9 benefits of Morning Workouts

DINING AT MARTELL’S (Final draft)

Many K-college students may not be familiar with Martell’s, an upscale restaurant formerly known as Black Swan. It is a fine restaurant that combines a great atmosphere and an exquisite home-style Italian-American cuisine. It is located in a secluded area which is about a 10 -15 minute drive from K-college, on Greenleaf Blvd, Parkview Hills. Apart from the delicious foods, it also has beautiful surroundings, ideal for diners who appreciate a natural setting. Through the large floor to ceiling glass windows of the dining room, diners are exposed to the beautiful view of green tress, grass and the pond which is a great feature of the restaurant, especially in the summer time, when it is graced with geese and swans splashing around.

Martell’s is rarely empty, it is usually crowded especially at night during weekends. This however, does not make parking an issue for clients. The excellent service is evident from the moment customers walk into the restaurant. A friendly female receptionist immediately greets them. The stylish décor of the small reception area is just a glimpse into the whole experience to come. It has stylish stonewalls decked in a lot of soft green and brown colors and paintings hanging on the walls. There are also some dry flower arrangements near the entrance to the dining room, which gives the room a homey but elegant feel, which is present in the whole restaurant. A great combination for a great dining experience. After confirming reservations, customers are guided to their tables either in the dining room or the outside patio. The dining room is carpeted, and warmed by a fireplace which is positioned a few steps to the right from the entrance, opposite the large glass windows. One of the first thing a customer will notice are the beautiful red lampshades that provide the room with dim lighting, giving the whole dining room a kind of formal/ romantic atmosphere. The restaurant also has tavern, which unlike the spacious dining room, is much smaller, and has higher noise levels and even dimmer lighting.

The restaurant is mostly filled with middle-aged clientele but there are also some young customers. The design of the tables and chairs show a definite order of seating arrangements for the people who frequent the place. There are leather seats, which are connected through their spiraling design forming horseshoe shaped booths around tables, creating a cozy and private and intimate space for each table. These are usually occupied by couples and few students on a date. There are also regular detached tables and chairs set apart in a more formal. These ones are usually occupied by groups of older clienteles and families with children. These chairs are equally as comfy as the booths. Noise levels are usually at a minimum; allowing most diners to hold a conversation without being distracted by the music or chatter from the next table.

The menus are not very elaborate but they are filled with a variety of great Italian choices such as penne formagio, frutti di mare, penne arrabiata, parpaddelle and Italian chop salad. Some of their best appetizers include caponata bruschetta, crab cakes and chef’s selection antipasto platter. It is definitely a great place to get a taste of two different cultures especially for an international student. Martell’s also has quite a large selection of pizzas, sandwiches and burgers ranging from $8.95 -$14.50.

All entrees are served with pieces of Tuscan bread and dipping oil sprinkled with rosemary, served right before the waiters bring out the entrees. The friendly and attentive waiters replenish glasses of water every time the glasses are half full. The food is simply wonderful. Most of the dishes are just as tasty, original and as luscious as they look. Their $15.50 lemon chicken is an oven roasted, rustic, marinated half chicken, and served with crispy potatoes and sautéed spinach. The chicken’s original flavor, taste and aroma are still retained even though it is sprinkled with rosemary. The only possible disappointment in this meal could be the bland taste and rough texture of the crispy potato cubes, which are not as crispy as they are supposed to be, they rather look a little withered. For the same price, one can get the chicken Marsala, which is a sautéed chicken breast, covered with a creamy mushroom Marsala sauce, and served with buttermilk mashed potatoes with green beans. This meal is equally as delicious as the lemon chicken. The Marsala sauce is a bit too sweet and the chicken meat is not as soft as the lemon chicken. Luckily, there is a carving knife provided which can be used to overcome the challenge.

The presentation, color and texture of the foods are simply rich and mouth-watering. The vegetables are well cooked, the spinach is not too soft and the green beans are fresh and crispy, and just like the other food they retain their original flavor, which is evidence enough that they are really fresh.

The prices are quite high for an average student especially on weekends when they do not have any specials. There was a Valentine’s Day special going at $44 per couple with a complete three-course meal. It is a great bargain compared to the cost of ordering each of the three meals separately but still high enough to affect a student’s wallet. Students can however be comforted to know that they can fully consume their money’s worth because waiters can package their remaining food in reusable containers for them to take back home or to the dorm.

Getting a reservation in advance would be recommended because it is a small restaurant, hence it can get pretty crowded. It offers a great dining experience, a place to have a private, comfortable, quiet and romantic dinner, perfect for a date or formal meeting. It may not be an ideal place a student can frequent or hang out with friends. But, it definitely passes for one of the places a K college student must visit once in a while to get out of the K-bubble and take a break from cafeteria food. The healthy and scrumptious food eaten in a relaxed atmosphere is definitely worth more than the cost.