Chef Marcus Paslay, exec chef & owner of Fort Worth-favorite Clay Pigeon, recently opened his much anticipated second restaurant, Piattello Italian Kitchen at Waterside. Here, he talks about menu favorites, his philosophy when it comes to food, and how to stand out in the Fort Worth dining scene.
What makes Piattello different from other Italian restaurants?
Piattello is set apart by the fresh pastas made every day in house and served al dente as they are in Italy. Our commitment to quality ingredients prepared from scratch, at a price point that is very approachable, is another way Piattello stands out.
If you’re eating all of your meals for the day at Piattello, what are you ordering?
Morning: Cappuccino and Lemon Ricotta muffin
Lunch: Sausage Pizza, Chop Salad and a cold beer
Dinner: Some marinated olives and a plate of house ricotta and sourdough for the table to share. Then, I am going to start with the Crispy Calamari, followed by any one of our housemade pasta dishes paired with an Italian wine and finish up with a coffee and a cookie plate.
How do you stay true to your cooking philosophy of serving seasonal, fresh food?
We will change the menu four times a year, rotating the current season’s bounty into our dishes. All food is made from scratch and in house, which will ensure those ingredients stay as fresh as possible.
What makes the Fort Worth dining scene unique?
Its uniqueness is in the timing. Fort Worth is experiencing a mini restaurant revolution. The standard for quality is rising and the restaurants are getting better and more diverse. It’s a fun time to be doing what we are doing, and I am pumped about the trend I see in our dining landscape. If one were to take a snapshot of the dining scene 5 years ago and compare it to one 5 years from now, I believe you will see this restaurant revolution I’m talking about.
Why was Waterside the right place to open Piattello?
Waterside was right for Piattello for two reasons. The first is the location. We are very excited with what we are seeing in this area of Fort Worth and confident that its growth will provide substantial traffic. The second is the leadership of the development. Trademark has a vision for Waterside and conscientious mind that we whole heartedly agree with. Any developer that can create a beautiful property that brings business, residences, jobs, tax revenue and has enough consciousness to save (at great cost) trees that have been here for longer than any of us have been alive is a developer that we can be proud to partner with.
