It is evident that the chef and owner, Doan Shockley, has a real respect for the home cook. The tables are covered with handwritten and newspaper clipped recipes. The menus are cookbook covers and include such items as Meatloaf (Mamaw's special) and Chicken Pot Pie, mixed in with Tenderloin au Poivre and Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon! There is literally something for everyone, and at prices that are reasonable.
We asked for Laurel, who has served us before, and is a delightful young woman with a great sense of humor and she is well versed in the menu and wine list. Not only that, but she remembered us several weeks later, after waiting on us once. This night we had trouble deciding. Should we go with a favorite, or try one of the few dishes we'd not had yet? With Laurel's help we decided to go with something new. We both chose the Soup du Jour over salad. It was a thick rich beef and vegetable stew, served in a china cup along with a bowl containing small rolls that are sweet and fluffy.
For my main dish I decided to go for the Pork Tenderloin, five large tenderloin medallions covered with dried fruit in a port wine sauce. I also had the Lemon Potatoes and Asparagus sides. The pork was moist and tender and the sauce was sweet, but not syrupy. A generous amount of raisins and other dried fruits added to the rich flavor of the sauce and was the perfect accompaniment to the pork. The Lemon Potatoes were a little unusual and took a little getting used to in those first few bites, but before I knew it, they were gone. The Asparagus was crisp, just the way I like it.
Rob settled on the Lasagna, which is described as beef and Italian sausage in tomato cream sauce with three cheeses. So, we expected a square of Lasagna with a meaty sauce. No. First there is enough to feed us both in a large oval dish that spans the diagonal of the plate. It is piping hot and cheese just drips from his fork as he lifts his first bite. I reached over to get a bite and I come up with mostly meat. The flavor is savory with a little crunch left in the sauce's vegetables, just to let you know that it's made fresh. Very nice. For his sides, Rob chose the Green Beans and Asparagus. This is his way of testing the chef. Rob will only eat his green beans one way, crisp. No overcooked green beans for him. He was satisfied.
We had no room for dessert, but from past experience, I can tell you that all of Shockley Market's desserts are wonderful.
Some of our favorite dishes at Shockley Market are the Tomato, Onion, and Goat Cheese Tart, the Fish and Shrimp Tacos and the Boeuf Bourguignon. I cannot say enough good about Shockley Market. Rob and I have tried nearly everything on the menu at this point, and we've never had a bad meal.
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