[Houston] Da Marco

[Dana]

After a month of traumatic events (survived a wreck with a drunk driver, numerous doctor and chiropractor visits, and a PILE of company for our son's graduation from college), my hubby and I decided we needed a break and chose to give Da Marco's a try. We were greeted with a happy 'buona sera' (although I'm sure I spelled that wrong) and seated, even though we were very early for our reservation. Our waitperson was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed a glass of Prosecco while we deliberated on what to order. A crostini with white bean spread, chili flakes and EVOO were set before us. After that, we were served another piece of bread with an unremarkable EVOO for dipping. In the end, hubby selected an antipasto of seared scallops, while I ordered an artichoke. Both were really nice. We opted to skip the Primi plate in hopes we'd have room for dessert. For our Secondi's, I chose the Veal Chop that was accompanied by a creamy polenta and grilled asparagus while the hubby ordered a Black Angus strip steak with spinach and caramalized cipollini. Both were cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. He chose the panna cotta for dessert, while I ordered a 3 apple tart with banana gelato. The panna cotta was very good, but the tart was extremely sweet - apples were caramelized and just too sweet for me. We ordered a Vino Nobile for our wine. We had a great time, and will probably go again for lunch, but our bill was pretty steep - $200 by the time we left a tip. The atmosphere was elegant and we enjoyed it tremendously, but I don't know if it was worth that price. Have you had similar experiences? I could make a pretty good meal at home for that money.

[Bwana64]

I agree, and think it is over-rated. They are going for that northern Italian experience where you have to order 3 courses just to get enough to eat. They price each course as if it were an entire meal. I think it's too expensive to survive competition in Houston. Just my 2 cents.

[Kevin72]

I went with my family this weekend. Incredible. I got to try two Italian ingredients that had intrigued me for a while: burratta (a mozzarella like cheese with an unformed wheylike interior) and bottarga--dried pressed mullet roe. The burratta (in a salad with arugula and heirloom tomatoes) was intriguing, vaguely sour and delicate and yet rich all at once. I really hope it catches on and gets more commonly available. I had bottarga on my spaghetti with clams and it didn't really come through. I had for a main course the rombo, a flatfish, with mandarin oranges and it was damn near perfection. I horned my way into other family member's meals and got to try the roast duck ravioli with montasio sauce and their braised lamb dish. The duck ravioli might be one of the best single dishes I've ever tasted, I wanted to hurt someone it was so good. The lamb too was that perfect combination of the richness of a braise and the caramelized goodness of a roast.

Price-wise I can't really comment since I didn't pay. I wouldn't hesitate to go back on my dime with the wife but it would be a lean month around the house!

I'm a pretty avid Italian cook and found it to be one of the best Italian meals I've had outside of Italy itself. The creativity on the menu, the Venetian touch to a lot of their dishes, and the nearly perfect execution of their dishes just blew me away.

[Kevin72]

Allison cook reviews the lunch offerings at Da Marco latest Houston Chronicle Dining Guide and decrees it "the best food in town".

Has anyone else been for lunch or dinner lately, or revisited? Thoughts?

[SuperLuckyCat]

I had dinner there 2 months ago and it was delicious. I remember thinking how irritated I was that we live around the corner and had never been there. I had a lobster ravioli that had delicious lobster in the pasta and also in the sauce. It was lick-the-bowl good. My husband had a veal chop that rivaled our favorite at our favorite place in Boston's North End. He also had a caprese salad and we loved the mozz. in that and the tomatoes were very good. There was either a bean spread or a fish spread with the bread, I don't remember, but I remember loving it. We drank wine by the glass since I had white and he had red, and they were somewhat pricey, but the selection was interesting.

I love that sort of atmosphere and service. Nice and quiet and not a place to take little kids.

The next time we go we will try some wood-fired pizza.

[jscarbor]

Its been way too long since I ate at Da Marco. I'm thinking a meal here is in order in the near future. The one time I did eat here it was fantastic. What I remember is I had the ravioli with quail egg and truffle and I ofrget the entree. My wife had the artichoke and the sea bass with grapefruit. Both were great.

[SuperLuckyCat]

My husband and I had a fantastic meal there last night. The service is so nice here and we got a lot of help from the sommelier who was really pleasant. I had a glass of rose (and my husband something white and Italian) before we had a bottle of Campanaro 2002 Feudi di San Greggorio. We have little experience with Italian wines and this bottle of white was very unusual and we like it a lot.

Their bread is very good, I kept picking the crusts off of mine and my husbands to dip in their own label olive oil which was scrumptious and fruity. They also bring out a couple of pieces of bread with a white bean spread that is just OK. I had tuna tartare off the special board and then another appetizer of the grilled octopus. First the tuna tartare was served in the shape of a crab cake with large pieces (dice size) of meltingly tender tuna mized with lump crab meat (almost a one-to-one ratio, so tartare crabcake would be more like it) and large caper berries. The plate had big pieces of flat bread from their wood over with some delicious oil drizzled on it. A very good dish, especially after I had to sheepishly ask for some salt and pepper.

My husband had the buff. mozz with oven roasted cherry tomatoes garnished with a lot of julienned basil. That was very good.

Then he had the signature sweet corn ravioli with lobster sauce (thank goodness so I would get some bites since that is what I had last time and it is bowl-licking good). I had the octopus which was grilled (2 big tentacles) and served mixed with grilled potato chunks, roasted peppers slices (yellow and orange), orange segments, a couple of radish slices and lots of gorgeous lemon zest. It was a perfect mix of flavors and textures.

I had ordered 2 apps. to make sure I would want dessert. Their homemade cannoli was perfect. 2 perfectly brown and crisp tubes with perfect ricotta flecked with dark chocolate chips and citron. This was a damn near textbook version. (I know some prefer the pastry cream, I prefer the ricotta).

We had been anticipating this dinner for a while and it wasn't cheap but we felt it was priced correctly. Some day I will have to go get the pizza there. The sommelier wrote down the rose and the bottle of white for me to go find and he said they sold both retail there which is interesting.

MMMMmmmm!!!!

[FoodMan]

We headed over to Da Marco for dinner on Friday night. The place was packed to the brim. So, I was quiet surprised and pleased to be seated only ten minutes after our reservation time. While waiting by the bar, actually the bar was also packed, so we more or less waited by the restroom entrance, we enjoyed a couple of glasses of Proseco and nibbled on some nice fresh flat bread topped with a sharp cheese.

I have to get the bad part out of the way first. That was twofold, service and NOISE. Holy crap is that place noisy. I have not encountered such a noisy bunch of people anywhere else, including in any of the Pappas chain restaurants. I literally would’ve used earplugs if I had any, mainly because of the table behind us whose patrons had a little too much wine. The Service was also mediocre at best. Here’s the blue print:

- We get seated

- Our waiter, without saying a word, drops off some toasted bread topped with chickpea paste. He does not explain what that was or what’s on it. He also gives us menus

- He comes back and we order two glasses of wine, again the only words he utters are to confirm what we got.

- About 10 – 15 minutes later he stops and asks if we are ready to order. I make it easy and order everything at once.

- Plates are dropped on our table, removed, table cleaned. NEVER once we were asked if everything was ok, you know like they do at fine establishments such as “Chili’s”.

- When ordering dessert I notice our fabulous waiter reciting some good looking specials written on a board to a table close by. I had no idea they had specials that night. I ask him about it and he says he assumed someone else mentioned them to us since we were ready to order when he got back. Ah-hah , that’s what I get for trying to make it easy on him and not asking to many questions I guess. Stuff like that really piss me off! Don’t assume anything man!

- I do not believe in stiffing waiters unless service is downright horrible. So, “Mr. Server of the year” does not get the normal %18-20 I would’ve given to him otherwise.

From previous posts on this thread, I am getting the feeling that my experiecne with the service was not the norm. Or maybe no one's ever been on a Friday night .

Ok, with that off my chest, the food part here is very good and will warrant more visits. My wife and I agreed that we would not mind one bit coming back for lunch one day and having the simple but awesome Buffalo Mozzarella with Arugula and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Another Exceptional antipasto we had was the Grilled Octopus with Potatoes and Orange sections. This hands down was the best dish of the night and something worth going to Da Marco for. Come to think of it, it was the best octopus dish I've ever had.

We got one pasta dish, the Corn Ravioli with Lobster. Everything I’ve heard about this dish was right. It’s great, sweet corn and perfectly cooked lobster, combine to make a must-have dish. The Entrée I got was not in the same league unfortunately. I ordered the Rabbit A La Cacciatore. It was way below average, the sauce was salty, the rabbit dry, and there were no mushrooms in sight the way I would expect to see in a proper Cacciatore dish. I would never order this again. BTW, even though I left a good piece of rabbit in my plate, our waiter did not even ask if anything was wrong. The Parmiggiano risotto the rabbit came with was perfectly made though and I ate every last bit of it.

For dessert we got the Cannoli, with homemade flaky/crispy shells and creamy ricotta laced with citrus filling. They were another perfect hit from the kitchen.

Da Marco might have one of the best Italian food in town, but their small venue and the fact that they are packed might make it more worthwhile to give them a try during the down time. Maybe a late lunch or midweek dinner will result in more attentive waitstaff and will be more gentle on the eardrums.

The food is simple but very well prepared (if you stay away from the rabbit) and delicious. If you stick with Antipasto and pasta it’s not that bad on the wallet either. However, from a Fine Dining standpoint Da Marco is not in the same league as Mark’s (perfect food and service) or Aries (excellent, modern, imaginative). IMHO, if you want a restaurant with finesse and food for thought, try these two, but if you want a good authentic Italian meal then Da Marco fits the bill.

Elie

[jscarbor]

I have heard that Da Marco is moving to the old Marrakesh site on westheimer. That should give them a bit more room. Maybe they can have a quite area and a noisy area?=)

[jscarbor]

Its a Neopolitan Pizza joint! Nice!

[FoodMan]

Its a Neopolitan Pizza joint! Nice!

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huh??!! What do you mean?

[greensNbeans]

Its a Neopolitan Pizza joint! Nice!

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huh??!! What do you mean?

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I think that he is referring to the old Marrakesh location, right?

[SuperLuckyCat]

I would never go to such a highly acclaimed place where I was going to spend so much money and once I realized I was getting bad service not get up, go subtlely find the manager and say you needed some attention to service pronto. That place is worth another try.

If it moves to that Marrakesch location I hope it doesn't lose it's ambiance and small place feeling.

[Bill Miller]

We headed over to Da Marco for dinner on Friday night. The place was packed to the brim. So, I was quiet surprised and pleased to be seated only ten minutes after our reservation time. While waiting by the bar, actually the bar was also packed, so we more or less waited by the restroom entrance, we enjoyed a couple of glasses of Proseco and nibbled on some nice fresh flat bread topped with a sharp cheese.

I have to get the bad part out of the way first. That was twofold, service and NOISE. Holy crap is that place noisy. I have not encountered such a noisy bunch of people anywhere else, including in any of the Pappas chain restaurants. I literally would’ve used earplugs if I had any, mainly because of the table behind us whose patrons had a little too much wine. The Service was also mediocre at best. Here’s the blue print:

- We get seated

- Our waiter, without saying a word, drops off some toasted bread topped with chickpea paste. He does not explain what that was or what’s on it. He also gives us menus

- He comes back and we order two glasses of wine, again the only words he utters are to confirm what we got.

- About 10 – 15 minutes later he stops and asks if we are ready to order. I make it easy and order everything at once.

-  Plates are dropped on our table, removed, table cleaned. NEVER once we were asked if everything was ok, you know like they do at fine establishments such as “Chili’s”.

- When ordering dessert I notice our fabulous waiter reciting some good looking specials written on a board to a table close by. I had no idea they had specials that night. I ask him about it and he says he assumed someone else mentioned them to us since we were ready to order when he got back. Ah-hah , that’s what I get for trying to make it easy on him and not asking to many questions I guess. Stuff like that really piss me off! Don’t assume anything man!

- I do not believe in stiffing waiters unless service is downright horrible. So, “Mr. Server of the year” does not get the normal %18-20 I would’ve given to him otherwise.

From previous posts on this thread, I am getting the feeling that my experiecne with the service was not the norm. Or maybe no one's ever been on a Friday night .

Ok, with that off my chest, the food part here is very good and will warrant more visits. My wife and I agreed that we would not mind one bit coming back for lunch one day and having the simple but awesome Buffalo Mozzarella with Arugula and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Another Exceptional antipasto we had was the Grilled Octopus with Potatoes and Orange sections. This hands down was the best dish of the night and something worth going to Da Marco for. Come to think of it, it was the best octopus dish I've ever had.

We got one pasta dish, the Corn Ravioli with Lobster. Everything I’ve heard about this dish was right. It’s great, sweet corn and perfectly cooked lobster, combine to make a must-have dish. The Entrée I got was not in the same league unfortunately. I ordered the Rabbit A La Cacciatore. It was way below average, the sauce was salty, the rabbit dry, and there were no mushrooms in sight the way I would expect to see in a proper Cacciatore dish. I would never order this again. BTW, even though I left a good piece of rabbit in my plate, our waiter did not even ask if anything was wrong. The Parmiggiano risotto the rabbit came with was perfectly made though and I ate every last bit of it.

For dessert we got the Cannoli, with homemade flaky/crispy shells and creamy ricotta laced with citrus filling. They were another perfect hit from the kitchen.

Da Marco might have one of the best Italian food in town, but their small venue and the fact that they are packed might make it more worthwhile to give them a try during the down time. Maybe a late lunch or midweek dinner will result in more attentive waitstaff and will be more gentle on the eardrums.

The food is simple but very well prepared (if you stay away from the rabbit) and delicious. If you stick with Antipasto and pasta it’s not that bad on the wallet either. However, from a Fine Dining standpoint Da Marco is not in the same league as Mark’s (perfect food and service) or Aries (excellent, modern, imaginative). IMHO, if you want a restaurant with finesse and food for thought, try these two, but if you want a good authentic Italian meal then Da Marco fits the bill. 

Elie

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The best thing they serve is the bread and olive oil before lunch.

[jscarbor]

Sorry. Yes I was referring to the Marakesh site. Its going to be a pizza joint from Marco Wiles (isn't that his name, the De Marco guy?). It said in paper he is having the wood burning oven being built in Italy to be shipped soon hopefully.

[LDLee]

Add me to the list to praise Da Marco as one of the best restaurants in Houston. We ate there last night and had a wonderful meal. Our waiters, Victor and Richard, provided wonderful service. We placed our dining completely in their hands, and were not disappointed.

As he handed us the wine list, Victor told us that his favorite red was the 2002 Crognolo, a Super Tuscan. Since we were in the mood for a bold red, we asked Victor to help us choose servings to go with the wine. We also told him our preference was to have two appetizers and one main course, and we would share all three. Victor suggested the papardelle with rabbit and the sweet corn ravioli with lobster as appetizers with the night's special, tenderloin with grilled foie gras on an artichoke filled tart as the main course.

The sweet corn ravioli was scrumptious. Good flavors with the lobster cooked to perfection. The papardelle had the one of the best sauces we had ever had. It was a little salty, which we traced to the shaved cheese served with it. The tenderloin was grilled to perfection. The foie gras was slightly overcooked. The artichoke tart, very tasty. Although I love foie gras, the plate would have been outstanding without it.

For dessert, we chose the six cheese platter, with the choices up to our servers. We were not disappointed. Our favorite cheeses were the Capra Valtellina, the Taleggio and the Dolce Gorgonzola. Since we had finished the Crognolo, we had two glassed of the Barbera. A little disappointing, not because it wasn't good, but because it wasn't the Crognolo.

I have been one who has bashed this restaurant for poor service and inconsistent food. However, based on this experience, I understand why many claim Da Marco as being one of the best restaurants in Houston

[Kevin72]

We ate here again Friday night with decidedly more mixed results. Some logistical issues: right when you walk in there's a table near the entrance and that's where we were seated. I've heard some complaints about seating here before and this time we got it in full: my wife got nudged and jostled every time a party was escorted by to their table. I also think the specials board that the servers have to carry to each new table adds unneccessarily to the bustle: they can't just do a menu insert? We also received the unceremonious "crostini drop" that Elie described above.

On to the food: everyone ordered a pasta for some part of their meal and they were almost all outstanding: trofie (stubby spaghetti strands) with lemony sea bass sauce; the much-enthused about corn ravioli and lobster; ravioli with mushrooms, and my favorite, the ravioli with boar, mushrooms, and borlotti beans. There was also a gnocchi ordered which was good, just not as outstanding or unique in flavoring as the rest of the pastas. There was also a seared tuna salad special that one of us ordered to start that was wonderful.

Of the secondi ordered, there were two significant missteps. I ordered the duck with grappa and pear. The duck came two ways: the breast was seared, then the leg was braised. The breast had been seared to black outside, leaving the whole thing with an unpleasant, carbonized flavor, and the meat itself was too tough. The leg was better, but damage done at that point. As to the grappa and pear, I guess they were made into a sauce the duck was resting on that added nothing to the whole. There was also a sea bass with grapefruit, but the cut of fish used was so enormous that it was impossible not to get tired of eating it. But two other secondi were quite noteworthy: the chianti-braised shortribs and buratta risotto were amazing, as was the special, another fish with sausage and mussel brodetto.

There was a bit of a lag afterwards between clearing the plates, getting dessert menus, and then the check, which was odd given the wealth of staff on hand.

Urgh. I really loved this place the first time and still do appreciate what it offers. It's just going to be hard getting back here again anytime soon, more so after such problems.

[Kent Wang]

I had the $22 "executive lunch" three-course prix-fixe. I arrived just as they were opening and got a great table by the window.

Specials board. Quaint, but perhaps a bit cumbersome as others have noted.

Pheasant soup with zucchini and pasta. Extraordinarily rich broth. The zucchini had the right amount of crispness, and was sliced into strips to complement the shape of the pasta.

Calf liver with polenta. Huge amount of calf liver. If anything, that was a bit of a problem as it got a little monotonous to eat so much of it. Perhaps an alternative would be to serve half calf liver and half sweetbreads, or even just some plain veal. Polenta was marvelously rich, with a thick texture that comes from a collagen-rich stock.

Dessert (no photo): I had the panna cotta with balsamic. Certainly the best panna cotta I've ever had. I didn't even realize panna cotta could be this good.

This was one of the best Italian meals I've ever had. I admit to have never been to Italy, but I feel this is more Italian than many of the Italian-American restaurants I've been to, especially the way the ingredients are treated in such a simple, non-overwrought manner.

At $22 this is a steal. Double that is still a fair price. Service was also excellent, one of the best all year.

Next time I come to Houston, I'm coming here again. I could try out some other restaurants, but why bother when this is such a steal?

[FoodMan]

Wow, didn't know they offer this $22 lunch. I definitly would like to give it a shot. Thanks for the pics, but I do agree about the liver portion size. I can never eat this much liver!