FOOD 24 | BOROMAG.COM | JANUARY 2014 Marketa com es to the Market The French toast is a row of the most divine, deep fried brioche cubes on the planet, sitting in a puddle of caramel sauce and orange maple butter, crowned with sweetly bronzed bananas. The croque seniorita is a cheeky spin on the croque madame, replacing ham and gruyere with Serrano ham and manchego cheese on toast point pedestals for exquisite sous vide eggs, where the whites look as if they’ve been gently draped over the golden yolk. And the short rib hash is some of the juiciest, most tender cubes of short rib around, braised in apple cider and roasted to perfection. From a plump, crispy crab cake topped with a sous vide poached egg and béarnaise, to a frisee salad with maple glazed bits of smoked berkshire bacon, this ain’t your basic pancake breakast. The team behind Marketa means some business, and this definitely isn’t their first time at bat. Last month, the groups behind Butcher Bar and Central Sushi Lounge united forces for the opening of Marketa—a restaurant that somehow blends a gastropub, sidewalk café, rooftop garden, backyard patio, and late night lounge under one multilevel roof. The main dining room seats 100 guests, with a staircase ascending two stories to a private dining room for 30 guests, which is adjacent to a rooftop patio and garden. The backyard features a fire pit and additional seating for 30, with a wraparound sidewalk café providing several more. Dinner service will be from 5PM to midnight with a late night menu continuing until 2AM. Weekend brunch is Saturday and Sunday at 11AM. In the kitchen, Carlos Pico of La Morina teams up with Yair Lenchner—formerly of Milkflower, Jean-Georges, and The Mark—to develop a diverse menu marked with many Spanish influences. There’s a truffle grilled cheese spread with duck pate, deep-fried deviled eggs with sriracha, passion fruit pork belly with mint and grapefruit, and a burger with bacon jam, gruyere, and a fried egg. It is one of the best new patties in the neighborhood, beyond doubt. Lenchner will also be introducing some new toasts, like an eggplant parm with romesco, which join the croque seniorita. Entrees range from $13 to $21, with most snacks between $5 and $10, including boards of charcuterie and cheese. A full bar will feature cocktails, an international wine selection, and around 20 craft beers. “We are envisioning something like an Astoria social—sort of a Manhattan gastropub meets with an Astoria lounge,” explains Lenchner. “There is something for everyone.” 37-17 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103 (347) 813-4437 www.MarketaAstoria.com Yair Lenchner Carlos Pico
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