This past weekend we had brunch with my parents at Markt, and lovely (and somewhat trendy) Belgian spot in Chelsea. I had just done a recipe demo at the Union Square Greenmarket on behalf of the Natural Gourmet (where I went to school). Since I had to drop some things off at the school after the demo, Markt was the perfect place to meet as it is half a block away. Dave and I had been once before with friends and were excited to go back for another delicious brunch.
Dave and my dad ordered some Belgian beers, while my mom and I sipped sparkling water. We kicked off the meal by ordering the bread basket, which was a bit of a disappointment. The croissants were tasty (especially the chocolate one) but the breadsticks weren’t that great, and I thought that the basket in general should have been more diverse. But, the good news was that the basket proved to be the only blip in an otherwise delectable brunch experience.
Dave ordered the homemade waffle with assorted fruit and whipped cream. While the fruit choice was somewhat suspect (strawberries are the only fruit in season; melon is an odd choice for a waffle topping), Dave seemed happy with his dish. He said it was, “light and crispy and not too sweet.”
My parents both ordered omelets and were quite pleased. My dad had an egg white one with ham, peppers and onion, and my mother had one with crab and asparagus. While I didn’t taste my dad’s (I don’t eat ham, and think that egg white omelets are silly), he was ooing and ahhing over it. I did try my mother’s and it was nice. She especially enjoyed the crispy potatoes that accompany all the eggs dishes.
I had mussels, as did at least one diner at each table, it seemed. Their menu has six different mussel dishes, ranging from clean and simple (with tomato and fresh basil) to drunken (steamed in Hoegaarden beer). I ordered the steamed mussels with fresh garden vegetables. I don’t know about any garden (the vegetable were mostly just onions), but the mussels were a tasty treat, and something that I hadn’t had in a long while. Added bonus: all mussel dishes come with a side of fries.
Brunch is my favorite meal. And, as far as brunches go, this weekend’s was a pretty good one.
