I have wanted to try Marché Moderne since moving back to Orange County from San Francisco five…read moreyears ago, and after finally coming here for our fifth wedding anniversary, I genuinely regret waiting this long.
I started with the Singe Germain, made with Monkey 47 Gin, St. Germain, crème de cassis, and lemon juice. This was easily one of the best cocktails I have ever had. It was so good that I ordered two more.
My wife got the Rizière de Lychee, which seemed like their take on a lychee martini. The vanilla notes made it unique and really enjoyable, but we both agreed that the Singe Germain was the star cocktail of the night.
One of our favorite appetizers at any restaurant is yellowtail crudo or hamachi, and Marché Moderne's version was incredible. The fish practically melted in our mouths, but the mango-yuzu-jalapeño sorbet on top was ridiculous. That sorbet could honestly be served as its own dish. Our only complaint was how quickly the whole thing disappeared.
We also tried the grilled octopus petit plat. It leaned more Spanish than French to me, especially with the chorizo, and the potatoes and chorizo ended up being our favorite parts. We both tend to prefer cold appetizers over hot ones, so next time we will probably try the tataki instead, but the octopus was still very good.
We ordered the bread as well. Despite all the reviews praising it, I thought it was good, but not necessarily life-changing. The real star was the butter with the big flakes of salt on top.
For our mains, my wife ordered the Hokkaido scallops and I got the filet au poivre, essentially their steak frites.
The steak frites was incredible. The sauce alone was enough reason to order the entire dish. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the tableside presentation made it feel even more special. They first placed down the fries and salad, then brought over the steak in the sauce, transferred it onto the plate, and poured the sauce over the top. They asked whether I wanted sauce over the fries too, which was obviously an immediate yes.
The fries were good, although I thought they could have used a little more salt. The salad surprised me the most. I originally assumed it was just there to fill out the plate, but the vinaigrette was fantastic and made it something I actually wanted to keep eating.
My wife loved the scallops, which was not surprising because she is a huge scallop fan. The dish itself was somewhat bare, though. It was essentially a few scallops with sauce, so if we had not also been sharing the steak frites and several appetizers, I do not think it would have been enough for her as an entrée by itself.
Lastly, we ordered the crème brûlée, and this might have been the best dish of the entire night. It came with berries and a hazelnut cake underneath. Because we were celebrating our anniversary, they wrote "Happy 5 Year Anniversary" in chocolate ganache next to it, which paired ridiculously well with the crème brûlée.
That little detail also perfectly summarizes the service. Our server answered every question I had about the menu, asked what we were celebrating, recommended the incredible Singe Germain, and made us feel completely at home. Another gentleman came by to talk with us, and we casually mentioned that it was our fifth anniversary. They did not just remember that it was an anniversary. They remembered that it was five years and included that specific detail on our dessert plate. That extra bit of thoughtfulness meant a lot to us.
My only small disappointment was the seating. I had heard that one side of the restaurant has a large window where you can watch the chefs cook, but we were seated closer to the bar and could not see it. It did not hurt the meal, but next time I would love to request a table on the kitchen side.
My wife and I have eaten at Michelin-starred restaurants from California to New York City, including everything from one to three stars, and Marché Moderne has the makings of something truly special. The food was excellent, but the service and hospitality took the entire experience to another level.
Overall, this was about a 4.7 out of 5 for us. We will absolutely be back, and I cannot believe it took us five years to finally come here.