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| - My daughter and I were trying to decide where to eat dinner last night. She went to the Pittsburgh Magazine website and looked at their list. She picked out a couple places that we wanted to try. We chose a restaurant in the Strip, since we were first going to Lawrenceville. As we drove past our first choice, we saw the line out the door and down the street. Waiting was not an option for our stomachs on this night. We pulled off so she could make another choice. She said Bar Marco, but it's pricier. OK, we'll splurge. We backtracked up the street and found it. It was about 5 PM, and the place was empty except for a couple people at the bar and one table of patrons. We did not have a reservation but were seated. We sat one table away from steps going to the 2nd floor. The menu was small which can be helpful in making selections. Too much choice can be overwhelming. We decided to start with arancini and the focaccia. The arancini was delicious with a tasty sauce. The focaccia was also quite good, although the dipping olive oil was strong for my taste. For the entree, my daughter ordered the pork loin with brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. She told me I could have the brussels sprouts. What I got was one small taste. She said they didn't taste cabbagey, and ate them all. She told the server she was now a fan of their brussels sprouts. I ordered the rigatoni with beef shank. It was cooked perfectly 'al dente' with the sauce of that beef shank. I would have liked just a bit more juice in the sauce. My daughter insisted I try a bite of her sweet potatoes before they were gone. They were just the right sweetness and flavor to meld with the pork loin. We actually did not share meals at all, just a taste. The portions for entrees are much smaller than we may be accustomed to, but they really are just the right size. They fill but do not overfill. We just get used to equating bigger size with greater value. Even though I had some leftovers to take home (trying to make that trip to the gym earlier in the day mean something), we ordered dessert. Again, the dessert menu was short. My daughter and I decided to share a dessert, so we went with her first choice-the pistachio cake with a cup of Commonplace coffee. I joked with our server that years ago I made a pistacihio cake with a cake mix and box of pistachio pudding. She laughed and replied that it would be just like that. It was delivered by another server who explained each element of the presentation. Despite its small appearance, again it was just enough for the two of us after our meal. We ate each bite with a piece of other plate elements (pear gelee, florentine cookie, dot of raspberry sauce, the cream and pistachios). We were not disappointed in any of the food we ordered here. If I could change something on the menu, it would be to offer a couple 'normal' drinks. My daughter wanted a soda, but they had only handcrafted sodas. I asked about iced tea, but that also was not an offering. I ordered a handcrafted lemon drink which was a bit too gingery. The server did take it back to sweeten a bit. She was very accommodating and helpful.
We struck up a conversation with a couple who came in after us and were seated at the table at the bottom of the long staircase leading to the second floor. The stairs offered a mysterious air to the space. What's up there? It was this couple's first time also at Bar Marco. They ordered the osso buco and the bucatini & lobster. They told us they were both happy with their choices. We were a step ahead of them, so they saw our dessert arrive. They watched our reaction to that first taste, and then asked about it. We assured them it was delicious and the other choices were probably good too. For them watching us gave more evidence of the experience of fellow diners.
The space here is small and not fancy. I noticed our fellow diner look at the chips on the pasta bowl, and then realized my bowl was also chipped. Earlier I noticed the glasses at the table beside us did not match. I assume these things are deliberate in the presentation. The ceiling is high and the door opens from the street to the dining area. The entrance is encased by heavy curtains hanging on steel pipe. There is just enough opening in those curtains to enter the main dining area. This rigging helps to protect diners from that cold air burst as the front door opens. Still I felt a draft and sat with my coat around my shoulders during the meal. The diners at that table next to the steps mentioned a draft from that staircase also.
My daughter and I enjoyed every bite of our meals, and we plan to return again on a splurge. Perhaps next trip it will be for brunch. .
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