I'm not sure why an established gastro pub wouldn't publicize its name, but once you find it, you will want to go back. Black Market follows the trend of a lot of restaurants lately where they serve small plates for the diners to share and recommend 2-3 plates per person. While I appreciate this style of dining as it allows me to try many items on the menu, I also find it quite frustrating as I need to make sure I select a balanced meal. I also never know what order the food will come in, and have often found that the food either comes 2 plates at a time or with long gaps in between.
That said, the food was quite enjoyable and the service was great. If you are a picky eater, this place is not for you as the menu reads "We respectfully decline substitutions & modifications." We started with the Crispy Squash Blossoms. There were only two burrata stuffed blossoms and a large helping of salad. The salad also seemed to contain chunks of parmesan cheese which was not listed on the menu. I love squash blossoms so I was pleased with the item - I just felt that the ratio of salad to blossom was off.
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| Crispy squash blossom, burrata, zucchini, fried herb vinaigrette, walnuts |
Brussel sprouts - yum! I can't really say that the almonds or grapes made a difference, but the brussel sprouts were amazing. They were served slightly cooler than I would have liked, but it could be because they were served before I finished the squash blossom salad and cooled while they waited.
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| Charred brussel sprouts, almonds, grapes, parmigiano-reggiano |
When we got the bill this item read Peaches and Cream. I do think that is the best description for it. The sushi lover in me silently hoped that the saba was Japanese mackerel, but yet was thankful that it wasn't as that would not have been a good flavor combination. Instead saba is like a balsamic vinegar. Much like the burrata dish we had the other night, the ratio of burrata to crostini was off, but the burrata was so creamy I just didn't care. Well, actually I wish the empty plate would have been around for when I got the garlic baguettes with my mussels and there was too much yummy olive oil and saba at the bottom of the plate going to waste.
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| Burrata, roasted peach, speck, saba |
This next dish was the most disappointing of the six that we had. I can't even say much about it. It was just okay and with Take A Bao across the street competing for bao business, you would think that Black Market wouldn't even bother to try. The other issue with this dish is that it was difficult to share as once I cut it down the middle it sorta fell apart.
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| Chicken bao, pickled shrooms, scallion, carrot, savoy cabbage |
I love Korean food and I love kimchi, so this dish was a hit. Plus my husband had been craving chicken wings, so this satisfied that need as well. The wings were the perfect combination of crispy, savory and not too spicy. The kimchi, however, was HOT. I only had one bite of it and left the rest for my husband who informed me that based on his experience, cucumber kimchi is always hotter than the traditional cabbage kimchi.
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| Spicy korean chicken wings, cucumber kimchi |
Mussels. These were my husband's choice. I'm not a mussel girl, originally because of how they look, and then because they just can't compete with clams or crab. Admittedly, I was not fond of the broth they were cooked in, but it did work well with the tasty garlic baguette. I just basically ate the baguette and let my husband dine away on his beloved mussels.
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| Mussels, fennel, chili, garlic baguette |
All in all Black Market was a good dining experience and exactly what we needed on a casual Friday night. I just wish they had a sign - it really bothers me.
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