Peachy Picks Marcony by Mover and Shaker Marco Pipolo Encore Review Holiday 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
From the Filetto di manzo al carpaccio above to the decadent Burrata special below, culinary endeavors of Marcony have proved for five years and counting at Whom You Know that they are superior to the competition!
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Twas the night before Christmas and all through Manhattan...visions of Tortellini Marcony (not sugarplums!) will dance in your head!
Of the hundreds of restaurants we have picked, Marcony continues to shine as one of the brightest stars! We are proud to have worked with our friend Marco for over five years, and people like him motivated us to start our Made in Italy column (see Musso-first feature) because of their clear-cut commitment to excellence.
Marcony first made Peachy's Picks in 2011:
and it was most recently featured in the Spring of 2016:
And, we visited periodically inbetween and have always worked with this bastion of deliciousness!!! Even the salads at Marcony are sublime. Above, meet the Frico di parmigiano. Our kind of salad: it is sitting in a bowl of cheese, bespoke! That toasted lacey parmigiano shell will make your day (even you, Clint Eastwood!) and it's filled with brilliant micro arugula and fresh handmade ricotta cheese. Fresh, clean flavor emanates elegantly from this dish!
Next is the Barbietole e finocchio: roasted sugar beet, crisp shaved fennel, kalamata olives, Parmigiano Reggiano, crushed pistachios, fresh mint and lemon oil dressing. The fennel is of the utmost freshest quality and it is not cooked and the pistachios add a satisfying crunch.
Peachy chose the Mediterranea: baby field greens, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, roast pepper, marinated carrots and balsamic reduction (which they are happy to place on the side for Ms. Pretty Picky.) This classic extravaganza was perfect. The bright colors announce the honest truth about how fresh everything is here and we love the green olives of Marcony.
The calamari affogati is not to be missed! Pacific squid braised in tender tomato ragu dances in fresh herbs with a touch of spice culminating in a superbly tender, flavorful combination that will wow you this winter.
If you are highly carnivorous, you will have immense appreciation for the filetto di manzo al carpaccio: raw filet mignon sliced paper thin with shaved Parmigiano and lovely baby artichoke salad. The bright color is further confirmation of the freshness and the delicate flavor excels in tenderness. We cried when the plate was empty.
Burrata is one of Peachy's most favorite things in life so when it is a special at a venue as talented as Marcony, you'll think you've won the menu lottery. The burrata with tomatoes, smoked prosciutto, and baby arugula is the ultimate splendor of the appetizers at Marcony. If snow were burrata, you know who would be outside eating it and making Burrata-men, not snowmen. It is snowing burrata at Marcony and you will love it!
We will admit the pasta section is the most laudable of all and Peachy dreams of the Tortellini Marcony regularly, as in maybe even weekly even though she features it quarterly. You are not going to be able to narrow down the pasta selections to one so pick at least three!
We tried from left to right:
Gnocchi al taleggio: Handmade bite-sized potato dumplings with taleggio cheese, shaved radicchio topped with walnuts in taleggio fondue sauce. Uber-creamy! This wins the gold in softness and it will absolutely melt in your mouth.
Occhi di lupo bolognese: Angle-cut tube-shaped pasta, in rich northern Italian style meat sauce yields a wonderfully tangy, traditional classic result that will put a smile on your face.
Tortellini Marcony: YOU WANT THIS!!! Spinach and cheese filled fresh pasta highlighted with a black and white truffle cream sauce!!!! Superlative, earthy, creamy goodness will infiltrate your senses and put you in the absolute best mood. If you want something from Peachy, you should probably feed her this.
Santa are you reading?
This entree is like opening a Christmas present!
If you want to feel like your dinner has come down the chimney especially for you to unwrap, and who wouldn't!, you want to order the red snapper filet. Wrapped in parchment paper with cherry tomatoes, thyme, string beans and steamed in its own juices, this delicious dish is flavorful and healthy and earns high points for consistency! It's not the first time Peachy has ordered this. And, it will not be the last.
If salmon is more your style, you should know that the Salmone in padella is a striking entree as well. Wild-caught salmon is pan-roasted with seasonal vegetables, white wine glaze sauce and fresh tomato basil garnish. The freshness of everything is really extraordinary at Marcony. Finally, if you are persuaded by poultry, do try the Petto di pollo limone: breast of chicken amazingly sauteed in egg and parmigiano cheese, lemon artichoke hearts and sundried cherry tomatoes.
Of course, the Italian wines of Marcony range a wonderful spectrum and we have never had a glass we did not love here. We could write an article on just how great the wines are alone but cannot part with the Tortellini Marcony. Or Burrata. We sipped super Tuscan all night, until dessert, when we ordered Jameson! Even Marco wishes he were Irish sometimes...and we applaud the combination of Italian wine and Irish whiskey (especially since we don't think you can make wine in Ireland, and if you are, we definitely want to hear from you!)
Whether you like the simplicity of chocolate and vanilla gelato or the creamy ricotta cheesecake that boasts a pronounced custard-like consistency, the desserts at Marcony will impress you.
But you know the right answer is most often CHOCOLATE for Peachy! You should end with the chocolate truffle cake.
Marcony continues to be Highly Recommended!
