Azzurra EnoTavola

Azzurra EnoTavola is the new Italian restaurant in Wicker Park from the Anteprima team. We went for dinner last night and had a very enjoyable meal. I definitely plan to return soon to check out more of the (frequently rotating, seasonal) menu. We started with the pancetta-wrapped, gorgonzola filled dates. While I felt that the portion size was a bit small (although it was only $6) the dates were fantastic. These are up there with my favorite dates in the city. Next up was the cauliflower caponata. A really delicious caponata with a nice balance of sweet and sour. We then shared a bowl of lobster bisque which was rich and flavorful, but didn't really stand out among the other versions of lobster bisque around.

Next up was the crispy brussels sprout leaves. Again, this was fantastic. I loved the individual crisped up leaves, mixed simply with oil and pecorino. These also contend for my favorite brussels sprout dish in the city. Next was the grilled radicchio which was nice, but I felt a little too bitter and off-balance. We followed that with very tasty lamb meatballs, topped with an amazing house-made yogurt sauce. The last small plate we got was the mushrooms al forno. Really delicious and meaty mushrooms baked in a cream sauce.

We ended with house-made tagliatelle with proscuitto ragu. The pasta was nicely done and al dente and the proscuitto ragu was nice and rich, although it just tasted like pork, not so much proscuitto. For dessert we had a chocolate cake with a layer of strawberry cream (I forget the Italian name) which was nice and rich and a nice capstone to the dinner.

They have a very nice Italian wine menu with every wine available by the glass (thus ends my wine knowledge...).

As far as service, they were understandably slammed as it was Valentine's day. Things moved pretty slowly but given the circumstances not too bad. Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner and look forward to returning.

Azzurra EnoTavola
1467 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 278-5959

Our party of 4 was very happy here on a recent evening. We shared a bunch of small plates (including some of those listed above), the sweet potato gnocchi (fantastic), a salad, and then two beef main courses, the short ribs and the special flank steak. Of course we liked some things more than others, but nothing was less than very good.

Moreover, everyone on the staff was intelligent, friendly, and attitude-free, and a whole restaurant-full of happy diners creates an energy that's infectious. This is why "going out to eat" is not just about labor-saving; restaurants like this give you an experience you can't get at home, no matter how good a cook you are.

Azzurra EnoTavola, a cozy Italian eatery that had rave reviews and won a prestigious Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide, has closed just a few months after its one-year anniversary.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150106 ... s-shutters

It's a shame they closed, I thought they had excellent food. Their brunch was a favorite, my wife and I used to sit noshing on porchetta and the like on a Sunday afternoon feeling sorry for the herd outside Bongo Room waiting for disgusting sugary pancakes and bland breakfast burritos and wondering why in the heck Azzurra was so empty.

jhdouglass wrote:It's a shame they closed, I thought they had excellent food. Their brunch was a favorite, my wife and I used to sit noshing on porchetta and the like on a Sunday afternoon feeling sorry for the herd outside Bongo Room waiting for disgusting sugary pancakes and bland breakfast burritos and wondering why in the heck Azzurra was so empty.

I find the idea of porchetta for brunch disgusting and prefer sweeter dishes for brunch. No need to feel sorry for someone whose taste is different from yours; I don't feel sorry for you, and I'm glad you enjoy the foods you enjoy. Different strokes...

And while I never got to Azzurra, Anteprima is one of my favorites. I wonder how one restaurant can be so successful, while its sister restaurant isn't.

No need for it to be an either/or proposition. Regardless of where we end up my wife and I usually order savory breakfast/brunch dishes for ourselves and then a sweet one "for the table." No reason to limit one's self.

As for why one can be a success and the other not: location, location, location. All depends on where you are and what's nearby. Take m. henry/m. henrietta, as just one example.

Here's a compilation of various breakfasts around the world:

https://imgur.com/gallery/Ktydb

https://imgur.com/gallery/lGvsx


(Most are savory!)

nsxtasy wrote:And while I never got to Azzurra, Anteprima is one of my favorites. I wonder how one restaurant can be so successful, while its sister restaurant isn't.

Funny thing is that the other sister restaurants, Acre and Bar Ombra, have tweaked their concepts to some degree a few times since they opened. Clearly they haven't been as successful as Anteprima has been, but at least they've remained open.

On top of the likely expensive location, I don't think it helped that a number of higher-profile Italian concepts opened in the city around the same time. There is only so much buzz to go around.

Hi Marty Fosse here. Thanks to all for the kind sentiments toward Azzurra. we just really never connected with the local neighborhood. After so many years in Andersonville I realized in Wicker Park I was not in Kansas anymore. There have been times where unfortunately I have experienced restaurant closings. Generally, you can say if we had only done this. Azzurra was exactly opposite, I felt that we really did things correctly, unfortunately it just didn't work. the reception from customers, press, with the exception of a certain gentleman who writes for a publication named after our fair city was overwhelmingly positive. we were honored to have received the bib gourmand. Long story short, I now only have a small space of there consecutive storefronts to patrol. Stop in, say hi.

Again, thank you for your positive comments