Marché Moderne, one of Orange County’s most celebrated restaurants, opened in September 2018, welcoming guests into its new home along the coast.
Husband-and-wife chef-owners Florent and Amelia Marneau will pick up right where they left off, working alongside each other in the kitchen as they have done for the past decade. Discerning food-lovers can continue to savor Chef Florent’s classic French fare done with his own personal twist, in addition to intricate pastry confections from Amelia.
“We have been so touched by all the calls from excited guests in the months leading up to our opening,” said Amelia Marneau. “This has truly been a personal endeavor for both us and we’re excited about ushering in this next chapter for Marché Moderne.”
The market-inspired menu will offer a mix of old and new, from signature favorites such as Roasted Wild Spanish Octopus with chorizo emulsion, celery, potatoes, lemon and olive oil; to Salade Composee, with hearts of palm, smoked ham, cucumber, asparagus, P’tit Basque and agridulce vinaigrette; and Lamb Couscous Royale, with lamb ribeye,
lamb merguez, mint emulsion, cumin-braised carrot and parsnip, apricot, dates and lamb-harissa jus.
New dishes that will make their debut include Braised Veal and Crayfish Blanquette with yellow wine, fresh morels and tarragon; Ris de veau Gratine, parmesan-crusted Sweetbreads with spinach and parsley; and Cabillaud, Scottish cod with green cauliflower, caper and chorizo. Desserts will also re-visit classics, from a caramelized peach financier cake with salted caramel crème fraiche to a traditional Napoleon, a delicate flaky croustillant layered with raspberry cream for summer or Grand Marnier-infused cream for fall. New pastry creations will include a Paris-Brest, a wheel-shaped choux pastry filled with caramelized almonds and hazelnut mousse, along with a Harry’s Berries strawberry tart with lemon verbena gelato. Additionally, the Marneaus will launch a dinner spontanee menu beginning this fall, which will offer a 3-course dinner for $38 on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Brunch will also kick off later in the year.
The 4,200-square-foot restaurant will evoke a modern French bistro, with a mixed palette of neutral tones, Provencal-inspired stone walls and a warm walnut wood beamed ceiling. The exhibition style kitchen, with gleaming white tiling and marble throughout, makes for a pristine focal point of the restaurant.
The main dining room, which will feature Patrick Jouin-designed leather chairs, will extend from the kitchen to the bar and into the patio. Bi-folding steel doors open to the patio for an indoor-outdoor dining experience and ocean breezes.
The 11-seat bar will feature a gray quartzite countertop with Marche’s elegant Cruvinet wine dispenser featuring a selection of boutique French and California wines.
Marché Moderne will be located at 7862 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach, next to Settebello and across from Javier’s. Nightly dinner service will begin at 5 p.m. when the restaurant opens in early September.
For more information, visit www.marchemoderne.net.
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