the market, affectionately known by us old-timers as bleu house market, is one of our favorite lunch spots in downtown norcross.  john and maureen adams have been bringing southern food and barbecue (with a welcome twist, of course!) to the area since 2010.  they’ve gained a strong following from the locals; some of the staff even know our employees by name!

bank, liz, kyle, vinh, and i went there today for some grub, and after the renovations, the market might be better than ever.  the décor has been brightened up and looks a little more organized than it did in the past.  there’s a brand new patio with lots of comfortable seating, covered by the awning and big, colorful umbrellas.

bank and his lady.

the menu has changed a bit, which at first caught me offguard, but everything we had today was wonderful.  i’m almost glad i got so full, because i get to have my leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

fresh coats of paint all around!

kyle’s vinh “ooh” face.

i was extra hungry this afternoon since i’d worked out this morning, so lots of delectable dishes were in order.  i started with the pimiento (which, by the way, can be spelled with the second ‘i’ – an alternative spelling to pimento, who knew?!) deviled eggs because, well, because they sounded simply irresistible.  i have a somewhat unhealthy love for pimento cheese, i’ll admit it, but i couldn’t pass up these little guys.  i mean, don’t they just look scrumptious?

pimiento deviled eggs.

they didn’t just look it, they tasted it, too.  there was a heaping spoonful of pimento cheese atop each egg, so much so that i looked quite ladylike while taking each bite.  ha, not really.  those eggs were so stuffed, i’m sure i looked like a cave woman while eating them.  either way, i don’t quite care because they were so delicious.  i’d tell you more about their flavor profile, but i inhaled them so quickly that all i really remember is saying, over and over again actually, “oh my gosh.  these eggs are amazing.”  you’ll just have to take my word for it.

CHEESE.

the entrée plates arrived, and everyone dug in immediately.  we’ll start with miss liz.  she had the sautéed portobello naan-wich, which (ha, “wich”, “which”, it’s funny!) was bursting at the seams with pimento cheese, house greens, and olives.  whether it was out of hunger or love, or perhaps both, she ate the whole thing.  on the side she had the squash casserole that, although boasting a vegetable as its main ingredient, looked quite sinful with all that butter and cheese.  oh, baby.  kyle and vinh had the squash casserole as their sides, too, and liked it just as much as liz did.

sautéed portobello naan-wich and squash casserole.

bank went with a naan-wich as well but instead tried the one with smoked turkey.  my goodness, did that thing look intense!  the turkey clearly had been carved off the bone that day.  i almost wished i had ordered it myself!  but, maybe more so than the sandwich, the mac’n’cheese looked and smelled unbelievable.  you can bet that penne pasta was oozing with rich cheese and cream.  i know which side i’ll be ordering the next time i’m here!

smoked turkey naan-wich and mac’n’cheese.

per the cashier’s suggestion, i had the broccoli salad for my side.  it was tasty and cool on this hot summer day, but i think i’d order something else before i got it again.

broccoli salad.

but what about my actual meal?  kyle, vinh, and i all got the brisket naan-wich, and i have no regrets about my choice.  before i even bit into the thing, a couple nubs of brisket had fallen out and onto the plate.  i grabbed them with my fork and was in brisket heaven.  it was so tender and juicy.  it wasn’t overspiced.  without really knowing what my perfect brisket would be, this stuff was it.  don’t believe me?  get on up here and try it yourself.

brisket naan-wich and squash casserole.

i finally got to the naan-wich, being careful not to let too much fall out as i picked it up for my first taste.  i wasn’t shy and took quite a large bite.  i could hardly believe such a thing existed!  brisket and bacon and coleslaw, oh my!  with each bite, i exclaimed, “man, this is delicious.”  considering vinh and kyle ate all of theirs, i think they’d say the same.

brisket naan-wich.

although a bit otp, the market is, without a doubt, one of my favorite restaurants.  i’ve never had a meal here that i didn’t care for, and i can probably say the same for my friends.  if you don’t mind going on a little stroll through a cute and charming downtown, come on out to norcross.  you’ll get to find out what the fuss is about, and you, too, might have a new favorite restaurant in town.

adorable.