There French revolution continues in Costa Mesa and Marché Moderne is there at the forefront. That’s because the “modern market” goes beyond even the best bistro fare, updating almost all the classics of French cuisine with the necessary modern touches. The spontanée (Marché Moderne’s three-course prix-fixe lunch) is one of the best high-end values in town, offering a malleable menu that changes daily. But lunch appetites also do well to fall to the restaurant’s moules frites (and steak frites, too). A meal at Marché Moderne is most often money well spent, and if cash isn’t a concern, dinner here can be an even more decadent pleasure. The confit of pork belly is a fatty treat, though the tagine of Maine scallops is just as good, paired with roasted eggplant, zucchini, raisins and almonds and spiced with cumin and Harissa. Like newer South Coast Plaza resident Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s, Marché Moderne brings a finer taste to the mall, thoroughly obsoleting any concept of the food court. But Marché Moderne is more classically French than its neighbors, making it the only spot around for a bite of tete de veau after a day’s worth of shopping.

MARCHÉ MODERNE 3333 BRISTOL ST | COSTA MESA 92626 | 714.434.7900