 |
In This Issue
|
|
|
DeMarco's -
An Evening of Italian Delights
For more than three decades, Don DeMarco has been sharing his fine culinary sensibilities and his warm hospitality in a fine dining restaurant in the heart of Nantucket Town. He treats his guests like family, and his restaurant has the comfortable and intimate ambiance of dining in a private home, which, in fact, it was during the 19th century. The restaurant is much roomier than it appears from the street: dining rooms wind through the first floor and continue on the second. A wonderful alcove on the second floor that is set apart from the rest of the dining room is ideal for a small semi-private celebrations. The spacious dining rooms are simply adorned—polished wood floors, paneling, exposed beams and brick fireplaces. Much of the art that adorns the walls was painted by Don DeMarco himself, a man of many talents. Tables are appointed with crisp white linen, white china, and candles, adding a touch of sophistication.
New for this season a cocktail area has been added to the front of the restaurant that includes their gently curved bar and several tall tables. The addition of talented, award-winning bartender Meghan Malloy is the final crowning touch. She has mastered all the classic cocktails and has designed a few of her own for DeMarco Restaurant (you’ve got to try the Strawberry Fuego). And Malloy has such a finely honed sense of taste that she actually will create a custom-designed cocktail on the spot if a guest chooses a spirit and an adjective.
The menu at DeMarco features fine Northern Italian cuisine utilizing many local island ingredients. Everything is made fresh in-house, and the quality speaks for itself!
| click on images for larger view |
 |
Most of the appetizers on the summer menu are light and chilled, just the thing for a warm August evening! We resisted the urge to order the Fried Green and Ugly Tomatoes, one of our perennial DeMarco favorites and always at its peak in August (if you haven’t tried this, you absolutely should!), and instead we sampled the Bresaola. A classic Italian treat, this air-cured beef is very lean, moist, and delicate. It’s served thinly sliced and beautfully fanned out around the plate. Arugula lightly tossed with lemon juice and fruity olive oil is set in the middle and topped broad shavings of fresh parmesan. Simple and delicious! The meat has wonderful depth of flavor—we liked this best with a bit of cheese and some of the arugula rolled into a slice. |
|
|
We also tried and adored the Insalata Della Lattuga. The first bite is surprising! This salad is lemony and sweet—we’d actually consider ordering it for dessert. Sounds unusual, but it works! The lemon cream dressing clings nicely to the leaves of the delicate and very fresh butter lettuce. Toasted hazelnuts and chunks of gorgonzola cut the sweetness before it becomes cloying and add wonderful texture and tang. |
 |
In addition to the half-dozen appetizers at DeMarco, guests can also order half-portions of their superb pasta dishes, doubling the appetizer selection. We took advantage of this option to enjoy the unique Going Green pasta dish. Created from whole-wheat pasta, seasonal vegetables (English peas, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and spinach) with a vegetarian sauce of tomato and vegetable broths, green tea, and garden herbs, this dish is light yet wonderfully flavorful, and it even has a touch of heat. |
 |
Boscaiola is probably the best known pasta dish served at DeMarco. The tender pasta used are broad sheets of freshly prepared pappardelle. It folds deliciously around the sauteed proscuitto and mushrooms (portabella, crimini, and shiitake) in a rich and velvety sauce of cream, tomato, and sage. Don’t refuse the fresh grating of aged imported parmesan your server will offer—it puts the final touch on this memorable dish. It’s not as guilt-free as the Going Green pasta, but well worth the twinge of conscience you may feel. |
 |
Entrees at DeMarco are hearty and complete. We’re very happy to report that though several new dishes are offered and some preparations have changed, the chef has kept his scallop dish largely intact (the risotto is different). The Pan-Seared Sea Scallops are perfectly seared to a caramelized golden brown top and bottom with their centers moist and succulent. These are topped with grilled spears of asparagus and served on a creamy yet toothsome parmesan risotto. Surrounding the entree is a pool of intoxicatingly good “lemon burro,” a lemon butter sauce prepared with imported Italian butter, which has a higher fat content and thus a richer flavor. |
 |
Another of our favorite entrees is the Grilled Veal Loin. The delightfully tender, grain-fed veal is robust—the flavor of the dish lives up to the promise of its tantalizing aroma. The meat is beautifully grilled and served with fresh morels, pearled barley, and fava beans. A reduced jus flavored with sage is poured overtop. Layers of flavor are revealed with every bite. |
 |
Count yourself lucky if one of the evening specials when you dine at DeMarco Restaurant is the Stuffed Chicken Breast. This quickly became a table favorite. The meat of the Statler chicken breast is thick and moist and the skin delightfully crisp and salty. Stuffed inside is a tasty blend of cream cheese, chopped spinach, and sundried tomato. Poured overtop is a citrus honey glaze. The outside is sweet, the inside savory. A simple side of braised fennel was the perfect accompaniment. |
 |
We’re hoping that Don DeMarco will add the other special we sampled to his regular menu. The Gnocchi with Lobster and Chanterelles was astonishingly good. The housemade gnocchi was tender and added the right amount of texture. The chunks of lobster meat were plentiful, sweet, and succulent, and the baby chanterelles added a delicious woodsy note. The sauce, a tomato cream sauce flavored with tarragon, married the flavors without overpowering them. |
 |
If you’re considering skipping dessert, don’t! The White Chocolate Tart is really more of a lemon tart, and it is one of the best we’ve tasted. The flaky crust is coated with white chocolate, and the rest of the individually sized tart is filled to the brim with sweet-tangy lemon filling. Plump fresh blueberries garnish the plate. |
 |
Also not to be resisted is the Dark Chocolate Cake. Also individually sized, this cake has slightly crisp edges and a chocolate-lover’s favorite: a molten chocolate center. Strawberries are the fresh berries matched to this dessert. |
 |
If you truly cannot fit another mouthful, then order the Sorbet for your final course. We sampled the Cherry and the Raspberry, and their intensity of flavor was unmatched.
|
Of course, another option for your final course is to stop by the new bar on your way out and challenge Meghan Malloy to mix the perfect custom-made cocktail. All you need is a favorite spirit, an adjective, and a sense of adventure!
DeMarco Restaurant
9 India Street • 508-228-1836
www.demarcorestaurant.com
Dinner served nightly from 6 pm • Full Bar opens at 6 pm
Entree prices range from $21 to $40
Open seasonally: May through October
Families Welcome • MasterCard, Visa, Amex accepted
|
|
