Marlow and Sons

When I stepped into Marlow and Sons the other day, I walked in amidst extension cords snaking across the floor, light diffusers strategically placed in the corners of the room, and men with cameras wandering around checking angles. I had the distinct feeling of being scooped. The camera crew turned out to be filming scenes for the Martha Stewart show, with Stewart expected to arrive later in the afternoon. Serves me right for taking so long to get there! It’s not as if Marlow and Sons, operated by the owners of the fashionable Diner next door, opened yesterday, but is definitely still a hot ticket.
The interior of the restaurant is hip in a scruffy general store/saloon chic way. When you walk in, there is a deli counter of sorts and shelves stocked with gourmet specialty items, and beyond that is seating for the restaurant and bar.
Start with the oysters. They are a little pricey at $2.75 apiece, but they are such a treat you may not notice. There is a rotating selection from the east coast. The day we went we tried one variety from Maine and one from Virginia, and they arrived to the table on a silver tray and bed of ice looking everything like a Dutch still life.
As far as I can tell, Marlow and Sons is best know for its charcuterie, its selection of cold cut ham, salamis, and roast beef. So it makes sense that the resulting menu is made up mostly of sandwiches, which range in price from $9.50-$12. There is one vegetarian sandwich option in the eggplant sandwich. In general this seems to be a difficult place for vegetarian interested in anything but soup or salad. The eggplant sandwich was great though tasting like a rich chunk of eggplant parmesan, with breaded eggplant and fontina cheese served on a baguette.
I also tried their version of the muffaletta, a sandwich developed in New Orleans at the turn of the last century usually served on a round, Sicilian bread of the same name. This one was served on homemade herb focaccia. The insides remain true to the original recipe with chopped olives, salami, and ham. Compared to other muffalettas I’ve had, I choose this one.
There is a very limited set of entrees to choose from, brick chicken, cod and braised chicken, ranging from $12-$19.

Besides its next-door neighbor, Diner, Marlow and Sons has another sister establishment, I suppose literally by name, at Marlow and Daughters, a specialty butcher just a block on up the street. After having lunch at Sons I stopped in to check out Daughters, and even though I wasn’t hungry at all, my mouth watered at the sight of all of the local, grass fed and organic meats. There were other specialty items as well that you aren’t used to seeing in your everyday butcher. Head cheese anyone? There are also all sorts of cured meats and pâtés. It is all on the pricey side, but you get the sense from the way it looks that these are quality products the likes of which have been missing at the average grocery store for quite some time.