premium bottles on his list by saying they were specifically requested by customers who order them. Fair enough. But the wine list still needs to become more user-friendly-especially because most of the waiters here know very little about the wines on the list.
That’s about the only complaint I have about the waiters, however, who seem uniformly poised, efficient, friendly and charming. What they lack in wine knowledge they make up for in menu familiarity; they’re quick with worthwhile recommendations and answer specific questions accurately.
Indeed, the only ominous note among all the happy noise from Marche is that the restaurant is pulling a fair amount of Vivo’s business. On the plus side, if you like Vivo but hate big crowds, this is as good a time as any to slide on over.
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(STAR)(STAR) Marche, 833 W. Randolph St., 312-226-8399. French. Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri., dinner 5:30-11 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 5:30 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat., closed Sun. Price range: Appetizers $5-$9, soups/salads $4-$8, entrees $9-$16, desserts $3-$5; dinner for two of appetizer, soup/salad, entree, dessert, tax and tip: $72. Credit cards: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Other: Wheelchair accessible; valet parking available.
Marche
833 W. Randolph St.
Voulez-vous Marche avec moi?
Rating system
(STAR)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Outstanding (STAR) Good
(STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Excellent Satisfactory
(STAR)(STAR) Very Good Unsatisfactory
Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.