Openers: Less is Amore
Cameron Mitchell does Tuscany in Columbus with the opening of small-plates-centric Marcella’s.
By Christine LaFave, Associate Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 10/1/2007
 Concept: Marcella’s Location: Columbus, Ohio Opened: May 29, 2007 Owner: Cameron Mitchell Restaurants Cuisine: Small-plate Italian, pizza, Italian classics, wine bar Executive Chef: Ian Rough Footprint: 5,000 square feet Average Check: $36 Seating: 124 Staff: 96 Key Design Elements: Red-leather banquettes, mismatched chairs, wine bottles lining ledge of recessed wall in dining area |
BENVENUTO, OHIO: Cameron Mitchell, president of Columbus, Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, modeled Marcella’s after the family-run restaurants he and his family enjoy in Tuscany. "You step off the sidewalk and you’re in Europe," he says. "It’s got a little romance attached to it." Closely spaced tables and long banquettes add to a convivial atmosphere.
SHARE THE LOVE: Eschewing the Stateside interpretation of Italian as "big huge plates" of sauced-up food, Marcella’s focuses on simple preparations of shareable dishes and favorite Tuscan entrées. Apple and truffle honey balance pecorino’s pungent profile in a hot small plate that suggests an Italian spin on queso fundido. A braised lamb shank, at $18, is complemented by white-bean ragù and house-made pancetta.
HOME SWEET HOME: Smaller in size than Cameron Mitchell’s other concepts, Marcella’s already is No. 1 in sales per square foot.
View All Blogs
