Murray Hill is bustling with bars and restaurants, but as it caters more towards the ‘just out of college’ crowd, you’d be surprised to find a true culinary gem in its quarters. Ristorante Marcony is just that and more — a welcome fine dining establishment located in Murray Hill. Opened in 2010 by Marco Pipolo and his wife Claudia, the restaurant encompasses Pipolo’s Italian background and plays homage to the Isle of Capri. Stepping inside you will be impressed by the light and airy decor and beautiful glass light fixtures around the room. The service here is top notch and so is the food.
Last week I attended a media tasting hosted by Indra PR, where I was able to sample a wide array of the dishes served at Marcony. We started off with Fiori di Zucchine and Fichi al Gorgonzola e Speck (zucchini flowers filled with ricotta, mozzarella and parmigiano cheese drizzled with blueberry sauce and figs filled with gorgonzola cheese, wrapped with Italian speck drizzled with balsamic reduction). This appetizer was just outstanding. I especially loved the zucchini flower, which really whet my appetite. Everything on the plate was bursting with flavor.
Next we tried the dish I was most looking forward to — Capesante Ai Porcini (pan seared scallops with Porcini mushrooms and a shaved summer black truffle). You can never go wrong with scallops and truffle. This dish was amazing and cooked to perfection. I’m a sucker for a great scallop. We also tried the Ravioli (homemade ravioli filled with burrata cheese and apple, butter and sage sauce), which was really unique and quite tasty. The apple really played well with the cheese and made the whole dish feel lighter and perfect for summer.
We followed those up with Costoletta Di Agnello (Colorado lamb chops with Amarena Cherries sauce), a robust entree that any meat eater would love, especially if you like things on the rarer side. Served with the lamb chop was Branzino Cileno (pan seared Chilean sea bass fillet in Sambuca Molinari and honey sauce). This fish dish was incredible and the sauce really made it stand out. The only way to end your meal appropriately is with a plate full of dessert…and that’s just what we got. We received a selection of their desserts, which were all to die for. Their tiramisu was divine, the molten chocolate cake a hit, and their brownies had just the right amount of chocolate. Marcony can do no wrong!
I am so happy I learned about this exquisite spot, an A+ in both looks and taste. If you are looking to impress a friend, family, or date, Marcony will surely help you out.
Ristorante Marcony is located at 184 Lexington Avenue.
