Marco Polo Turns 25

Last Tuesday marked the silver anniversary of Marco Polo Ristorante.  To celebrate, the famed Italian eatery is offering a three-course, prix fixe menu: $19.83 for lunch and $25 for dinner (to commemorate their inaugural year and their years in business, respectively).  The special menu is available for 25 days, from 5 June till the end of the month.

Seven starters are offered, including a soup-of-the-day, a salad, or one of the old favorites such as Carciofo alla Contadina (artichoke stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese) and Calamari con Cannellini e Grano (squid served with cannellini beans and grain).

I chose the Mozzarella con Pomodoro e Basilico (homemade mozzarella with sliced tomato, basil, and extra virgin olive oil).  I probably should have ordered something else.  The fresh mozzarella was a bit dry and rubbery, and the tomatoes were, alas, commensurate with the season.  By contrast, I'd tried the stuffed artichoke on a previous visit and consider it to be a better choice.

There are a dozen main courses from which to select, including many traditional dishes like Pollo Scarpariello (chicken sautéed with garlic, white wine, rosemary, and lemon) and Vitello Piccata (veal scaloppini topped with artichokes in a white wine sauce), as well as fish, seafood, and vegetable dishes.

Happily, my second course made up for the disappointing appetizer.  I ordered the Salmone Tornado Alla Mostarda (salmon over spinach in a mustard sauce) but my waiter returned moments later to inform me that the salmon was no longer available.  The chef kindly offered to prepare a sole in a similar fashion.  It turned out to be an excellent substitution.  The sole was moist, flaky, and delicious.  The mashed potatoes were tasty, but oh, so rich.  A glass of Pinot Grigio made a fine accompaniment.
 

Even though I dined relatively early, only two of the three listed desserts were available.  The Charlotte di Venezia (sponge cake filled with torrone gelato topped with hot chocolate sauce) sounded rather tempting, but I decided on the homemade Italian (ricotta) cheesecake.  It was creamy and tasty without being overly sweet—a good choice.

Marco Polo has aged gracefully over a quarter- century.  The dining room, decorated with iconic murals of Italy, maintains an old-world elegance without seeming pretentious.  Host Joseph Chirico and his staff are attentive and professional, and executive chef Bruno Milone seldom disappoints.  Congratulations, Marco Polo.

Marco Polo Ristorante

345 Court Street (SE corner Union St), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

(718) 852-5015

http://marcopoloristorante.com/

By train: F,G to Carroll Street
By bus: B71, B75