Nashville Food Friday: Brunch at Marche

There's a good reason why Marche is always on the top of the "best of" lists for brunch. I'm not one to necessarily follow the crowds or jump on the latest bandwagon, but when it comes to Marche's brunch dominance I am bound to agree.

The decor is light, open and reminiscent of a Paris cafe. Large windows and iron chair compliment the simple, but elegant dishes. Near the front door there is a small area where you can purchase knickknacks and artisan food. There is also a display of all the lovely pastries and sweets that you can pick up on your way out.

The one downside to Marche, due to their extreme popularity, is the wait for a table. Sometimes the wait is over an hour, so to guarantee a table on weekends I suggest you arrive before 10am or around 1pm. We arrived at 10 on the dot and were nervous, but the hostess told us the wait would only be 20 minutes. That's a miracle and we happily put our name on the list.

While we were waiting for our table we ordered cafe au lait from the barista. This is my favorite drink at Marche and reminds me of my visits to Paris. The coffee was flavorful, warm and milky. The best part: it's served in bowls that require you to wrap both hands around them. The coffee warms your hands and your insides as you drink. It's magical!

Before we had a chance to make a dent in our coffee we were informed that our table was ready. I'm always impressed when the estimated wait is exact or event shorter than anticipated. Nothing ruffles my feathers like being told there will be a twenty minute wait and then sitting around for 45 minutes.

*Important note: Marche changes their brunch menu periodically, so don't expect every dish you see here to be available when you go. This is also one of the reasons why people keep coming back! (a few favorites like the steak and eggs and croissant french toast are perpetually on the menu)* 

To start off we ordered the tartine: organic bread topped with mascarpone, strawberries and a balsamic reduction. This was the perfect sweet bite to have with our coffee. The tartine was loaded thick with mascarpone cheese just the way I like it. The strawberries were sweet but were balanced out by the tart balsamic reduction. This dish was so simple but perfect, and sometimes less is more.

For the main course I chose the savory crepes filled with beef, potatoes and caramelized onions topped with a cheddar Mornay sauce. The sauce was perfectly flavorful and creamy but not heavy enough to overpower the delicate nature of crepes. The crepes themselves were crisp on the outside and had a good fork feel. The potatoes, beef and onions were all mashed into almost a pate inside the crepes. While I wish I had a few chunks of meat, I understand that having a smooth filling is easier and more elegant inside crepes. Needless to say, I left not one bite and swept up all the leftover sauce with a finger.

Steve had a hard choice on the menu. He wanted something French but his Tennessee roots popped in and forced him to order the biscuits, sausage gravy and eggs. Marche makes their own sausage from scratch on the premise and you can really taste that in the gravy. The sausage had a unique spicy flavor. The over easy eggs were cooked perfectly and the yolk ran all over the plate.The biscuits were the perfect texture to bring the whole dish together. Marche did a great job of putting a sophisticated twist on a southern soul food classic.

I was also really impressed with the service we received. The place was crowded and even in that kind of fast-paced environment our server was polite, prompt and paid attention to the details.

Marche is still probably my favorite place for brunch. I also really enjoy their dinner (read about that here). I guess when the masses are correct, there is no need to disagree. You might as well get up early on Saturday and get in line. It's worth it.