Romeo Romeo - Wicker Park

I was unaware of this new Italian restaurant until last night's meal. It is in the old Izuli location and still retains a clubby feel inside.

We ordered some apps, including the injected caprese salad, which included a nicely seared mozzarella ball injected with basil oil which gave it volume and excellent flavor. On the side was a pesto sauce, pine nuts and tomato quarters. Very simple but with the nice "injection" flair and very tasty.

Also ordered the beef carpaccio served with some greens, a firm sliced cheese (that shall remain nameless until someone else goes and reminds me) and black pepper. A nice subtle flavor in these paper thin slices.

They offer pastas and entrees for main courses, pastas are pretty reasonable, around $15 for the most part. Most of the entrees looked excellent on paper - I opted for the osso bucco. This was fantastic. A marrow spoon sat in the shank (although I had to use the back end of the spoon to get out all the marrow ) and on the side was polenta topped with marscapone cheese. The veal was topped with seasoned bread crumbs which made for a nice added crunch to the texture... the veal itself was pleasantly sticky, full of flavor and tender. It'll be hard for me to pass this up when I return in the future. $25, it was one of the more expensive items on the menu, but well worth the cash.

Others ordered pasta (my wife had Bucatina Carbonara which she enjoyed) and everyone seemed to enjoy their overall meal quite a bit.

The table ordered wine in carafes (they have specials in carafes)... They also have a full bar, and they made me a few bourbon-rocks.

I believe it has only been open for a week or so, but there were no service or food gaffes. A nice experience.

ab wrote:A marrow spoon sat in the shank

What a nice touch. That little detail is enough to make me want to try this place out.

Thanks!

trixie-pea

ab,

I first heard of Romeo Romeo while trying to figure out if Ezuli had just moved or closed down altogether (prompted by LTH talk of "dark & stormies").

At the risk of kicking dead horses, I found Metromix's description of RR's concept so muddle- and wrong-headed that it quelled any curiosity I may have had. Was the place as described here (i.e. gangster-themed trattoria)?

Romeo Romeo
1415 N. Milwaukee Ave.
773-227-6636

This gangster-themed Italian trattoria has opened in the former Ezuli address. Look for a large-scale wall painting of a gangster in the dining room and the same gun-toting mobster graces the business cards (then why the nod to Shakespeare with its name? Beats us.). Although the trattoria is from the folks behind innjoy, the focus is squarely on the food. Look for old-world Italian classics with upscale twists with most entrees under $25, and all the pastas are under $17. Choices include filletto di manzo, an espresso-crusted beef tenderloin with sauteed polenta cake, roasted shallots and a Brunello reduction, and the "crabby Alfredo," a fettuccine Alfredo with peeky toe crab, white wine and flat parsley. The wine program will feature boutique Italian wines with 12 by the glass choices, and there will be a rotating carafe special.

Thanks much,
Zee

Zeeshan wrote:


This gangster-themed Italian trattoria has opened in the former Ezuli address. Look for a large-scale wall painting of a gangster in the dining room and the same gun-toting mobster graces the business cards (then why the nod to Shakespeare with its name? Beats us.)

Thanks much,
Zee

Wow - I didn't even consider anything to be gangster-ish about place. There is an large outline/stencil of face on the back wall, which after a few bourbons reminded me of Che Guevara. Of course, that doesn't make any sense, but I didn't try to figure it out. I wrote it off as general nuevo-restaurant kitsch.
Other than that- exposed-brick walls, bar in the same place as it was w/ Ezuli, comfortable chairs... servers were wearing nice shirts that had romeo-romeo labels on the pocket.

So, don't worry, no tommy-guns or anything.

Speaking of Wicker Park does anyone know whats going on in the old Mod space...I believe it is still same ownership??

EM wrote:Speaking of Wicker Park does anyone know whats going on in the old Mod space...I believe it is still same ownership??

I read it is going to re-open as a more "rustic" space - not sure exactly what that means, but it certainly sounds like the opposite of Mod design-wise.

And yes, I think it is under the same ownership

Look Ma, I'm a Metromix shill!

FYI--

MOD
1520 N. Damen Ave.
Just south of North Ave.
773-252-1500

After a successful five year run, MOD closed June 26, 2005. MOD partner Terry Alexander is keeping the space, and tells us he's removing all traces of MOD's Jetson-esqe interior. He's hired Suhail, who originally designed MOD and one of Alexander's other ventures Sonotheque, to create the new interior, this time sans rubber and plastic. Alexander is partnering up with nightlife impresario Chris Dexter (Elm Street Liquors, (Spoon, Goodbar) for the still unnamed space. The menu is still under wraps, but we do know chef Andrew Zimmerman recently took a trip to Barcelona. Look for this spot to open in early October, about two months after Alexander and partners open up Francesca's Forno just up the street.

Seems to me that by hiring Chris Dexter that the restaurant has taken an interest in having music...possibly DJ's. I always loved Mod brunches but felt that it need some music to go with the vibe.

I have a somewhat insider tip that it is going to be a Tapas restaurant

yeah, at the unadvertised "we need to get rid of this stuff" mod sidewalk sale ( where you could purchase the funky chairs and a nice hand cranked meat grinder) we were told that the new incarnation would be spanish.

the unadvertised "we need to get rid of this stuff" mod sidewalk sale

What, the roughly three inch by 5 inch typewritten note on the window of Mod doesn't count as advertising?

I walked by Romeo Romeo yesterday and saw a note in the window saying that as of Feb 19 (or around then), it was unexpectedly closed and that they hoped to reopen someplace else soon.

Anyone know what happened ? I was hoping to try it but never got around to it. Sounded like a landlord/investor dispute or something.