My fiance and I try to have date nights as often as we can. This is super gag-worthy, but he still tries to surprise me. I never know where we’re going on “date night”. On this particular night, he surprised me to Carrollton Market. Carrollton Market is located on the further end of South Carrollton, among other great restaurants worth mentioning such as Brigtsten’s and Dante’s Kitchen. The restaurant was one of the few things that were actually open in the area. It’s nestled in an almost residential area among a few boutiques that are only open during the daytime. The area is very safe and quiet and has a romantic feel to it…
“Buttery Biscuit Roll”. At least that’s what I called it. This dinner roll is flaky and buttery like a croissant but in a biscuit.
Brick Wall Farms Baby Lettuces. Shaved Radish. Fennel. White Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Oysters Goodenough. Flash-fried Oysters. Benton’s Bacon. Creamed Leeks. Sauce Bearnaise.
Crispy Veal Sweetbreads. Sauteed Spinach. Roasted Oyster Mushrooms. Caper-Brown Butter.
House-made Creole Cream Cheese Cavatelli. Louisiana Crabmeat. Cherry Tomatoes. Grana Padano.
House-made Potato Gnocchi. Braised Oxtail. Raisins. Pine Nuts.
Buttermilk Panna Cotta. Ponchatoula Strawberry Compote. Pecan Brittle. Local Honey.
Baby Beignets.
The first thing that came out was their bread. The bread is like a biscuit but a dinner roll at the same time. It was so buttery, flaky like a croissant. Loved it! I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For our salad we ordered the Brick Wall Farms Baby Lettuce salad which had a light and citrusy White Balsamic Vinaigrette. Next, there were the Crispy Sweetbreads, which were bathing in a browned butter sauce. They were moist with a light crisp on the outside and how can you not like anything bathing in browned butter?
Culinary fact: I went out with some friends recently and asked them if they’d ever tried Sweetbreads. Immediately, they shouted, “No, but I LOVE bread!”. I had to quickly explain that sweetbreads aren’t what you think. Sweetbreads are a type of Offal, a group of edible organs and entrails that aren’t considered muscle/bone and are considered a delicacy in the culinary world.
The Oysters Goodenough (named after the Chef) were like charbroiled oysters, but topped in a Bearnaise Sauce and Benton’s Bacon. They were exceptionally rich and flavorful. My fiance couldn’t stop talking about them. If only we had room for more…
We also ordered the Cream Cheese Cavatelli topped with crabmeat. If you know how I like order, you’d know that if I see crabmeat on the menu, it will end up on my dinner table. The Cavatelli was fresh and perfectly cooked. I loved that although this was a pasta dish, the citrusy and wine notes lightened it up and didn’t make you feel to heavy. Since we had good amount of seafood themed dishes, we ordered the Potato Gnocchi and Oxtail to finish off the dinner. The sauce was deep and savory.
Since we were so full, the waiter suggested that we opt for a lighter dessert: the Panna Cotta. It was topped in local strawberry compote and local honey. So light, refreshing and delicious. It paired so well with the mini beignets that we ordered on the side. I know, so much for a light dessert, but it’s so worth it!
The feel is very romantic and the restaurant is small, but there is room for large groups. Just be sure to set a reservation. I love the menu at Carrollton Market since they offer local items on their menu. There’s a Southern sophisticated flare to each dish. Every dish that we ordered not only melded together so well, but it also complimented the other dishes on the menu. I can’t wait to see what they have to offer again soon.
Rating: 4.5/5 spoons
