The Mark is hot, it's cool, it's hip. It's sweeps of curving walls painted icy emerald and fiery mustard. It's stalactite lanterns throwing reds, blues, yellows and greens on backdrops of gray suede. A few tables in the front bar are scrunched into spaces that bring to mind Metro at rush hour, but at the far reaches are banquettes as quiet and comfortable as a business-class upgrade. I saw the Mark's friendlier aspect, though, when the complaints of two nearby lunchers about a sandwich brought concern, apologies and not only a new plate but an insistence that the lunch be on the house.
Some waiters seem novices, while others are clearly old-timers.
Swope goes to great efforts to muster resources that make a difference. The wine list, remarkably informative and inspired, as well as reasonable, gives credit to consultant Ann Berta of Georgetown's Wide World of Wines. It's from Uptown Bakery, the waiter says. The ever-changing menu features Copper River salmon, fiddlehead ferns, Summerfield Farm beef, and feta cheese from Cedar Acres in Delaware. Like most New American chefs, Swope roams a whole world of flavors for wasabi to spike the tuna carpaccio, tamarind to jazz up the rock shrimp, coconut and green chili curry to spoon over the scallops, a chile relleno to form the centerpiece of a vegetarian plate.