Up to now Chicago has never had a real brasserie–those brightly lit, lively, spacious restaurants Paris is full of, where hearty Alsatian dishes merge with high spirits and free-flowing wine and beer. (The word actually means “brewery.”) Brasseries are where you often come with a crowd, any time of night, to eat a full meal or just to slurp up a liter of beer and a snack.
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Marche, which means “market,” is the current hot spot for the club crowd, like Vivo attracting a chicly dressed army of traders, lawyers, and media and entertainment celebs. The place is theatrical: A pair of huge carved mahogany doors open onto a vast warehouselike space, with a large open cooking area to the right and a fabulous, undulating granite bar ahead to the left. A huge center aisle leading to the bathrooms and the coat check lets you display yourself to the drinkers and two tiers of diners on the right, many in velvet banquettes. Local artists have painted bright, expressionist collages onto the large square pillars, and massive art-nouveau chandeliers light the room brightly. It’s almost always crowded–and very noisy. The place has a blaring sound system, and it’s built to amplify, not muffle sound.
A splendid tuna starter ($8) encrusted with coriander seed was seared crisply on the outside but virtual sushi in the center, pumped up with a spot of horseradish. The smoked salmon ($9) was smooth and unctuous, strewn with fresh fennel and dabbed with a lemony aioli. The most definitively bistro-type starter was brandade ($5), a creamy puree of potatoes and salt cod blended with fine olive oil, enough for two and perfect for spreading on toast rounds. It was accompanied by sprigs of watercress in a light dressing. Onion soup ($5), another bistro staple, was a little sweeter than I prefer but mercifully not inundated with cheese. The day’s special, butternut squash soup ($5), was pure satin.
No complaints about the desserts, other than not having left enough room for them. Green apple sorbet with cider and fresh apples was refreshing ($5). The chocolate pot de creme ($3) was a perfect pudding; the mousse of bittersweet chocolate with Armagnac ($5) went it one better in lightness. If you’re a real glutton for sweetness go for the Coconut Bavarian with triple vanilla anglaise ($4).
