“It reminds me of home,” Mark told me during our interview, speaking of the waterfront views from some of the restaurants he worked at in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. He began his culinary career as a sous chef for Silver Tree at Deep Creek Lake. From there he decided to move to California, where he gained further culinary experience in the San Diego area at such restaurants as Cendio’s, Vigilucci’s Ristorante, and JRDN. When he returned to Maryland, he served as sous chef for the Will ‘O Wisp on Deep Creek Lake and also staged at Newton’s in Washington, DC and the world-renown, Eleven Madison Park in New York City. With his wife, Laura, who is employed by Ruby Memorial Hospital, he made the move to Morgantown a few years ago and con nued working on his dream to open his own restaurant. A er a few years of hard work and willful ambi on, Mark saw his dream come to frui on with the opening of Table 9. His desire for the gastropub to reflect the seasons of West Virginia and its local farms has been accomplished by purchasing pork and beef from Gardner Farms of Waverly and Hawthorne Valley Farms of Clarksburg. When the local Farmers’ Market is opera ng, Table 9 will feature menu items made from the fresh produce sold by its vendors. The goal is to keep the menu seasonal and use what grows in the area.
Table 9 conveys a casual and fun atmosphere where folks can enjoy affordable food and drink with friends and family. As Mark puts it, “It’s all about having a good me,” and his goal is to make sure that his customers know that. Table 9’s diverse menu changes daily and includes gluten free and vegetarian choices. The chefs are also willing to make anything on the spot for a customer to accommodate individual diet needs. Favorites on the dinner menu include the Grilled Lamb and the Blackened Tuna. The menu is laid out to enjoy three to four courses which include Snacks, First Course, Second Course and Sweets. Snacks include unique appe zers such as Fried Rico a with Roasted Tomato Jam and Garlic Olive Oil or Devils on Horseback with Pepper Jam. Along with the Blackened Tuna served with Picked Cucumbers, Corn, Radish, and Horseradish, the First Course includes Prince Edward Mussels with Bloody Mary Mix, Celery, Tomato, and Hot Sauce or Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese, Arugula, and Candied Pecans. You’ll find the Grilled Lamb served with Salted Yogurt, Eggplant, Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Pickled Red Onions in the Second Course list, along with Seared Salmon with Brussels sprouts, Fried Shallots and Hollandaise or Pan Seared Filet with Roasted Cauliflower, Chimichurri and Watercress. Delectable choices from the Sweets