May 2009
Mangia bene at da Marco
articles and photos
by Elizabeth Brinkama
The era of pizza reminiscent of a cardboard box in taste and texture from the frozen foods aisle of my local grocery store, or bland generic fare from delivery, has finally come to a glorious end. Pizza night has taken on a whole new life with the advent of Tuesday Night Pizza at Da Marco Ristorante Italiano in Silver Spring.
While carry-out is available, dining in has its own rewards as wine is offered at ½-price with your pizza…..and what a selection of pizza they have!
Perusing the menus’ fifteen varieties, the Pizza Patate immediately caught my eye and that of my dinner companion. A 14” thin crust white pizza layered with paper thin slices of potatoes, a drizzling of olive oil, mozzarella cheese and rosemary so unbelievably fresh because it commutes to work with Chef Giuliana Fortini from her own garden. It is not an overstatement to say this dish was truly a slice of heaven.
We started the evening with a bottle of the 2007 Ruffino Chianti, a perfect accompaniment to the Antipasto di Montagna. This appetizer easily serves two with generous portions of prosciutto and salami, including Soppressata and Mortadella along with a sharp Assiago cheese, artichoke hearts and black and green olives. The Crostino, with black and green olive tapenade served on a warm toasted baguette encircling a bed of artichoke hearts, has a tangy bite that again is complemented well by the wine.
In addition to the potato pizza, we tried the Pizza Salsiccia. This pie was topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and house made sausage. The scent and flavor of the fresh oregano permeates the sauce while the sausage is sweet and just a little spicy, not overwhelming the rest of the ingredients.
It would surely be impolite to leave without trying the house made Tiramisu—lady fingers soaked with espresso and layered with Mascarpone cream cheese—and my mother certainly did not raise me to be rude. This confection is why there is the expression “life is short, eat dessert first”. Alas, my mother also raised me to share and I grudgingly did, though tine marks can be seen on the backs of my companion’s hands.
What truly sets Da Marco apart, aside from the culinary prowess of its chef, however, is their hospitality. Some diners prefer to keep an arms’ length from those who serve them. I am not one of those people. For me, part of the whole dining experience is the interaction with those who have created the menu and those who present it. The best restaurant experiences I have involve friendly banter between me, my companion (s) and the staff. Otherwise, I might as well dine at home and believe me my skills in the kitchen aren’t quite up to snuff.
Da Marco Ristorante Italiano
8662 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-588-6999
www.damarcorestaurant.com
Lunch: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Tuesday (pizza night) – Thursday:
5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Friday and Saturday:
5:30 pm – 10:00 pm
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