Need reccomendations for Italian

Hello,
Its my wives B-day tomorrow and I want to take her to an Italian Restaurant in the city since she loves Italian.

There are too many choices out there and I want to pick one that will make her happy.

She is into the modern theme, not the old-fashioned classic Italian restaurants with burgundy velvet chairs We are in our late 20's.

It has to be in the city or city area. not necessarily in downtown but downtown works too.

Pasta has to be good. I know we will not be ordering pizza.

She loves shrimp too. so maybe somewhere where they have good shrimp appetizers.

Any thoughts and opinions would be useful.

Thanks

Also i forgot to say..
I probably will be ordering steak..

What type of price point are you looking for?

Check out posts on A Tavola, Terragustoand Buona Terra. I couldn't find a dedicated post on Roseangelis but it's mentioned in this thread on outdoor dining.

I think A Tavola is just terrific all-around. Terragusto has great pastas. Buona Terra has very warm service, is cute inside and is a real bargain. Roseangelis has a beautiful outdoor patio which could be nice if the weather cooperates.

Not sure about the steak, though. I know they have it at Buona Terra.

Thanks for the quick reply thaiobsessed,

The price is not an issue. Reasonable is ok i guess. But again, of course i dont want it to be a 500 dollar dinner.

The place has to have good steaks too because i am not much of a pasta eater.

most important things;

pasta (for her)
steak(for me)
good appetizers
modern look

I would say Terragusto. Pastas are fantastic, and I've had very tasty steak there.

You should also think about Riccardo Trattoria. It's not super trendy, but also not old school either. I can't comment on the steak, but everything I've had there has been fantastic. It's one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the City.

Terragusto
http://www.terragustocafe.com
1851 W Addison St
(773) 248-2777

Riccardo Trattoria
http://www.riccardotrattoria.com
2119 N Clark St
(773) 549-0038

Thanks Jesteinf,

Terragusto looks good, Thaiobsessed also recommended it too so its gotta be a good pick. I will listen to what others have to say and will probably pick one by tomorrow.. since its during the week, i dont think they will be booked anyways.

A Tavola. Nicely seasoned Tuscan-style steak is one of my favorites, the gnocchi with sage brown butter is the best in the city, and it has a modern, romantic feel.

MikeL wrote:A Tavola. Nicely seasoned Tuscan-style steak is one of my favorites, the gnocchi with sage brown butter is the best in the city, and it has a modern, romantic feel.

Romantic is nice but the menu is so small.
I dont see steak on the menu

A tavola Menu

appetizers

daily selection of grilled, marinated & roasted vegetables

grilled, marinated portobello mushroom served with sauteed oyster
mushrooms

baby mixed greens, thinly sliced pears & shaved parmesan cheese laced with
balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil




pasta

gnocchi with brown sage butter & parmesan

tagliatelle bolognese

risotto with roast chicken & mixed vegetables



entrees

oven roast chicken served with parmesan polenta & garlic spinach

grilled beef tenderloin served with roasted rosemary potatoes & spinach

fish of the day with lemon and caper sauce served with new potatoes &
broccoli



sides

new potatoes
rosemary potatoes
parmesan polenta
garlic spinach

You know how they say, "if the food looks good, most likely it will taste good"

That is how she is when it comes to the looks of the restaurant from outside. If the place doesnt look good from the outside, most likely she will not like the food. Its all in her head but what can I do? I loved her the way she is..

So it would be nice if you guys take this in consideration also, before you recommend as well. The place has to impress her..

Terragusto is a slam dunk, however it's worth considering Topo Gigio also. Probably not a favorite of this forum, but very consistent.

rhinopias wrote:Terragusto is a slam dunk, however it's worth considering Topo Gigio also. Probably not a favorite of this forum, but very consistent.

Thanks rhinopias.
I will definitely check out Topo Gigio as well.
Have you tried their steaks?

it seems that Terragusto has two locations.
one on Adison and another one on Armitage..

Which one would you guys suggest?

I'm curious why the "grilled beef tenderloin" at aTavola doesn't qualify as steak.

Gaetano's in Forest Park is a very special, modern, romantic place with excellent appetizers and generous cuts of meat, and is not much farther as the crow flies than other places in the "city area." They seat from 5 to 9:30. My only concern would be a steak proper, since they have tenderloin on hand for the carpaccio, and excellent veal, but the steaks are usually a special. You can always call and find out.

Terragusto is a decent choice, especially if you're dining there for the first time. I'm not into the continuing spiel or limited real choices on repeat visits. The room and view are very modern and quite beautiful. A tavola is slightly more creative, with deeper flavors.

harry carays italian steakhouse in the loop !!

Sorry, I went to Terragusto once and I have had no desire to return. I rarely complain about price as it relates to the food (I have fondness for Graham Elliot, Charlie Trotter, & the Brown Sack-- good food is good food IMO). The meal, pasta included, was forgettable and it was pricey and it was loud! This place, Coal fire, and Mado have been the only places from this list that did not resonate with me and I am willing to give Coal Fire and Mado another chance (I went not long after they opened).

I am not a meat eater, but what about one of the Rosebud's? They are reasonably priced, the one on Rush is pretty, especially if you can get a table overlooking the street action upstairs, the portions are mammoth and the food is pretty good. I have done penne ala vodka three times @ 2 different Rosebud locations in the last 10 days.

There is also any of the Tuscany locations or Mia Francesca or ( I don't even wanna guess what you consider reasonable) Spiagga or Cafe Spiagga, certainly works as a romantic pick for #44, not that I get the impression that he loves food .

Finally, in the not what you asked for category- You said you wanted romantic. I would go with North Pond in Lincoln Park. It is gorgeous and I think if you call them they can accommodate her with pasta.

Let us know what you decide and how the meal was please.

So far it looks like I am going to have to choose between Terragusto, Tuscany and Spiagga. Most people recommended Terragusto except pairs4life who said it is very loud. But Loud doesnt bother us. I like loud and live places.

Could you guys give me some feedback on Spiagga?
How is the atmosphere there?
Is it more older crowds?
I also read this review about Spiagga which made me lose my interest a little. Read the blue underlined in picture;



http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/spiagg ... 25-02.html

Tatarci wrote:i dont want it to be a 500 dollar dinner . . . Could you guys give me some feedback on Spiagga?

$500 is not a stretch for Spiaggia. It's a wonderful restaurant and a good value even at hundreds of dollars per person, but it will cost you a couple of car payments. Cafe Spiaggia is a lower priced option, but I can't speak on it specifically as I've never been there. It seems to be highly regarded on this forum.

Terragusto is one of my favorite Italian restaurants for pastas but the meat courses are often limited. Be sure to call in advance to make sure steak is on the menu for the nite in question.

Usually, the best Italian restaurants for steaks are those with Tuscan influences, and in this case Gioco fits the bill, where steak will always be on the menu. The best pastas here are the rich, meaty ones:

http://www.gioco-chicago.com/sitenavV02 ... enuID=3119

That Gayot looks way out of date, you're pushing it to do Spiaggia for $100 a head (entrees are in the $30 range, appetizers & pastas around $20 & the pastas are small portions, not an entree substitute, you need to order both or yes, you will go away hungry - add cheese or a dessert & wine & you're talking $150 - 200 a head which is about what we spent last time we were there). I'm not sure the menu is quite what you're after either ( http://www.spiaggiarestaurant.com/#/din ... nner-menu/ ). Based on your comments I think Cafe Spiaggia would be a much better bet - its a seriously gorgeous space, much younger crowd, & great pasta & steak & we generally stick to the Cafe.

http://www.spiaggiarestaurant.com/#/caf ... nner-menu/

If you make a reservation, ask for a window table, beautiful views of Michigan Ave.

Terragusto is my one of my favorite restaurants in the city. But they design the dishes so that you can have 2-4 course menu, rather than having an appetizer and two main courses. Check out their menu at http://terragustocafe.com/menu/. You can order the four-course meal, or order a la carte.

The main difference between the two Terragusto locations is that the one on Addison is BYO.

I'd also recommend Merlo. See http://www.merlochicago.com/

They have two locations for Merlo and one location for their slightly more causal version, Trattoria de Merlo. The menu is the same at the two main locations, so I'd recommend Merlo on Maple because it has a much nicer, more romantic atmosphere. Here is the menu at Merlo on Maple: http://www.merlochicago.com/pages/menu_app_1.html (click on the bottom of the screen to see pastas, meats, etc.)

tapler wrote:

Tatarci wrote:i dont want it to be a 500 dollar dinner . . . Could you guys give me some feedback on Spiagga?

$500 is not a stretch for Spiaggia. It's a wonderful restaurant and a good value even at hundreds of dollars per person, but it will cost you a couple of car payments. Cafe Spiaggia is a lower priced option, but I can't speak on it specifically as I've never been there. It seems to be highly regarded on this forum.

The wife and I went to Spiaggia for Valentine's Day. Had an early reservation, got there early. Got seated right by the window. The service was outstanding. My wife had never had truffles before, she tried them and liked them. Every bite of every dish was an explosion of flavor and texture. It is one of the best meals we have ever had.

And we ordered a pizza on the way home.

Our bill was around $250, with 2 glasses of wine each. We were treated so well, and our food was fantastic, so I did go high on the tip and rounded it up to an even $300. I half-jokingly said, should we get a pizza or stop for a burger when we were leaving. I was shocked when my wife said, let's get the pizza. So, we did.

We tried the new Vito and Nicks II in Tinley Park, after reading all of the posts here about the original, the family split, and who belongs to which chain. We're still waiting to try the original on Pulaski. I hope it is better than the one we went to in Tinley. This pizza was kind of sparse, and several joints in the Southland use a better sausage, IMO.

So, Spiaggia is great for taste and atmosphere. I do love the place. But, the older review is still spot-on about the price/portion issue.

Picolo Sogno, especially if she is into the way the place looks.
http://www.piccolosognorestaurant.com
464 N. Halsted
Chicago

I think they may only have the restaurant week menu on line, but they have a full menu.

Tatarci wrote:So far it looks like I am going to have to choose between Terragusto, Tuscany and Spiagga. Most people recommended Terragusto except pairs4life who said it is very loud. But Loud doesnt bother us. I like loud and live places.

Could you guys give me some feedback on Spiagga?
How is the atmosphere there?
Is it more older crowds?
I also read this review about Spiagga which made me lose my interest a little. Read the blue underlined in picture;



http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/spiagg ... 25-02.html

I like hot spots and lively but when I say loud, I mean I could not hear my dining companion across from me (no the tables are not vast). I definitely do not consider that decibel of noise romantic, this was the Addison location and I do recall their being children and babies (we went after 9 pm on a Friday). And I am several years younger than #44( no AARP cards coming, yet & not that there is anything wrong with that but I noticed you mentioned younger versus older crowds) .