Pssst…..I have a secret for you.   You might not know this, but tucked behind the Marquis Plaza Hotel on Dougall and Eugenie is a great little restaurant.  Just walk straight through the hotel and out the back and you’ll find the Marquis Plaza Restaurant, 53 Eugenie Street East. 

George Chifor, General Manager, opened the Marquis in 2005.  The restaurant services not only hotel guests but people in the city who work nearby and have discovered this hidden culinary spot.

“It’s primarily casual dining with a strong European influence,” explains George.  “But we also have dishes that cater to a North American palette.”

The European influence comes from chef Margiana Chicu.  Trained at St. Clair College, and influenced by her Romanian cultural background, Margiana makes everything from scratch and believes in traditional cooking.  When not in the kitchen she is chatting with guests, greeting them as they walk into the restaurant and creating a wonderful atmosphere.  She is every bit a part of the dining experience.

The Marquis serves breakfast and lunch and the menu appeals to a broad range of tastes.

Their popular Marquis Breakfast comes with juice, two eggs, home fried potatoes, toast with butter or preserves, coffee and your choice of bacon ham or sausage all for $5.50.  Or you can order a la carte and choose from a list of omelettes, pancakes, bagels, croissants and French toast.

The Marquis’ lunch menu is anything but boring.  Try the Goat Cheese and Tomato Sandwich.  It’s rustic and simple, but the combination of goat cheese and tomatoes between two toasted slices of rye bread is fantastic!

If you’re looking for something a little more substantial for lunch, Marquis offers a variety of pastas including Gnocchi and Manicotti, as well as grilled items such as the Grand Marquis Burger, Salisbury Steak, and even Orange Roughy and Red Snapper.

The restaurant is charming and seats 35 between two rooms.  Each week George heads out to Windsor City Market and shops for fresh ingredients for Margiana to use.  Every once in awhile, Margiana switches things ups and offers specials.  Keep an eye for when she makes her cabbage rolls and do not walk away from this eatery without trying a pastry!  Margiana specializes in making delectable homemade pastries, struedels and fruit breads.  Definitely worth a try.

The Marquis Plaza Restaurant is open for Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays.  Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.