My previous post on Chelsea Market Cafe at Serendra made me realize we had eaten at a restaurant near the Chelsea Market Mall on the last trip to New York. My nephew, an investment banker with Lehman Brothers, recently moved into an 
apartment in the neighborhood and he invited us to dine with him at Markt a Belgian Bistro that had recently transferred from another location on the East side… I told you Chelsea was one of the “hipper” new young neighborhoods… At any rate, despite it being NEWLY ensconced at that location, I suspect the feel or character of this restaurant is exactly what all “wannabee” pinoy bistro equivalents are trying to emulate, but just don’t manage to get… this corner restaurant serving authentic Belgian fare is rather impressive… a huge and impressive antique bar, old and heavy furniture and careful attention to details such as bread pans, cutlery, glasses, tablechloths, etc. really help to make you feel like you have entered a restaurant in a different city…
My personal photos are horrific, I was too embarrassed to take ones with flash and my camera isn’t the best so you should go to the link to the restaurant if you want a better idea of what it looks like. That evening we had a simple dinner… First, several bottles of Stella Artois beer to get into the mood… then a really rich and deeply flavored 
lobster bisque or a intensely tomatoey tomato soup. There was a superb goat cheese salad, a hefty serving of steak tartare and two versions of the house specialty, mussels. I had the Mussels Provencale that included tomato, fennel, garlic, spices in a huge serving (good enough for two or more!), and my nephew had Mussels steamed with White Wine. For dessert we tried a Tarte au Citron with raspberry ice cream. With a few glasses of wine and softdrinks and a coffee or two, the total bill came out to roughly $30 per person of P1,350… The food? Delicious, the value for money considering the place, the city, the portions, etc., terrific! Actually, considering the meal at Markt was just 60% more than a meal at Serendra, (considering wages are 10x higher, rent 5-8x higher, food costs maybe higher, equipment and maintenance and taxes higher in NYC) you really have to wonder what makes local restaurant food so relatively pricey…
Markt
676 6th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
12 Responses
I have always wondered how those bloggers from SG and MY can ever pull it off. Eat at destination restaurants and bring home impressive pix of what they had for dinner (yours btw, catch just the right atmosphere). Will definitely drain all my aplomb if I ever as much as consider doing that. Ditto with not complying with dress codes.
A desperate customer was just able to McGyverishly fashion a necktie out of a length of battery cable that was the only thing he found in his car so the Maitre’d reluctantly ushered him in murmuring under his breath, Well alright sir, but please don’t start anything…
we happen to have a belgian bar here that sells stella artois. but it is far from classy or hip. it’s a place ironically called Paradise, located on the corner of the street where the lights are red and women roam to sell flesh. so if you’re itching for some good imported beer (‘Beers Paradise’ boasts of selling 100 varieties of bottled beer, though mostly belgian), and if you don’t mind heading over to p.burgos, drinking amidst white meat together with their long-haired dark-skinned GROs, then you should check out this hole-in-the wall Belgian bar on Polaris st. or just purchase a few bottles to go with your sumptuous meal at home.
a bottle of stella artois costs 150 bucks the last time i was there. and they had other belgian selections on tap.
Apicio, while I was at college, and on a visit to New York City, a sister and her husband took me out to dinner and upon entering Le Cirque, the manager quickly, deftly, naturally pulled out a dark blue “house” blazer and helped me put it on before I entered the dining room. Although I managed to appear unflustered, I have NEVER had to do that again… filet minion, Stella in Manila? That is really good to know, in case I need some for a Belgian themed meal at home…thanks for the heads up!
MM, Beer Paradise is worth the trip to Polaris St. So the ambiance is anemic, but hey, each type of beer they serve has its own branded glass! It’s a great place to drink in peace and you know for sure no one is going to insist on a blazer when you enter :)
Myra, sounds like a “nice” place… and I can probably walk in in a sando and fit right in… :)
Mmm… mussels… I have two Belgian coworkers, and both of them immediately say “mussels” when I ask them what I should eat if I ever find myself in Belgium.
I’ll try my best to check out Markt the next time I’m in Manhattan.
thanks for the tip filet mignon. just saw a feature on stella artois so i’m glad i can give it a try here. then off to the filling station for some breakfast..=)
hello MM! i havent tried drinking stella yet. does it taste a lot like any of our local beers?
To me, it seems to have more flavor, but of what, I am not an expert…malt, hops, etc??
If in Beers Paradise and looking for a Belgic brew, you might want to consider ordering the Hoegaarden (which they have on tap) instead of the Stella (which is served in a bottle). Fresher is better!
We’ve got excellent restaurants in London. Too many to mention.
I’ve been to Belgium a few times. According to my English husband, Belgian beers are the best.
….IF YOU DO FIND YOURSELVES BACK IN THE CHELSEA AREA, TRY “FIVE NINTH “…..QUITE NICE…NOT BRASH, BUT HOT AT THE MOMENT ….IF YOU CUT OUT ALL THE TRENDINESS AND THE HOT SCENE, YOU WILL STILL FIND GREAT SUBSTANTIAL FOOD THAT IS QUITE UNIQUE…GREAT FRO LATE DINNERS….TRY FATTY CRAB TOO….