Hot dog and mustard? Psychotic chef? A cluster of grapes? Food freaks were out in full force Saturday night as hundreds of thousands converged on Lincoln Road for one of the largest - if not most colorful - Halloween costume pedestrian parade in the country.
Patrons piled into sidewalk seating at the outdoor mall's eating establishments for an up- close personal view of the freak show and ate more than just Reese's peanut butter cups..
Meat Market celebrated its first anniversary with special seatings at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. and a $75 prix fixe three-course menu for outdoor tables. We spoke to chef/owner Sean Brasel as he and his team prepared to do a big night of about 400 covers.
SO: Is this Meat Market's first Halloween?
SB: Yes because we had just opened last year on Halloween and we had no patio, so we decided to keep the Halloween influence and chaos to a minimum
SO: Tell us a little bit about the idea and how it came about?
SB: Lincoln Road is the center of attention on Halloween, and we decided it would be fun to redesign our patio for maximum viewing pleasure to our customers.
SO: How are you bringing the holiday to life in the drinks and food?
SB: We are doing several specials like wood grilled veal chop with pumpkin flan and cranberry demi glace, a frozen pumpkin-Vanilla ice cream root beer float with a splash of nitrogen, and a Pumpkin bisque soup with goat cheese and pumpkin raviolis.
SO: What if you get a bunch of zombies and they demand human flesh? Or vampires and blood?
SB: Vampires are welcome (I am one of them also) but the zombies eating human flesh need to remain on Lincoln Road.
SO: Will your staff be dressed up?
SB: No only the bartenders that way the customers can recognize their servers. [After finishing service,] I'll be the Cat in the Hat.
SO: If the restaurant itself could dress up for Halloween, what would it be?
SB: A spaceship with the fiber optic lights on the outside as well
SO: Is there competition among tenants to out-do each other with decorations,
candy, ect. for party goers' enjoyment?
SB: Every place on Lincoln road has some sort of dining experience. We are just making ours in a five star fashion.
Here's the full menu for your viewing enjoyment:
Appetizers
(Choice of)
PUMPKIN BISQUE
SWEET ROASTED PUMPKIN ∞ PUMPKIN RAVIOLIS ∞ TRUFFLE
CEDAR-SCENTED HAMACHI
YUZU ∞ WHITE TRUFFLE ∞ LIME ∞ JALAPENO
CRAB AND LOBSTER CAKE
RED ONION ∞ PAPAYA SALAD ∞ TOMATO BUTTER ∞ AVOCADO
CRISPY CRAB TAIL
AJI PANCHA ∞ BABY BOK CHOY ∞ SHIITAKE ∞ PASSIONFRUIT BUTTER ∞ MICRO SHISO
KOBE BEEF SLIDER DUO
BACON ∞ WHITE CHEDDAR & FOIE GRAS ∞ MANGO MUSTARD CARAMELIZED ONION
HEIRLOOM TOMATO ∞ GRILLED ONION ∞ BASIL OIL ∞ 12-YEAR BALSAMIC ∞ SPANISH OLIVE OIL
Entrees
(Choice of)
KILCOYNE FARMS ROSE VEAL CHOP
PUMPKIN FLAN ∞ WILD CRANBERRY ∞ ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS ∞ GARLIC
TROPICAL BRAISED 'PRIME' BRISKET
COCONUT ∞ MANGO ∞ CUBAN SWEET POTATOES ∞ WILD MUSHROOMS
KOBE SKIRT STEAK
LEMONGRASS ∞ GINGER ∞ ROASTED LOCAL CHILE ∞ POLENTA FRIES
WOOD GRILLED WILD AFRICAN PHEASANT
TAMARI ∞ BRAISED CHICORY ∞ HONEY SAUCE
SEABASS
SOY BEAN MASH ∞ WILD MUSHROOMS ∞ SWEET CORN TOMATO ∞ CONCASSÉ ∞ TRUFFLE NAGE
Dessert
(Choice of)
HALLOWEEN ROOT BEER FLOAT
NITROGEN PUMPKIN VANILLA ICE CREAM ∞ ROOT BEER ∞ VANILLA WHIP CREAM
PISTACHIO CRÈME BRULEE
PISTACHIO CREAM ∞ CANDIED PISTACHIOS ∞ CARAMELIZED PISTACHIO TUILLE
CHOCOLATE TEMPTATION
WARM CHOCOLATE CAKE ∞ MACAROONS ∞ CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM