Dish Of The Week: Brunch Tagliarini At Marco’s

More restaurants should offer pasta for brunch, especially when it’s as perfectly prepared as at Marco’s. The restaurant from the folks behind Franny’s, which opened in their old space at 295 Flatbush Avenue last fall, launched brunch service last month, and the tagliarini ($15) is a highlight from a menu full of delicious dishes.

The narrow pasta — flat like tagliatelle, but a slimmer cut —  is dressed in butter and flecks of sage, and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s like the grown-up version of the dish parents ask restaurants to make for their picky child, but even though it’s simple, it hits all the right notes, with a good bite, a richness from the butter and cheese, and a slight herbal kick. It’s comforting and hearty, good for those nursing a hangover or looking for an alternative to the usual eggs or waffles.

Still, much like the dinner menu, the portion sizes for brunch items aren’t very large, and they’re on the pricey side. The buckwheat pancake, for instance, is wonderfully crunchy on the outside and smothered in tart crème-fraiche and sweet preserved blueberries — but it’s a single pancake, and it costs $12. Don’t come expecting to be as full for as cheap as you would be after a Saturday morning meal at a diner, but do know you’ll be getting some of the best versions of brunch dishes available in the neighborhood.

Marco’s is open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am-3pm, and they accept reservations for all sizes of parties up to eight people. Call 718-230-0427 for more info.