Marche

Always a great experience, the hostess and wait staff always on point. My farmers breakfast was splendid! We have a new favorite in our group of places to dine. The spot for fine dining. thank you

Definitely the place to go when you want a «nice» dinner out. Their seasonal soups are normally the highlight of the meal for me, and the freshly baked bread. Their vegetarian entrees don’t always hit the mark, but I appreciate that there is always an option on their rotating menu.

I wish I could give no stars. This restaurant is horrendous.
First, the quality of the food was decent but the preparation and service was awful.
We were charged for things that we did not order, had our waiter argue with us about the smaller issues we had, and the kitchen made multiple mistakes sending duplicate items to our table.
I was scared that the staff would tamper with our food after our mains…
Do not recommend.

I have to admit, it’s been several years since I’ve been to Marche. There are so many fantastic restaurants in Eugene that you can’t frequent them all. My experiences with food and service have always been excellent in past years: professional and friendly wait staff coupled with delicious food cooked by expert hands. The food has not changed. The «service», on the other hand, HAS.
Tonight should have been a really nice group event for us, but the service of the «private» bartender for our group was abysmal. She poured drinks alright, but she was also quite possibly the most obnoxious server I have ever encountered. We honestly got the kind of service I’d only expect from the worst dive bars or a college campus watering hole. There was no specific incident I can point out, but just general demeanor. First of all… she didn’t stop talking the whole time! Not only did she interject into personal conversations, but many of us felt cornered by her and literally had to wait for someone else to rescue us from her incessant jabbering about herself and her life.
Look, I love it when someone wants to have a little friendly chit chat: it means the server is friendly and open. There is, however, a limit. When you want to make a private event about yourself and not about the guests you are serving, there’s a serious lack of customer service going on. I’m guessing this woman is about 60 years old, but she actually exclaimed rather loudly at one point: «Alright, are you guys ready to get your par-​TAY on?!» Again, something I would expect to be yelled by a sorority girl at Rennie’s Landing… not at an upscale restaurant. That, coupled with a couple off-​color «jokes», just put me over the edge. My husband and I left early because I just couldn’t take her babbling on and trying to interject herself as part of the group anymore.
Marche, are you now hiring your staff from dive bars and greasy spoons? Although I didn’t pay for the event, I do know it cost a pretty penny. How can you expect people to pay top dollar (by Eugene standards) for food and drink, and yet have it all presented by someone who has the social skills of a teenager? I will definitely be warning friends to consider holding their events elsewhere, and at this point I don’t see us coming in for dinner again, either. There are far too many restaurants in this town that have delicious food AND professional service.

This was my first time at Marché and only dishes were ordered: Manila clams and oysters in the half shell. Results: flavorful!
My goal was not to get full but only to test the dishes and I was very satisfied with the result! The cucumber mint soda was a good palate cleanser as I head off to for some desserts!
Gave it 4 stars because this is only my first time but it is very promising!

Well if your searching for a $ 50 lunch you found it here. We had a chicken (thigh) sandwich and a burger with a beer and a Chardonnay. The chicken sandwich let’s start there… I love chicken thighs but you MUST clean them well or they are full of fat. So these were cleaned to a point but I would not say they were cleaned well. They left the skin on when serving the sandwich so the chicken meat was fatty and chewy. I would have cooked with the skin but removed it to plate or just marinade the meat and you don’t need the skin. The onions on the sandwich were pickled and delicious! Great job. But the aioli was I don’t know kind of metallic tasting. So I am glad I had it on the side! As for the burger… No clue I don’t eat red meat but the hubby seemed to enjoy. The redeeming quality were the fries! No ketchup necessary and they were good! So you choose?!

I am at Marche eating lunch and I must it is probably one of the worst service I have experienced. Still waiting for a coffee and water refill after 10 mins of waiting. The food was good, however I just wish the service was as up to par.

Passing through town on Mother’s Day, we thought we would have a difficult time finding a breakfast place without a long wait. We lucked out at Marche.
Tea is served in a pot. With a cup. And saucer. No diner, here!
Eggs were perfect, as were the baguette and blackberry-​orange jam, potatoes and bacon.
Not cheap. But not overpriced either.
Oh! And the service was excellent!

Best restaurant in Eugene!!! In fact one of the best my boyfriend and I have ever been to. Fresh local, organic ingredients is what every foodie dreams of! Menu changes seasonally so we love that there is always something new for us to enjoy! Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all amazing.

My wife and I came here on our first morning visiting Eugene. I had ‘the farmer’ and it was amazing. The eggs were as fresh as I’ve had, the sausage was amazing, and the potatoes were seasoned so well you had no need for salt or ketchup. We had a coffee which was okay, not great, but doable. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The ONLY downfall was the speed of service… which was a bit slow. I will be coming back!

I came here due to the amazing reviews on Unilocal.And Unilocal is… well, hits and misses. It’s the same as Marche. I had the steak and eggs, over easy, and replaced the baguette with house potatoes. It came with a tiny side salad. Overall, I liked everything except the steak; which was the star of the dish. The steak was chewy. It wasn’t overcooked. It was medium rare to medium, but the quality lacked in the type of cut.
Their service was great; however, the wait for steak and eggs was a bit long. And the restaurant was ¼ full.
I’ll come back again during dinner and see how they do.

Came to Marche last night for my boyfriend’s birthday. It was our first time but I had been wanting to try it for quite a while!
The atmosphere is amazing. We sat on the restaurant side because we had made a reservation but the bar looked super pretty! We ordered a french 75 and a margarita to start. Both drinks were really good.
We didn’t get an appetizer but the bread they brought by was AMAZING. What was even better was the butter! For dinner we ordered the filet off the dinner menu and the steak frites off the bar menu. My boyfriend’s steak was cooked medium rare as opposed to medium but he ate it anyways and said it was good. My filet was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were great as well. For dessert we got ice cream… chocolate and vanilla with caramel sauce. It was sooooo good. Our server was also super friendly and helpful! He didn’t bug us by coming back super often and gave us plenty of time to sit together and enjoy dinner!
It was an all around good experience. I will definitely be back to sit in the bar and perhaps try their brunch!

C’mon Unilocal,give Le Bar its own page! It offers much lower prices than Marche, while offering the same (slightly more informal) ambience and using the same kitchen. It’s open more hours too, including (reportedly) great breakfast. High-​end bar nosh, excellent salads, small plates and a couple of bistro mains from the big brother’s menu next door. Try bay shrimp and lettuce salad, asparagus and pancetta, mussels, or the always excellent steak frites or blue cheese burger. Kudos for Kimmel!

Marche’s new spring menu debuted last week just in time for my birthday dinner. We had a fabulous meal — everything was so fresh, flavorful and beautiful — and the staff were warm and friendly. Delicious seasonal food, great service, and such a cozy and inviting interior (loved the art and shadow boxes on the walls). Our server was great and very knowledgeable about every detail of the new menu. I highly recommend all of the following dishes:
— Deviled eggs with bacon & mustard blossoms
— Pizzetta topped with braised lettuce, peas & pecorino
— Tartine Trio: toasts with three different toppings, fave bean purée with pecorino, radishes with butter and fleur de sel, and a hazelnut romesco with crispy leeks
— Oregon bay shrimp salad
— Salmon with roasted carrots & English pea purée
— Fisherman’s Stew (the halibut was perfection!)
— Roasted chicken breast with gnocchi, brown butter & snap peas
— Goat cheese & green garlic soufflé with a delectable medley of sautéed spring veggies (asparagus, fava beans, carrots, radishes, etc).
So scrumptious!
We felt very welcome at Marche. Fine dining like this is a once a year occasion for us, so our expectations were high. Yes, the food is pricey, but well worth it in my opinion, for high quality ingredients, excellent service and an atmosphere that feels both special and comfortable (and you can hear your dining companions easily since the tables are well-​spaced from one another.) We will definitely be back.
P. S. I liked it so much that I went back the next day for lunch by myself and enjoyed the tagliatelle with tarragon butter, pecorino and spring vegetables.

We came to Oregon for the truffle festival. On Friday we were shown this cute little square that had a bunch of restaurants and shops. We decided to come back to this particular restaurant for lunch. Well Sunday rolls around and my fiancé and I were super excited to go here and eat. First we browsed the menu items on the outside menu and the food sounded scrumptious. We both walked in with huge grins and excitement on our faces.
However, as soon as we were greeted (really lack there of) that eagerness was squashed by the lackluster and dull host. He was staring at his phone our entire greet and told us to just find seating at the bar. He had the energy of a sloth and could hardly hold up his hand our move his eyes that were glued to the screen to show us where the bar area was.
What was odd was that there were other people who were seated in the dining area. Regardless, we find ourselves a seat and a menu and get this table that rocks back and forth. We look through the menu for a bit with no waiters or waitresses in sight.
While we are staring at our menus, we happen to over hear another couple who come in way after us sit at the bar. The bartender asks them if they’d like dining seats! At this point my fiancé and I were in disbelief at the service we received (well didn’t).
It really is unfortunate to be treated this way at a supposedly great restaurant. Their food might have been good. But we will never know because we walked out and will never come back. No one likes to feel ignored or treated differently nor should they. This one star is due to purely service because unfortunately you need both great service and great food to get a passing rate from me. If you had better treatment bravo to you. We weren’t so lucky.

5^th Street Market is one of the classiest corners of Eugene. Marche doesn’t disappoint in this area. I’ve had a variety of their pastries and they are consistently good, however, they don’t have the variety of some of the other bakeries in town. Of course they offer full meals so that’s only a minor setback. The coffee is decent and the atmosphere is always bustling. It’s a good place to bring out of town guests to since you can peruse their new beautiful marketplace and go make a wish in the fountain outside its doors!

I had a great experience here late last night with a dear friend. We arrived at 10 and sat in the bar, the gentleman taking tables was incredibly sweet and took his time explaining different dishes to me as I had plenty of questions.
I tried one of their signature beverages, the blood orange margarita, it was delicious. The black salt rim was amazing and visually pleasing. I am both a margarita and salt lover. So perfection. I also tried the tuna appetizer, currently forgetting the name but it was $ 12, margarita $ 10. And my dessert, a mango amazing something or other. Was beyond words, delicious.
Needless to say, I was impressed. My friend had an amazing mushroom noodle dish with shavings of truffles. It was so flavorful. I must also mention that a gentleman there was causing a slight scene. He was turned away from the bar twice because he was already intoxicated. The female manager on the floor handled him well. She was straight forward, respectful and got him out of the bar. I commend her for being nice, I was biting my tongue as he wouldn’t listen to anything the bartender had to say.
Overall great experience, beautiful presentation and a wonderful staff. We’ll be back again.

My family and I came here one morning for breakfast while we were visiting Eugene, and just adored this place! The interior is beautifully decorated, and the service was friendly and attentive. I had a delicious lox plate and my husband had the croque, which he very much enjoyed. We also both had bloody marys-​which were the icing on the cake, you might say!

The service. The service is atrocious. Food is average in nature that is priced above-​average. But good luck getting any service, and if you do, then good luck getting someone to ring you up so you can actually eat.

I didn’t really get the full effect because I arrived after 9:00 pm and the dining room was closed. I sat in the bar and ordered off the bar menu. Not what I was expecting, but OK, whatever…
The burrata and tomatoes was absolutely first-​rate.
Steak Frites isn’t an order that should tax anyone’s skills so it’s probably not a good test but, again, it was right on the mark.
The service in the bar is too casual and distracted for my liking; fine for drinks but not for dinner. (Watching the help sneak bites of food while I’m eating doesn’t really work for me.)
Hopefully the dining room staff is better mannered.

Would prefer it if the security camera wasn’t facing me when seated at the bar… kinda creepy. On the other hand– The coffee and breakfast is great… locally sourced, which is cool… but seriously– move the cameras so their not in your customers’ faces!

What do you need to know about Marche Provisions? They hand make almost everything themselves. Even the mozzarella for the pizza slices? And the sauce? Yes, both freshly made in their kitchen. Hand made ice cream. Hand made pastries (try the amazing bouchon pastry with a scoop of ice cream). Chocolate sorbet? Never heard of it, but now I love it. Hand made caramel in your coffee? Sure why not? Prices are very reasonable considering the quality and how much of it is made onsite — get a whole large margherita pizza that is hand tossed to order for about $ 21 — that is a VERY reasonable price for this quality. Or get their «slice and salad» for about $ 7, with tossed caesar dressing and croutons made from their amazing fresh breads. Then grab a bottle of wine from their market and they will open it for you to enjoy in the courtyard patio next to the fountain. I don’t know why this place isn’t wildly popular with a line out the door at all times. It has a steady flow, but is barely ever over crowded. I only have one very minor gripe — the hours of the 5^th st market are wonky. The whole 5^th st market seems to close early considering there is the newer 5^th st hotel in the same building. The other night my wife and I were craving one of their bouchon pastries but we showed up at 8:30 and it was closed for the night, but that is more of a problem with the 5^th st market rather than a problem with Marche Provisions. This is some of the best that this area has to offer for casual, upscale, healthy and hand made items.

I get a triple shot of wandering goat espresso with a shot of their homemade caramel, and topped with almond milk. Perfect service every time. All the girls are awesome, especially Ashley the brilliantly polite barista – completely professional and friendly. Beats any other café in town in my not so humble opinion.

Always have great time at Marché!
Great service with great looking servers!
And most of all amazing food
The perfect place to hangout with girlfriends!

This review is specifically for the management team, Sam the cheese guru and wine selections. We had plans to come down to Eugene from Portland to see a show at the Hult Center. I emailed the shop several weeks back asking if we could do something special for my partner’s big 30^th birthday — a miniature cake made from cheeses. The team was super responsive and enthusiastic over email and the finished product was perfect, gorgeous and delicious when we picked it up. I asked if they’d pull a few wines to pair, explaining our tastes and price point. The suggested pairing was fantastic and the quality of the cheese incredible. The cheese progression and decoration were both thoughtful and elegant. We had a lovely romantic picnic which kicked off this special weekend wonderfully. If we’re ever in town again or passing through, we’ll be sure to come back. If you’re nearby Eugene, take advantage of this perfect little shop.

I feel like a jackass for 3 stars… Because 2 is what they probably deserve… But the food was actually pretty good (croque madame) and the bloody Mary was delightful.
There was a smallish line when we got there. The place was busy… but also chaotic. The hostess totally ignored us… Because we didn’t look like we should be there maybe? We were post hike and not exactly French brunch material, but damn dawg… ain’t no dress code saying we need a damn church hat to be there.
No joke she helped everyone around us (slowly)…including the people behind us before we had to ask if she could see us standing there… In front of her face.
Ordered the beignets as a dessert and they were brought out with the meal. Let it set and get cold and soggy… Us peasants won’t know the difference. Seated outside the flies did enjoy it though.
The waiter was nice but stressed… it just seemed short staffed and snooty. Good food though.

Beautiful little market/​café for a snack or quick lunch. They have delicious sandwiches, pizza, and an awesome espresso bar.

Overwhelming variety with underwhelming results. Literally, nothing to write home about beyond the visual impact. Breakfast was just okay, except a cup of house coffee that was undrinkable — tasted as if it had been in the urn for hours.

I was wandering downtown one morning and found this lovely place. French black and white hexagonal and square tiles complement the lovely products they sell. The pastry displays are lovely and the selection was good. The macaroon was to die for and there are some lovely scented candles. The quiche flavor was amazing
Unfortunately the kitschy swag does not reflect the service. I noticed one employee itching her ear and then serving a customer. Next, there were three employees behind the coffee counter, no line and they couldn’t even bother to bring me my house coffee I ordered to the table. Also, the quiche was hot only on the crust, the inside cold. Finally, the house coffee was overly bitter, even with extra cream.
I would choose somewhere else to eat breakfast.

Best latte I’ve ever had! Also enjoyed the hell out of the Apple-​Brie Panini. Will definitely eat there again next time I’m in Eugene.

When I don’t know what to do for lunch, I usually end up at Marche Provisions. 5^th St. Market is arguably too fancy for Eugene with its boutique-​y stores and restaurants… but this place meets the common man halfway. Pizza, gelato, panini, espresso and more, amidst displays of artisan cheese, wine and pasta.
I’ve had the pizza quite a few times, and it’s always been thin and crispy and delicious. The topping combinations are simple and tend to be along the lines of margherita or pepperoni, with something more creative like peppers and meat there for good measure. Slices are $ 3 – 4, sometimes prepared with a smile and sometimes not.
The panini are small, but well-​flavored. The tomato soup is amazing — salty and cheesy without being overbearing. The salad bar is pricey but of a high quality.
Marche Provisions is a solid lunch option, in part because of the wide variety of offerings. I see families, young and old couples, and working professionals there in equal amounts. Service is sometimes slow because it seems like employees work any register that is open, rather than being assigned to one specific station. However, I have yet to be disappointed.

This place is basically my favorite café or whatever you would call it. I live close, so I go there often and I love that there are gourmet foods, pizza, a little random shopping area and a café with delicious (but slightly expensive) drinks and pastries. Also there is ice cream and gelato and the flavors change a lot so they always have flavors that you would never have thought of (chamomile, gooseberry etc.) the service is also really great. I have a lot more I could say, but I think this is enough. Just go there.

I feel like I’ve been missing out for years on such a fantastic lunch. I have been here literally 3 days in a row since «discovering» Marché Provisions on Tuesday. I’ve only had their sandwiches so far, and I’m finding it hard to tear myself away from them. The sunnyside is the BEST egg salad sandwich I’ve ever had, and the apple-​brie panini with béchamel sauce is the only panini I’ve ever liked (hot sandwiches tend to gross me out). My only gripe is that I wish the sandwiches were a little bigger, they definitely need to upgrade to bigger bread slices, or at least give me the option to buy 1 ½ sandwiches… Also a tip to the pickle lovers out there, if you eat there your cold deli sandwiches come with a pickle slice, but unfortunately if you get your sandwich to go they don’t give you a pickle slice :(
Though I haven’t tried it yet their pizza looks amazing, and they have a great deal for a slice and a salad for $ 7.50. The salad bar looks good too, but seemed to be pretty small compared to other Eugene salad bars (Sundance still wins in my opinion for best salad/​hot bar).

How one could not give this place 5 stars just baffles me (but maybe I’m just a big softie)! I LOVE places like this! Really, what don’t they have?! Marche Provisions boasts a salad bar (arguably the best in Eugene despite its small size), pizza oven, coffee shop, gelato, wine bar, bakery, and crazy good selection of cookbooks, gifts, candies, chocolates, and tchotchkes that you never knew you needed but suddenly can’t live without. The place is adorable inside — black and white tile floors, bright colored walls, high and low tables. Employees are both friendly and helpful.
I recommend the salad bar, where you load up a plate or to-​go container and pay by weight. They offer a broad range of lettuces (including kale!) along with different proteins (meat, hardboiled eggs), veggies (such as curried cauliflower), carbs (barley pilaf), and legumes (oh the lemon chickpeas!). It is inspired! While there, I also tried one of the daily pizza offerings. They had a not-​so-​standard Margherita, one with lamb, and the so-​called «Fennelove» pizza, which had marinated mushrooms and fennel (duh) — really good!
If I lived in Eugene, this would be my go-​to place for unique hostess gifts and make-​your-​own salads!
Definitely one of the must-​visit places in Eugene!

We had large slices of thin crust pizza that were average in taste. One person had a slice and salad. She said the salad dressing was very good (not oily tasting) and there was a variety of greens.
The various provisions, snacks and wines, etc. sold here are not for people concerned with their budget. We didn’t order the fresh bread or pastries but remember from past visits that they are very good.

Their salad bar is good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s $ 5.99 per HALF pound. Shady move guys, for real.

I love Marche Provisons! Such a super cute and yummy spot!
Located in the more upscale 5^th Street Market shopping district of Eugene, next to one of Eugene’s more chic hotels, the Inn at the 5^th, Marche Provisions serves as the perfect place to relax and have a quick bite to eat.
Marche Provisions is made up of a small café and bakery, a sandwich and salad counter, a salad bar, a small gelato and ice cream stand, a salad and soup bar and a wall dedicated to specialty wines. Also featured in the store is a variety of retail goods ranging from cookware, and preserves to aromatic candles and small, Anthropolgy-​esque decorations and furniture pieces.
Marche Provisions’ artisan-​bakery features fine pastries and hearth-​baked breads as well as delicious desserts all made with organic ingredients. You can find everything from fresh baguettes, cookies, and danishes to beautifully crafted layer cakes.
Their sandwich and salad counter features classic green salads and a caesar salad which go wonderfully with their sandwiches which rotate at times. Their egg salad sandwich is phenomenal!
Their small pizzeria offers an extensive list of organic thin-​crust pizzas available by the slice of whole, all adorned with fresh and local toppings.
My two favorite things about Marche is their coffee bar and their salad bar. Their coffee bar consists of classic espresso drinks as well as milkshakes and floats. Seasonal drinks can also be found on the menu. I am an avid consumer of their iced latte’s, the coffee is absolutely delicious and hits the spot every time. My best friend tried their featured salted caramel latte and as a result we began to frequent the café daily.
I am obsessed with their salad bar, the toppings are always different and so fresh and flavorful. Featured are a variety of fresh veggies, quinoa salads, grilled chicken and smoked ham, various shrimp salads, beet salads, a selection of cheeses and of course a variety of house-​assembled dressings. So good!
While I have never had a bad experience at Marche Provisions, it is rather pricy and at times it can be a tad too much. So, try to be mindful even though it’s difficult not to get carried away here!

Stopped in after the ugly sweater 5k. Never been so wasn’t sure what to expect, but had heard about their salted caramel latte, and I was in need of a hot drink.
Lots of interesting, unique items. Kind of pricey, which I expected for a place like this. I ended up picking up some sea salt with herbs de Provence, which I’ve never seen before. Expensive for salt, but I’m still looking forward to using it.
I decided to get my dad a cream puff from the bakery, as it was his birthday and cream puffs are his favorite. I tried a little bite, it was delicious, not too sweet. He said it was very good several times, and my mom even liked it, and she doesn’t care for desserts at all.
The latte– very good. One of the better salted caramel lattes I’ve had, probably due in part to the homemade caramel sauce.
The service was lacking though. It wasn’t very busy at the time we were in there, but it was difficult to get anyone to pay attention to us. I probably could have stood at the bakery counter for 30 minutes without help, but after 5 I chose to go order coffee and have the coffee guy get the bakery stuff.
Either way, I’m sure I’ll be back if I’m in the area.

Ooh la la, Marche Provisions! This multi-​purpose shop houses a nice selection of wines and soft drinks, fancy condiments and candies, a salad bar, baked goods, desserts, a coffee bar, ice cream, sandwiches, charcuterie, cheeses, pizza, and more. Basically, a laundry list of cravings under one roof, some better executed than others. The main dud is that a lot of it is overpriced. Most of it is quality and I don’t mind paying a few extra dollars for something I like but some things just ain’t worth their price tag. Keep an eye out. It’s easier than you think to rack up a hefty bill here.
The salad bar is particularly killer. They have so many healthy and delectable options to choose from. My add ins of choice are the French style potato salad, creamy shrimp salad with dill, pickled beets, seasoned kale, and grilled chicken breast.
The bread options are varied but not delicious across the board. I feel as if the pastry offerings exceed the taste of the plain breads by quite a bit. The croissants are extremely buttery and flaky, I’d say they were my stand out offering from the bakery section. I tried a slice of a chocolate cake once but it was underwhelming and reminded me of a grocery store sheet cake.
I’ve never tasted the pizza but from what I saw they were visually enticing and used very fresh ingredients.
By far, my favorite thing they sell here is the salted caramel latte. Lord have mercy. I drank this almost every day I was in Eugene. The perfect balance between salty and sweet. They serve Wandering Goat coffee so the quality is exceptional. No bitterness, just rich and luxurious.
The actual dining area of the space is pretty plain and minimalistic in it’s design but a perfectly suitable place to grab a quick lunch or pick up some things to go. The employees are generally amiable and quick about weighing and packing up your items.
Get a coffee, a salad, a bottle of wine, and some caramels.
So worth it.

We walked into Marche Provisions with high expectations, given we’ve eaten at Marche and know of the top quality there. Plus we love little deli /​market /​wine shop combo stores and had a sort of Oakville Grocer vibe in mind, having not seen photos of Provisions. We walked in really wanting to like this place and anticipating at least a 4 star introductory experience. We stopped by after the lunch rush, a sort of «tea time time» with the idea of coffee and «something“‘ and maybe picking up some specialty items too. While it had some things to commend it, we walked out with a 3 star rating firmly in mind for Provisions. We’d go back if we were in the area and this was the only convenient stop. But we’d not rush back nor seek this out as a destination. Still good enough to be AOK.
Here’s why:
On the plus side, service was very friendly, asked us if we were looking for something specific as we wandered about for a bit («No but thanks for asking, we’re just making our first visit and taking a look at things.»). Once we decided on our order from the bakery case to go with coffee, they were equally helpful.
On the down side, the Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta we ordered to try was just «meh’. Maybe it’s because we’ve had so much Panna Cotta to have too many other remarkably good benchmarks to which to compare it (Nostrana’s is one of them, as example). But this one lacked both the unctuous «just set» texture (too much gelatin) and also didn’t have enough Meyer Lemon zing. If we’d purchased this at a grocery market dessert case, I’d understand, but here, not so much.
What really set us back was the prices of most of the items in the store — as in far too high. We realize this is a specialty market and one expects to pay more as a result. But even with that expectation in mind, we felt as if the consumer was being «had». To ground this with a specific example, as that’s only fair for that kind of criticism, the Tumalo Farms Truffleur Cheese was a little over $ 40 per pound. At my local specialty market, known for being one of the high priced vendors in town, that Oregon white truffle cheese is offered at about $ 29 per pound. That’s just one of several examples for which we had price comparisons readily available in our heads.
Overall the ambiance seemed sort of «tired» and given the location of this in the 5^th Street Market and, again, the tie to Marche, we were expecting something more vibrant.
So maybe the issue here is really more about expectations being out of synch with reality than any failing on the part of Provisions. Except for the high prices. Ouch.