At my friend's suggestion, we met at Markt, a Belgian restaurant, @ 14th and 9th. Prior to arriving I spent some time investigating it online. The menu sounded intriguing; but previous patrons time and again denounced the service. So when I arrived early (around 6:30 for a 7:00 PM date), I went inside and made a walk-in reservation for 7. I was told that they had a table, but that we'd have to be done by 8:30 to accommodate a previous reservation. Is this perfect, or what? An hour and half to enjoy a meal, and the impetus for good service lay at the feet of the restaurant with a dubious reputation in this regard. So I immediately said, "Yes."
My friends arrived at 7 and we were seated. From this point forward we received the BEST service I have ever experienced in a restaurant! Everything was done in a timely fashion, and we were watched over by a distant, but very attentive server. I had the smoked duck salad with a lite lemony vinaigrette, and the "Gratin des Legumes" as my entree. Both of my friends enjoyed their choices as well. And for dessert -- an indulgence that I rarely partake of, I had the lemon-custard "flan" on an almond paste crust with a scoop of "beer" sorbet! Absolutely fabulous! We enjoyed tea and coffee with our meal, and the entire bill for three came to $88.00; which I augmented with a very generous tip (20%+) to express my appreciation for the phenomenal service. Perhaps contrived, but hopefully characteristic of this wonderful restaurant.
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