New Lunch Menu at Marco in Macon

Marco in Macon is now open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. On Monday, December 8, we will unveil a new lunch menu that include fresh pressed panini, homemade pasta, fresh produce from local farms, and delicious soups and salads. All of our food is fresh and made to order but specifically selected to allow you time to get in and out during your lunch break.

To make reservations call 478.405.5660. See you for lunch!

Pasta Night at Marco in Macon and Warner Robins

 

Join your friends at Marco for a delicious family style Pasta Night dinner. Five courses for $20.14. Make reservations by calling 478.405.5660 (Macon) or 478.330.7070 (Warner Robins).

 

Learn more about Marco and make online reservations.

Marco's Masquerade Party!

Halloween is often considered a time for little goblins, bubbly princesses, and rambunctious superheroes. Why not have a date set aside for the "young at heart?" Introducing Marco's Masquerade, a Halloween party for adults at Marco in Warner Robins on October 30.

Masquerade balls in Italy were a feature of the Carnival season in the 15th century, and involved increasingly elaborate pageants and triumphal processions celebrating marriages and other events of late medieval court life. Masquerade balls were extended into costumed public festivities in Italy during the 16th century. They were generally elaborate dances held for members of the upper classes, and were particularly popular in Venice.

We bring this revelry to Marco, complete with complimentary masks if you do not have your own. The party starts when the doors open for dinner and continues late into the evening. Bring your appetite and your revelrous spirit.

Franklin & Rosemary Traveling Boutique at Marco in Macon

What's better than food and wine? How about food, wine, and great clothes? Yes, please! On September 15, Marco in Macon will feature a trunk show by Franklin & Rosemary Boutique. These lovely ladies have a great eye for awesome clothing at very reasonable prices. Plus everything is American made! Franklin & Rosemary will be selling their fashionista items at Marco in Macon from 5:30 - 7:30. Make sure to drop by. While you are shopping you can enjoy free martinis with the purchase of an appetizer or dessert. See you there!

Check out some examples of their great clothing below and visit www.facebook.com/franklinandrosemary for more details.

What is "Real" Pizza?

So when you buy a pizza from a chain restaurant, do you ever wonder if it is really what the Italians dine on or how has it changed since it arrived in the United States?

 

Italians love a fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and various toppings, but there are differences.

 

Authentic Italian pizza is more light and fresh compared to the Americanized version. The crust is generally thinner and crispier. The pizza is topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, vegetables and meat. However, the favorite is the Pizza Margherita - no additional toppings, just a sprinkle of fresh basil. The red, white, and green colors pay homage to the Italian flag. Finally, a true Italian pizza is only baked in a brick over.

 

 

 

Legend of the Pizza Margherita

A popular contemporary legend holds that the archetypal pizza, Pizza Margherita, was invented in 1889, when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker) Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. Of the three different pizzas he created, the Queen strongly preferred a pie swathed in the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella). Supposedly, this kind of pizza was then named after the Queen as "Pizza Margherita", although recent research casts doubt on this legend.

Food for the "Developing Palate"

Bring on the children! Marco Warner Robins now offers a kid-friendly menu! Designed for the developing palate, the new kids’ menu offers some of our favorites that are sure to appeal to young diners. As a parent, you can be assured that each dish is still prepared according to our promise to only serve fresh, authentically Italian food.

Marco Warner Robins’s new Family Friendly menu
Rigatoni                                                 $7
   with house-made Marco pomodoro sauce

Linguine                                          $8

  with a creamy parmesan sauce

Pizza “Margherita” or Pepperoni       $8

   artisan pizza with fresh mozzarella

Chicken Tenderloins “Milanese”     $ 9

   our take on this children’s favorite, with fries

“In Italy,” explains Nazzario, “it is very common for parents to dine with their children. We want parents to enjoy that same tradition at our restaurant.”
 

Keeping It Lite This Summer

Well when most people talk about Italian food the first thought that comes into ones mind is lasagna, pizza and other delicious, but rather heavy foods. However, these are not what Italians would choose during the summer, something lite and fresh is preferred.

Some of the favorites from the Marco Chefs are:

• La Panzanella: This is crumbled stale bread that is soaked in a mixture of red onion, basil, olive oil, vinegar and salt
• La pasta con i pomodori crudi: This is al dente pasta with cherry tomatoes cut in half, fresh basil, parmigiano, salt and pepper all mixed with olive oil
• Carpaccio di Vitello: This is the highest quality raw veal, sliced very thin, sprinkled with arugula and parmesan cheese, the season with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper
• Caprese salad: This is a mix of three of the most iconic ingredients of Italian cuisine: tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil. Add some olive oil and you'll have the perfect summer dish. (This is my favorite)

All in all, it is easy to see how Italian summer cuisine tends to be quick to prepare and fresh: fresh because many of its staples are cold dishes, but also because seasonal fruit and vegetables dominate the list of ingredients. It is also a type of cuisine where the creativity of the chef is very much protagonist, so just get some fresh ingredients, seek for inspiration and....buon appetite!

Are You Eating Spaghetti Right?

Never mind shifting economic conditions and world peace. Forget about global warming. Let's get down to the real issues. Like the right way to eat spaghetti. I mean, do you use a spoon or don't you? By using a spoon, I'm referring to the use of a large spoon in combination with a fork as a means of transferring spaghetti from plate to mouth.
"Correct" being a subjective term, let me assume for the sake of argument; if you don't want to be seen as an ill-mannered, amateurish child at an authentic Italian table, the "correct" way is using the fork, the fork and nothing but the fork.
Seriously, though one of the reasons the whole "spoon" thing came to be is that once upon a time, for reasons nobody knows, Americans served spaghetti exclusively on plates. In Italy, spaghetti is generally served in a "piatto fondo", a deep bowl like a shallow soup-dish with a rim. The flat surface of a plate does not lend itself well to chasing and capturing spaghetti, hence the introduction of the spoon. But if you use a bowl, the natural curvature of the bowl does what the spoon would do. So NO spoon is necessary. TA-DAH!

GOT TOMATOES?

A delicious tomato sauce that you make from scratch is homey and delicious, not to mention surprisingly easy! A good tomato sauce is the foundation for many wonderful dishes.

Marco Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients:
1 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped)
4 cups fresh diced tomatoes

• when fresh tomatoes are out of season, it's perfectly fine to use canned tomatoes (2 8oz cans)

pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:
In a saute pan put 4 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the whole cloves of garlic, diced onion and the 2 bay leaves. Cook in the oil on medium heat until the onions are transparent. Add the 4 cups of fresh tomatoes or the 2 8oz cans of diced tomatoes (which ever you prefer), and the chopped basil. Let simmer for 25-30 minutes on low. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the 2 cloves of garlic and the 2 bay leaves. Serve over your favorite pasta or with a crostino.

Culinary Enthusiasts

Whether you're an accomplished chef or attempting to make your very first meal. The Chefs at Marco Ristornate Italiano will give you some serious inspiration to tweek your culinary creations. Marco Warner Robins holds cooking classes 3 Saturdays per month. The cost is $125 per class or $300 for three classes. Call 478-330-7070 or 478-718-3300 to reserve your spot.

"Movie Night Mondays" @ Marco Warner Robins

Dinner and a movie are, arguably, the foundation for a lot of relationships. This is probably because they offer the perfect mix of chatter and delicious food, plus a relaxing shared activity of watching the movie, followed by more chatter, while sipping on a few drinks and dissecting the movie afterwards. So whether it is a first date, a night out with your significant other or my favorite "Girls Night" enjoy your evening all in one spot at Marco Warner Robins for "Movie Night Mondays."