It's been so long since we ate at Mark's that I'm compelled to keep this review very short and sweet. Overall, the experience was very pleasant, though a little on the pricey side. Let me break it down for you:
1) Atmosphere: Mark's is housed in an old church. The wine is stored where an organ used to be; the floors are rough-hewn wood; stained glass windows are still apparent on the walls. A very welcoming and calming space, and a beautiful repurposing of an old building.
2) Service: Impeccable. Our waiter offered to take pictures for us (it was my birthday) and gave us plenty of time to enjoy our cocktails before offering dinner menus, and our dinner before offering dessert. He also made lots of suggestions. The only thing I didn't like was that he pretty obviously tried to steer us to more expensive selections, even when they didn't really meet our needs. For example, he told us flat-out not to order the assorted chocolates for dessert, and talked us into a much larger (and pricier) item, even though I told him I really wasn't that hungry. If the chocolates are bad they shouldn't be on the menu. I don't want my choices to become a jumping off point for negotiations.
3) Food: expensive, but worth it for special occasions. The foie gras appetizer was delicious, second only to the foie we had at August. For dinner, I had one of the chef's specials (above), and was treated to a platter of fresh seafood and various vegetables. What's interesting is that this dish was almost identical in ingredients to a meal I had at Capital Grille just a few weeks earlier, but it was much better. The seafood was fresher, the side dishes seemed better seasoned, and the whole plate was just a nicer composition than the one at Capital Grille. Little differences that added up to a much better dinner.
