With spring, comes renewal. Diners left bereft by the shuttering of beloved Belgian restaurant, Markt, can now celebrate its recent reopening. Even better, if you were sick of the trendy undertow of the Meatpacking District, Markt is now nestled in Chelsea on Sixth Avenue, surrounded by Bed Bath & Beyond, The Container Store and Old Navy—the antithesis of hip.
I came across the new version by accident, not knowing it hadn’t been dealt a permanent death knell. Seeing that new life had been breathed into it, I immediately called my fellow foreign-born friends, Alexandra and Liam. Both had joyously whiled away many boozy hours over the years at Markt and were nearly distraught over its closing. Alexandra, who is Dutch, and I, met in front of the restaurant at 5:30 for dinner, not sure if it would even be open that early. But the bar was already well stocked with imbibers of their long list of brews, a testament to the loyalty of its following.
Located on the corner of West 21st Street, the new space is less than half the size of the old spot, and, save for a few windows in the front that can open out in warm weather, it’s not nearly as bright. But it retains all of the old European accents, including the light fixtures and dark wood. Unlike its former self, this Markt didn’t feel like the bar was merely an afterthought—far fewer tables allow the bar patrons their space, though the noise level remains cacophonous.
Alexandra started with the Salade Verte D'Endives Et Mache ($8), and I had the Soupe De Tomates ($7), which was hearty, but not heavy, and drizzled with pesto. This was essence of tomato, but not overwhelmingly sweet. The menu still emphasizes seafood, so Alexandra went with the Moules À La Coriandre ($16), mussels steamed with cilantro, curry and cream, and I opted for the Pätes Au Crabe, fettuccini with Chesapeake Bay crabmeat in tomato sauce ($18).
The mussels were plump and abundant, and the chef didn’t skimp on my crabmeat either. Despite the fact that fettuccini is not a Flemish specialty, this dish was superior to what I’ve had at many Italian places where they serve a bland mass of noodles. To drink, we ordered a couple of Stellas ($5)—our old standby—one of the many beers on tap in addition to dozens of blondes, ales and dessert options.
For dessert, our waiter recommended the Gratin De Fruits Rouges ($8), fresh mixed berries with a Hoegaarden sabayon, an Italian dessert sauce made with eggs and sugar, which was new to the menu. Being an authentic Belgian waiter, we trusted him and decided to split it. Of course he was right; the dish was light and just sweet enough.
Excellent service also included an extremely solicitous host who came over to inquire as to how our meal was, a nicety that was virtually unheard of at the old Markt.
My friend, Liam, showed up at the bar later that night, bringing a few friends who were visiting from Ireland. He dearly missed the old location, but was thankful that the new spot lacked pretension. Alexandra and I will surely become regulars, definitely proving that Europeans are happily embracing Markt’s makeover, which preserved its essence—including great food and a boisterous scene—but purged the place of (most of its) affectation. So on behalf of the Dutch, I say het tij is ten goede gekeerd—loosely translated to mean happy days of moules and frites are here again.
Markt
676 Sixth Avenue (at W. 21st St.)
212-727-3314
