None of the flavors were married together and I kept wondering, why the dry basil? Fresh basil would have made this dish incredibly more tasteful… Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and that would have kept me coming back for more.

I have to say that I am deeply disappointed in The City Market on Capitol Drive. I have been a big fan of the café for many years. Sitting at a table in front of a big picture window, reading the paper and eating one of the best scones I’ve ever had was a normal 6:30 a.m. routine for me these past few years.

What I experienced in my most recent visits was nothing that I could have expected; I don’t even know where to begin.

I walked in on a beautiful fall evening excited to eat dinner at the café I hadn’t been to in months. The chalkboard menu was the same as usual with quiches and scones for breakfast, pastas and sandwiches for lunch and dinner.

I decided on the baked basil chicken sandwich served on a baguette with a side of fruit ($7.25). Biting down, I got a large mouthful of bread, mayo and dried basil. The massive piece of chicken breast, which was overly lubricated with the dried basil mayo, fell out onto my plate.

None of the flavors were married together and I kept wondering, why the dry basil? Fresh basil would have made this dish incredibly more tasteful. Dried basil should only be used in the case that the chicken was baked with the basil on it.

In this case, the herb was mixed in with the mayo and slathered on after the baking process. Using the dried basil is a true low that I’m surprised City Market would stoop to. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and that would have kept me coming back for more.

Instead, I was trying to scam a few bites off of my dining companion’s cookie that came accompanied with his Masterpiece sandwich ($6.25). Layered meats and cheddar cheese made this nothing special. Moving on…

Cleanliness is surely an issue that management does not take seriously. Dirty plates from previous patrons sat on empty tables. The floors were littered with crumbs undoubtedly from the morning crowd that sips on coffee and munches on scones. It was downright repulsive and I am ashamed to say that I ate in such a disaster of an establishment.

Service could have been better. The woman (actually, high school student) at the register acted annoyed that we were asking questions about the menu items and made a stink when I asked for a copy of my receipt.

The saving grace of The Market was the dessert. The hazelnut cranberry tart ($3.95) looked amazing underneath the glass case it was showcased in. The crust was near perfection. Hazelnuts adorned the top and the cranberries offered a beautiful tartness that I crave in the fall months. Ending my meal with that tremendous tart gave me hope for, dare I say it, next time.

D+

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