"Coming Soon" read signs in the windows of the corner restaurant flanking Salem's Historic Grand Theatre at 195 High Street NE, "Marco Ristorante Italiano." The restaurant has been vacant since Bernard Malherbe closed his private dining venture, The Club at Paradiso, after service on New Year's Eve last year to coincide with the end of his lease.
Malherbe took on the dining space, one dripping with art deco charm, from original operators Robert Durkin and Calen Willis in July 2017. Chef Marco Balderi, an experienced Italian chef and restaurateur, plans to open a new restaurant in the stately space.
