Good French Food In South Coast Plaza
	Reviewed By howie	Jun 16, 2008

Marche Moderne serves French bistro fare for weary shoppers in South Coast Plaza. They offer a $20 3-course prix fixe lunch - a salad, a choice of two entrees, and dessert. I went there a couple of weeks ago with my family, and we all got the prix fixe lunch, and also ordered the Seared Foie Gras with Mango appetizer to share.

The foie gras was rich and decadent, made more so by creamy mango sauce that accompanied it. It was better with a bit of tart mango to cut through the richness. The salad was composed of lightly dressed greens dotted with dried cherries and hazelnuts.

My mom ordered the Bay Shrimp & Scallops with Couscous. Those tiny bay shrimp are admittedly not my favorite, but even then I thought they were slightly overcooked. The scallop was nicely done, but the chive aioli seemed bland, making the overall dish a bit dull.

But I absolutely loved my Braised Lamb Cheeks - melt-in-your-mouth tender and not too gamy. The napa cabbage and cauliflower mixed with the gravy from the lamb was a delicious, earthy accompaniment.

We closed with an almond cake with mango sorbet - a light, delicate dessert.

The prix fixe lunch menu for $20 is a great deal for this quality of food. The amount of food is not overwhelming, which is probably a good thing for on-the-go shoppers.