202 MARKET
Food and Music in a Unique Atmosphere BY DAVID TENZER From July/August 2007 Issue
Chad Scott at work. The head chef at 202 Market, Scott has been trained at the Culinary Institute of America and uses a cooking style that mixes modern technique with traditional dishes.
After years of paper-covered walls, several designs and redesigns and more hype than I can recall associated with a restaurant in this town, 202 Market has finally opened. Several early visits indicate cautious optimism is warranted for downtown’s newest hot spot.
The Space
The owners were clearly going for wow factor in the redesign from the former Paradox and the look mostly works. The upstairs Loft area features a light wall (which if you are not careful can cause vertigo when walking up the steps), a spartan bar featuring modern metal wine racks, Roanoke’s largest selection of single malt scotches, and a lounge area for listening to piano music. The downstairs City Bar contains a multi flat panel video display, along with a lengthy main bar, a sitting area, and a dining room next to the main stage. My favorite room is the Kitchen Room, which is a bit quieter and features exposed brick along with two large video monitors displaying the final plating area of the kitchen. The attempt is laudable, but watching food waiting in the plating area to be served gets boring after a while, and I found myself unintentionally timing the wait staff to see how long a plate would sit for the camera before being whisked away. Better to train the cameras on the stove or prep area so that guests could watch the chefs actually prepare dishes. That would be much more enjoyable. Overall, some may find the eclectic décor of 202 Market not to their liking, but it is certainly not drab.
The Food
It is obvious that Chef Chad Scott knows how to cook. He was classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America with stints at several major restaurants, most recently in Atlanta. His highly technical cooking style mixes modern technique with traditional dishes. Scott is clearly going for artistic effect with his presentation. The degree of difficulty is most likely the cause of the menu being so limited. However, it is a bit too limited. In three visits, I have sampled almost every thing offered. I found the amuse bouche often to be the highlight of my meals at 202 Market and would like to see Scott loosen up a bit to give his menu creations more of the feeling and spontaneity showcased in his amuse...
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