Marcellino Ristorante Reopens in Scottsdale's SouthBridge
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| Chef Marcellino moved his restaurant, and his entire staff, to Old Town Scottsdale. |
Regulars -- and believe us, there were plenty of em'! -- worried that a Scottsdale Marcellino's would lose the cozy neighborhood feel that made the original such a big draw. They needn't have worried. The Verzinos unveiled the revamped restaurant to nearly 200 VIPs last Thursday night, and everybody was right at home.
The new restaurant includes a few Digestif holdovers, including the partially open stainless steel kitchen and brick walls. Otherwise, the space has taken on a whole new feel. Thick red drapes contrast with the light, crisp white of the table linens.
Amber lighting makes for a romantic feel, as does the candlelight pouring out of the restaurant's semi-private dining area. There are two bars -- one a traditional bar space directly to the right of the side entrance, the other a long counter offering a front row seat to the workings of Marcellino's pride and joy, the pizza oven.
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| A drool-worthy trio of gnocchi, blue cheese dumpling and pasta with meat sauce. |
Friday night, Marcellino served up miniature samples of some of the restaurant's signature offerings: grilled polenta squares, roasted red peppers, scallops in pesto sauce, a trio of handmade pastas. We were eavesdropping (for research purposes only, natch) and heard a lot of raving about the food and wine.
"This has an amazing flavor profile," remarked one diner after tasting a bruschetta-like appetizer. A few proseccos in, she was also remarking on how handsome a couple our hosts were and how they'd make beautiful babies. "I'm so glad the food didn't change with the move!" said the male half of a young couple dressed to the nines in tux and LBD.
A VIP guest from Sur La Table (left) poses with one of Marcellino's saucy servers.
And if you were one of the three or four folks like us who didn't have a gaggle of friends in tow, Sima was there with a kind word and a European cheek-kiss. There were hugs all around, a traditional dance from Sima and Marcellino, and gorgeous vocals from the three Arizona Opera members contracted to perform Italian arias on Friday and Saturday nights. If Thursday's event is any indication of the nights to come, the new Marcellino should have a cult following in no time.
Marcellino Ristorante is currently open for dinner from 5-9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 5-10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at SouthBridge, 7114 E. Stetson Dr. in Scottsdale. Look for lunch hours and a new lunch menu coming in May!
Singers from the Arizona Opera will perform on weekends.
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Marcellino Ristorante
7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurant
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