The Market Place

Almost every week we go to our favourite cocktail bar, Bar Fresco. There used to be a great chef, I told you about, who made all these stunning bits&bites to go with the equally stunning cocktails. Who, later, appeared to be the brother of the bar owner!
One day we noticed he had left, there was another chef to replace him but that didn't do the trick...Now we know where he went, he opened his own restaurant 'The Market Place' just a few blocks away from the bar. He now delivers the hors d'oeuvre again to the bar, they come in pretty boxes, still warm.

I didn't know about the restaurant until I was in front of it. My love took me there on a surprise dinner, on the bike through the rain, which just made it even more romantic.
We were welcomed by the bar Fresco owner...he made his own cocktail corner in the small but pretty restaurant. A good move to attract people of all ages, and drinking makes hungry!
Then we met his brother, the chef, in his small but convenient kitchen. Now that he also shaved his head, the brothers look even more alike.

We couldn't choose from the menu as we had never been there before and everything was still new to us, so we ordered the chefs menu. We took a wine arrangement with it, you could taste all the wines they recommended with the menu for only Euro 10,-

- Tartare of salmon with toast. Wine: Muller Thurgau
- Tortellini of Branzino, salmon and lobster on a carpaccio of raw shrimp with spinach. Wine: Chardonnay
- Confit de Canard with a very creamy soft potato puree and spinach(again) and very cute carrots.
Wine: Sasella Rainoldi 2006
- Torta di Pane in chocolate with orange confiture and a quenelle of cream. Wine: Moscato Rosa from Sudtirol.

The products are fresh and the food is made with love and perfection. Some dishes, like the salmon and the duck, could use a little more 'joie de vivre'. Like a good tangy dressing( with the salmon) and a dried fruit sauce( with the duck). I liked the styling of the dessert the most, modern, simple and elegant.

The man who served our table, poured our wine and ran from table to table to do the same for the other customers, was humble and kind. You can still feel and see that it's a new restaurant, but one with a lot of potential. If there's a heart in it (and there is), people will feel that and it will be a success.

Tips from me to them:
- Candles on the tables (they seem to have forgotten about this romantic element in many Italian restaurants...)
- Hire a girl/woman too, she will give the place a little more warmness.
- Keep up the good work, you're one of my new favourite places!