Cafe on
Market
2138 Market Street Camp Hill, PA 17011
717-737-4432
By Dawn Eckenrode
This month’s review is about a restaurant that I’ll bet
many of you have seen, and thought "I’d like to try dinner there..." but
haven’t yet. It is an intriguing little place with an inviting window front from
which I have often observed diners, smiling, leaning towards each other, engaged in
pleasant conversation. So it was off to Cafe on Market we went for a Friday evening’s
dinner. I called to make reservations, which are not accepted. It did not turn out to be a
problem though, as our party of six was able to be seated right away for a 6:30 dinner.
There is ample parking to be had in the rear of the building, off of Market Street, and I
would suggest entering the restaurant from the rear entrance. My dining companions and I
entered in the front door off of Market Street, and had to walk through the dining area to
get to the hostess station. I must also point out to you that Cafe on Market is in a dry
borough, so if you wish to have drinks with dinner, you must bring your own. The interior
of the restaurant has a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, tastefully decorated and
comfortably appointed. It is the perfect place to bring close friends, family, or a
sweetheart. The tables are covered with white linens and have small, unobtrusive candle
centerpieces. Our server arrived with nice warm bread rolls and water right away, and told
us about the evening’s specials which were posted on a blackboard in plain view of
our table. I like when restaurants do that, because I like to be able to consider the
specials along with the menu offerings, and can’t always remember what they were if
they aren’t written down somewhere. We decided to start with a few of the appetizers
from the menu - the Char-grilled Portabellas, Feta Bruschetta, the house specialty Black
Bean Soup, and the Shrimp Bisque from the blackboard. If you love portabellas like I do,
you will immensely enjoy their treatment of them - wonderfully grilled atop grilled red
peppers, onion, eggplant, squash and zucchini slices, all drizzled with a
worchestershire-brown sauce to set it off perfectly. The Black Bean Soup is a wholesome
and tasty goody topped with a dollop of sour cream - just perfect for a chilly fall
evening. And oh the Shrimp Bisque! It was blended thick and creamy, pink in color with
tastes of tomato and loads of chunky shrimp. The Feta Bruschettas were a real hit at the
table, finger french bread toasts surrounding a dish of blended feta garlic dip. Moving on
to entree orders, one person in our group decided to go the ‘light’ route and
picked the fresh Market Salad. Another one of our companions interested in keeping it
light (see ‘What you hear is the sound of Ultimate Suffering’, p.18) opted for
the Lemon Pepper Chicken with special requests for a no-fat preparation (the menu states
that they will gladly accommodate special requests). One pair at our table decided to have
the kitchen split the Mixed Grill special of the evening. I had spied a wonderfully plated
Tenderloin of Pork when I walked through the dining area (on second thought - one
advantage of coming in through the front door...) and decided to go with that. Our last
table choice was the Shrimp and Scallops New Orleans. All the entrees came with a house
salad, offered with a dizzying choice of homemade dressings, or you could choose the
locally-bottled Gazebo. I must give you an insider’s tip here - throw caution to the
wind an give their honey peanut dressing a try. It might not sound that interesting, (it
didn’t to me) but this tangy concoction will make an otherwise ordinary salad quite
outstanding. After a comfortable wait our server arrived bearing gifts. The Market Salad
was huge - almost overflowing with roasted red potatoes, bacon, and sliced boiled egg,
atop tossed greens and alfalfa sprouts, with the requisite tomatoes, carrots, and
cucumbers. Scott’s Lemon Pepper Chicken arrived atop a rice pilaf, and the vegetable
of the day which was green beans and carrots. It was peppery, but he couldn’t pick
out much lemon flavor, most likely due to its no-butter treatment. The mixed grill was
buffalo and duck breast, which was plated with the pilaf separating the two meats, and
vegetables of the day. The grilled duck breast was super. It came sliced, and tasted like
it had been smoked. The buffalo was also tasty, and it was certainly enough for two
people. The Shrimp and Scallop New Orleans was a bit unexpected. It was decidedly not
spicy - those who are not enamored with Cajun food would be safe to choose this dish. The
seafood came in a light wine sauce, again atop the pilaf and chef’s vegetables. The
soup of the night, however, was my prized pork tenderloin. It came beautifully plated,
sliced and topped with a wonderful creamy horseradish sauce that really accented it well.
It came accompanied with the vegetables of the day, and also potato gaufrettes, which were
interesting to look at, (they are little waffle-like potato chips) but not particularly
useful as a side vegetable. Of course, full though we might be, we all just had to try
some of the very tempting-sounding desserts listed on the board. They did not offer a
dessert tray, but let me tell you - do not fear! The desserts are recipes from owner and
Head Chef Russ Freeman, and made in the family. I opted for the French Silk - a heavenly
chocolate pie that I was loath to share. Another choice was the Lemon Macaroon pie which
was absolutely wonderful, with its just-right lemon flavor and coconut chewiness. The
Caramel Apple Pie, ordered ala mode, was a dream of apple cinnamon flavors with a crunchy
topping, perfectly warmed to melt the ice cream. And the Bacardi Rum Cake had the most
incredible texture and flavor, that I must say kudos. I happily recommend Cafe on Market
to you; try them for their lunch or dinner but whatever you do, don’t forget dessert
- their desserts rule! Dinner entrees run from $8.50 to $17.95, and there are a nice
selection of Cafe Sandwices offered from $4.25 to $6.95. |
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Cafe on Market
Checklist
Average Entree Price:
$13.95
Average Dining Time:
2 hours
Parking:
Self Serve - Lot / On-street
Handicapped Access:
No Specific
Exterior Appearance:
Well Maintained
Initial Interior:
Right into dining area
Reservations Necessary:
Not Accepted
Preferred Dining Attire:
Casual
Wait (to be seated):
None
Wait (for service):
Up to 5 minutes
Lighting:
Romantic
Meal-tim e Music:
Very Light Classical
Dining Area Appearance:
Well tended to
Noise:
Light Chatter
Climate:
Fine
Tables:
Cloth covers
Chairs:
Comfy
Booths:
None
Table Setting:
Full with cloth napkins
Your Meal:
Entree from
Dinner Menu
Appetizers:
Creative
Salads:
Mixed Greens
Dressings:
Wide Selection
Vegetables:
Fresh/with Entree
Desserts:
Made on premises
Coffees:
Fresh and hot
Staff Attitude:
Friendly
Staff Appearance:
Dress Uniform
Hospitality:
Felt at home
Cleanliness:
Cleaner than average
Wash Rooms:
Fine
Crowd (Qty):
Busy
Crowd (Attitude):
Casual
Food (portions):
Satisfied
Food (prices):
Fair
Overall Service:
Attentive
Total Dining Time:
60 minutes
Payment Accepted: VISA/MC |
