The Market

Last night, I went out with some of my girlfriends. We wanted something nice, with a good atmosphere, and great food. My friend, Erin, suggested we try The Market, a local seafood restaurant that recently relocated to the downtown area. I was already a huge fan of The Market and was quick to agree. However, I had no idea what a pleasant surprise it would be when I walked through the door.

To fully appreciate what I am about to describe to you, you have to understand the state of the previous location that The Market occupied. It was a bit dark and dingy. The bathrooms weren't very nice. The space was crowded and cramped. It was a hole in the wall kind of place with incredible food. Now, imagine brick walls, a great bar area, great lighting, huge windows, four different little areas with tables, and, of course, great food.

I arrived a few minutes late and was a bit taken aback by the very chic feel of the room. When I arrived at the table there were already water glasses on the table. The menus were similar to the old ones, as far as style goes, and the food was exactly the same. We were given a wine list and this was the second surprise of the evening.

The Market didn't have a liquor licence before and people brought their own. It was a part of the uniqueness that is The Market. However, they now have a liquor license, thus the wine list. We were told that they painstakingly went over the list to make sure that they had a good variety, not only in wine, but in price as well. It makes sense seeing as people have been able to spend as little or as much as they wanted on a wine that they specifically chose. A great wine list is somewhat vital. The wine list was divided into three categories; The Pontoon Boat List, The Sailboat List, and Your First Yacht List. I thought this was an exceptionally clever way to provide a pricing list.

Appetizers were next on the agenda. We had the "Crispy Okra", which is just a fancy way to say "fried okra." It's served uncut and fried and is absolutely divine. We split this between six of us and it was just enough. After appetizers, we ordered our main courses. I had the grilled salmon and it was delicious. I ordered two sides of salad and cheese grits and both were delectable. The other girls ordered halibut, crab, and The Market Special, which is a stuffed something or another. I wish I had paid more attention to that.

Dessert consisted of Key Lime Pie and Bread Pudding. The Bread Pudding is my personal favorite. It's Bread Pudding (obviously) and it is huge! Erin and I split it and it was more than enough. It is served with Bourbon sauce that has been heated. To die for, let me tell you!

As we sat there, the lights were lowered and the mood was set. I should have mentioned earlier that the music was fantastic, as well. We sat and chatted for a long time, but it seemed not very long at all. The service was excellent and everything was so tastefully done.

All in all, a wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back.