Osteria Marco

Osteria Marco is the ultimate 'go-to' restaurant. It's perfect for families before a show, for a first date, or just a weekly date night. I had been to Osteria Marco before and thought it was great. Awesome atmosphere and great food. This time I went for date night and with a mission in mind: determine why, on any given day of the week, customers are waiting out the door.

I figured it out. Location, location, location, along with a great, simple menu. I said simple because with the right location, there is no need to make the menu over done because the people will come regardless. However, the menu is lacking one major indulgence of Italian cuisine: pasta! I grew up in St. Louis where every restaurant on "the Hill" or any Italian restaurant for that fact, has homemade pasta and sauces. I am not undermining Osteria's food by any means, but I just think that if you are going to be an Italian restaurant you HAVE to carry this Italian staple. It offers a great array of food and is simple but done right. If I had it my way, Osteria would do everything the same, but show off the skills of Frank Bonanno more through some classic Italian pasta dishes.