Marseille: Warm, Sophisticated Mediterranean Newcomer Enchants
Apr 25 '02
The Bottom Line One of the most inviting and astonishingly good “serious” restaurants in the theater district. A far more exciting and lively production than most musicals on Broadway today.
On our first visit to Marseille, the maitre d’ took the time to chat with us after dinner about our dishes and overall dining experience. On our second visit, the manager greeted us by name and seated us at one of the nicest tables in the restaurant. On our third visit, it was like having dinner at an old friend’s house. Not only did the manager welcome us warmly, but our server also remembered us from a previous visit, and the familiarity (but not over-familiarity) lent a certain affable quality to the entire meal. Marseille, a stylish, vibrant Mediterranean restaurant on the edge of the Theater District, succeeds on so many levels, not the least of which is quality of service, an area that I find more and more neglected in most other establishments that I visit.
I have a short list of restaurants, which I consider to be “my regulars.” Marseille is quickly becoming a favorite on that list. Being a frequent restaurant diner, I find that the number of times that I have that wow! near-ecstasy encounter at a restaurant is becoming increasingly uncommon. When servers come by to inquire about our dishes, I catch myself nodding perfunctorily and murmuring lukewarm responses as the servers hurry away to perform this ritual check-in with their other customers. These experiences are disheartening, even for the most avid restaurant goer. So, praise the heavens for places like Marseille where the food makes my taste buds dance with joy.
But first, a glass of wine. During my first meal at Marseille, our eminently knowledgeable server recommended a glass of Marques de Alella, a heady yet light white wine from Parxet, Spain that captures the fragrance of an entire apple orchard in one glass. Never has a wine so epitomized spring in my mind.
At this point, I started to feel a warm flush spreading over my face. There is a sensual quality to the restaurant with its Art Nouveau, textured glass, amber colored lighting fixture in the center of the room, surrounded by deep red banquettes and chairs, and dark walnut tables. The melon-colored walls produced a lovely glow in the dim light, like sunset. Feeling a little tipsy, I reached for the silver cup filled with plain and poppy seed/fennel breadsticks as I began to peruse the menu.
Anytime I see the name of an unfamiliar vegetable, I am strangely drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I suppose I find it amazing that the earth can produce such an extraordinary variety of edible products, yet most of us experience so little of it through our local grocery store. Funny looking vegetables are a particular source of fascination for me. I thought Jerusalem artichokes might fall under that category, which was why I was attracted to the Jerusalem Artichoke Soup ($9). It turns out that the Jerusalem artichoke is not really an artichoke at all. Rather, it is a root vegetable, like a potato. The soup had a rich fullness that lingered in my mouth. There was a slight graininess in its texture, but its flavor was smooth, accented by slivers of fresh ground black truffles. Tiny fried goat cheese ravioli were presented on the side.
On another visit, I tried the Vegetable Terrine ($8), a colorful, multi-layered triangle of various autumn vegetables. The sharp sweetness of the red peppers contrasted nicely with the soft, subdued undertones of the eggplant and zucchini. The tanginess of the sundried tomatoes pushed back against the sweetness of the bell peppers. This is an appetizer of distinct garden notes punctuated by a balsamic vinaigrette drizzle.
The most dazzling appetizer on the menu may be the Seafood Lasagna ($15), which features a medley of crab meat, mussels and cockles, blanketed by a layer of green-and-white striped pasta. With each bite, there is a strong briny taste of the sea that fills your senses.
Unlike many other restaurants, Marseille’s strength lies in its main courses. Alex Ureña, Marseille's executive chef, has demonstrated enough boldness and creativity in crafting his entrees to make this food lover stand up and applaud. It is not so much that the ingredients are unusual; rather it’s the new and innovative ways in which he throws them together.
Perhaps my favorite entrée on the regular menu is the Black Olive Crusted Salmon ($18). Generally, I am not fond of salmon, a fish that manages to be simultaneously overly fishy and utterly bland. Marseille’s salmon transcended all my misgivings. The filet of salmon was perfectly tender yet firm with a strong oceanic flavor that was not at all unpleasant. The earthy black olive tapenade crust was like the exclamation point at the end of a sentence. The salmon was accompanied by a nice mix of vegetables, including cabbage and pearl onions, which were enhanced by a carrot ginger sauce.
The Moroccan Tuna ($24) was a special on the night we ordered it, but I believe some form of it has now made it on to the regular menu, and what a smart move that was. Chef Ureña’s marvelous sense of textures and flavors really shines though in this dish. An extremely tender piece of delicate pink tuna sat elegantly atop a foundation of mashed potatoes. The satiny tuna was crowned by crushed pistachios and sprigs of parsley, basil, frisee onions and an unbelievable blend of Moroccan spices. Each bite was so delicious that I never wanted it to end.
On another night, I sampled the Sauteed Halibut ($22), an entrée with more French influences than other selections on the menu. The pristine white halibut was matched with long, willowy leeks, nutty shiitake mushrooms, and a pungent truffle sauce. There was a buttery quality to this dish, which made it a little heavy for my taste, but it was nonetheless expertly prepared.
Though seafood is clearly a strength of the kitchen, I consider the Poached Chicken ($18) to be one of the standout dishes of this restaurant. Never have I tasted such a silky, tender, baby-soft chicken, completely devoid of grease but full of flavor. The secret? Chef Ureña poaches the chicken in beurre blanc. It is served with a sweet and tangy dried fruit sauce and a thick cashew puree, an inspired combination to be sure.
During our several visits, Mr Epicure and I (with the help of good friends) have managed to make our way through the majority of Marseille’s dessert offerings. The hands-down winner is the Date Sponge Cake ($8). I shied away from it on my first visit, thinking it would be too heavy and cloying, but I reconsidered when our server told us it was his favorite. And right he was. The cake itself was very light and springy with only a hint of date flavor. It was topped with a luxuriously chewy chopped date compote, surrounded by hazelnuts and accompanied by a scoop of caramel ice cream. Such a harmonious blend of flavors in a rather unusual dessert.
The other desserts, though good, paled in comparison. Marseille’s Peanut Butter Tart ($7), recently featured in the food issue of New York magazine, offered a sophisticated take on a child’s after-school snack. Frozen chocolate and peanut butter mousse stacked on top of a chocolate crust was tempered by a scoop of slightly bitter celery sorbet.
The Warm Apple Compote ($7) could have used some balancing ingredients. Essentially a chunky spiced applesauce, the compote was flavored with a ton of cinnamon and sugar, losing much of the natural flavor of the fruit. The apple cider sorbet that accompanied it was intriguing though – it had a bit of a bite to it.
The brightly flavored, tropical Fruit Ceviche ($8) fared much better. A white and dark chocolate swirled bowl held a delightful mix of fresh strawberries, peaches and plums, served with mango ginger sorbet and a tapioca pudding. The tapioca was excellent - not too runny - almost like a sweet risotto, each large grain distinct.
One of two chocolate desserts on the menu, the Chocolate Bunuelo ($7) was sadly unsatisfying both in its size and lack of creativity. Two small donut holes sat on a white rectangular plate. Molten chocolate liquid lay hidden inside each one. Two bites later, they were gone. A small scoop of chocolate sorbet provided little consolation. One suggestion that I might have for the restaurant is to offer some seasonal specials on the dessert menu the same way that they do on the regular menu. Though it hasn’t happened yet, one of these days I just may grow tired of the Date Cake.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the wonderful ambiance and service at Marseille though. The servers are extremely knowledgeable about each of the dishes, and their enthusiasm for the food is heart-warming. They are also very genuine and have a way of making you feel comfortable, regardless of whether you are having the most expensive dish on the menu or merely an appetizer. Even my phone calls with the reservationist have been pleasant experiences, a rarity for popular restaurants, I assure you. Rather than haughtily informing me that they are fully committed for a particular evening, he or she usually tries to find some other availability to accommodate me or offers to call me in case of a cancellation. With this kind of reception and Chef Ureña’s sublime cooking, how can I resist another visit.
Address: 630 Ninth Avenue (at 44th Street), New York, NY
Telephone: 212-333-2323
Attire: Nice casual. You will see some diners more dressed up given the restaurant’s proximity to the theater district.
Child friendly: Yes, if well-behaved. All of the servers are remarkably down-to-earth and will make you feel comfortable instantly.
Vegetarian friendly: Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Epicure
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 100 members
About Me:
I generally avoid temptation....unless I can't resist it.
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