East Village: 102 St. Marks Place (btwn 1st Ave and Ave A) - (212) 228-8456
Rating (1-10): 7
Price: Cheap Eats
"Home Cooking"
Marco Polo Café is a tiny Asian-Italian mix of food offering both take out and potentially, as was in our case, a private party the size of the small eating area. The food is solid and at times creative with fusion-y creations like the moo goo gai panini. It is simple and palatable to a wide audience, affordable and perhaps most distinct about this place, has the warmth of home cooking. In fact, the kitchen does look like a home kitchen, with only a curtain separating the kitchen from the eating area. Look back there and it's a two-person operation, with one handling cooking, serving, cash-registering and pretty much everything else. I love these kinds of places: it's the epitome of a scrappy, bootstraps small business operation. These are the stores that give New York variety, vibrance and distinctiveness. 
The chicken dumplings are crispy and delicious, the moo goo gai panini is an interesting, deluxe panini, the bison meatballs are quite tender, flavorful, and moist (atypical of bison), and the red bean cake desserts are soft and sweet and a great way to finish off the meal. I struggled to see some of the Italian-Chinese crossover, but again, manage your expectations, it's the thought and the fun that counts. 
We came as a group of 9, which all but maxed out the capacity of the eatery. I was pleasantly surprised by the owner's laid back and utterly accommodating attitude: she let us move the tables around however we wanted, adjust the music according to our tastes, and order on the go, really do however we pleased. I could imagine some people taking this too far and trampling the place, but hopefully this hasn’t happened and won't happen to Marco Polo Café. With nice artwork adorning the walls and quirky decorations, it's got a lot more character than just your run of the mill food cafe. It's clear that the people running this place enjoy welcoming, hosting, providing a personal experience.
Marco Polo Café is good for a quick grab and go and it's also good, believe it or not, for a dinner party. You will have the whole place to yourself - and BYOB makes it the most affordable way to rent out a restaurant in New York City.
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