Market by Jean Georges, Boston

--edit: here's a more recent review: Market by Jean Georges revisited

I ate dinner at Market the other night with a good family friend, Ashley. The last time I ate at Jean George was in Trump Towers in Manhattan, where I sat two tables away from Donald Trump, and needless to say, I didn't remember my meal much. I've heard a lot of positive feedback from friends who dined at Market before as well as good general ratings/rankings in Boston. 

However, I was generally disappointed by the dining experience with the renowned name "Jean Georges" tagged to the restaurant. 

We started with sharing a few appetizers. The crispy calamari was a bit less than crispy (try soft, even flaccid) and came with a lemon rosemary dip, that was not too dissimilar from mayonnaise. 

We were very excited for the salmon and oyster tartare, for neither of us has ever had oyster tartare. Though a solid and refreshing tartare, I didn't get much oyster. 

We also had the rice cracker crusted tuna with a citrus chili emulsion. I had something similar before at Tao which I really enjoyed, but small things ranging from the overall lack of contrast of texture, the roughness of the tuna, and the thoughtless plating was unexpected.  

For my main course, I had the roasted cod with black beans, avocado, and scallion. Again, the plating seemed careless and the texture of the cod was rougher than I expected. I realize that a theme of Jean Georges cuisine is based on simplicity, but this entree was simple to a point of underwhelming. 

The grilled tenderloin with caramelized brussel sprouts and candied pecans was a solid choice, though again presented poorly. 

For dessert, we shared a concord  grape souffle and a cheesecake. The souffle definitely was a rush of concord grape flavor and served with a rich praline sauce. Though it wasn't the best souffle I've had, it was an enjoyable choice, and the grape was novel. 

 

Finally, the creme fraiche cheesecake was served with port poached figs and raspberry sorbet. It was a perfectly dense cheesecake, though the raspberry sorbet was a bit too sweet for my liking. 

Not that the meal was unenjoyable or anything, I just was not impressed by the food quality and overall presentation of the dishes. I expected more. I don't know if I'll be going back, for it was quite underwhelming, but at least I had good company to share this with. 

Market by Jean Georges

100 Stuart Street

Boston, MA 02116