Searching for a Sabatino's equivalent (or close at least)

OK fellow Sabatino's devotees...

We are enormous fans of the old school Italian food at this legendary place on Irving Park. Reading these posts (albeit for a relatively short period of time), it's obvious there are quite a few others out there on LTH that share the passion...

I guess what we're looking for is input from you on other places that serve a similar style of food...on at least nearly the same level of excellent quality (especially the veal)...and bonus points for a similar groovy, unremodled atmosphere.

We pass by places all the time on Harlem, Milwaukee, Irving (Manza's?)..that look as though they may be cut from the same cloth..but haven't tried them yet.

Again, only looking for opinions from FELLOW SABATIONO'S LOVERS...not looking for "Sabatino's is mediocre/inauthentic..you'll do much better at Cafe Spiaggia" comments...if you adore this place, you know exactly what we're looking for..

And if there's nothing quite as good (which I doubt)...what would be at least a close second...open to suburbs, or beyond Chicago as well..

An old standby for me is Al's Restaurant over by Cicero on Cermak west of Austin. It's just as time warped as Sabitino's, but is in more of the school of sassy, old-school waitresses rather than tuxedoed waiters and strolling musicians. The food is from the same era, the place hasn't been touched decor-wise since the 50's and they feature the salad gondola (which is actually more of a pushcart type of structure than an actual gondola, but it will always be a gondola for me). My standard order is Veal Parmigiana, which comes with soup and unlimited trips to the salad gondola.

Al's Restaurant
6050 West Cermak Road
Cicero, IL
708-656-1060

Steve, where have you hiding that one? It sounds very intriguing and worth the visit!

I'm a lover of the Sabatinos-esque school of restaurants. That said, I know no place exactly like Sabatino's, i.e., good food combined with Chicago-Vegus decor. Still, the places listed below, have, IMHO, as good if not better food:

Bertucci's (300 W 24TH St Chicago) - The chance to eat Italian food in a residential corner of Chinatown, you'd think, would be higher appealing for us hounds, but alas, this place seems off the radar. Too bad because the food's always good in a homey kinda way, and no place does a better rapina con aglio.

Gianotti's (17 W. 400 22nd St Oak Brook and 4926 River Rd, Schiller Park*) - You know this place is characterized as a steakhouse or as more high end than Sabitino's, but 1/2 price lobster night aside, it's really about the same price. They give you cookies and fruit for dessert, but the ricotta cheesecake may be the best dish in the house.

Tufano's (1073 W. Vernon Park Pl., Chicago) - Granted the repetoire here is not so deep, and the atmosphere is hardly Sabatino's, but the classic meal of fried calaamri, antipasto salad, lemon chicken and worms (cavatelli) is about as good as it gets for this kinda food.

Salerno's (1201 Grand and 7111 Roosevelt Berwyn**) - Some really good red gravy and I also like the chicken Salerno which is chicken vesuvio plus some sliced sausage. The Berwyn location has an excellent sampler platter.

*I have never been to the Schiller Park location, but having been to Gianatti's versions going back to Forest Park, I pretty much know what to expect and to expect what I know.

**Soon to be moving across the street to Oak Park, and thus becoming the best Italian restaurant in Oak Park.

Wait, what building is Salerno's moving into? I can't think of any restaurants they might be buying out on that stretch except for Ino's, and that hardly seems like a worthy move.

Or are they gutting and building in one of the storefronts?

gleam wrote:Wait, what building is Salerno's moving into? I can't think of any restaurants they might be buying out on that stretch except for Ino's, and that hardly seems like a worthy move.

Or are they gutting and building in one of the storefronts?

Off the top of my head, I do not know the address, but its posted at the Beryn place.

Agostino's comes to mind. I haven't been there in some time, so it would be nice to have an update. Here are some conflicting opinions:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t= ... =agostinos

I believe that Salerno's is moving to the other side of Roosevelt to the northeast corner of Maple and Roosevelt in Oak Park

While VI and I share a love of these places, I can't agree that many or any of the other "old school" spots have as good a kitchen as Sabatino's (at least in general; some places do have their strengths). I love Bertucci's, but it's mostly atmosphere. A great movie scene will be shot there some day. It's like noir overload to have a red-sauce South Side corner speakeasy that also happens to be in Chinatown. Stranger than (pulp) fiction. Speaking of which, do consider Club Lago, so convenient yet so overlooked (do not get the pasta). Bruna's is another obvious spot. Alas, the place like this that had probably the best kitchen (though not quite as much history) is gone -- Stefani's. Can I get an Amen!, SteveZ? Then there's a little steak place called Gene & Georgetti.

JeffB wrote:Can I get an Amen!, SteveZ?

Amen!

P.S. to VI. I have mentioned Al's several times in the past. I guess it's the Steve Z. version of a JeffB RBI.

It's not quite so dressy, but you might like Barraco's, which dates to 1980.

Barraco's Ristorante
708/424-8182
www.barracos.com/resturant.htm
3701 W. 95 St., Evergreen Park

Park, could you be thinking of 'Manzo's' on Irving near Kedzie? Because if you are, just put that thought right out of your head.

It used to actually be kinda of a good deal for American-Italian and old-fasioned drinks like, oh, say, grasshopers after dinner but it's a shadow of its former self and quite tatty at that. The old owner, Joe, sold it several years ago and ever so slowly the great old-fashioned waitresses were replaced w/ clueless ones. The good bartenders, same story. It used to be packed on weekends, now you're lucky to see 10 customers - by now, I mean about a year ago, the last time I went.

I really did like this place. If anyone has an update, I would love to hear it. Best wishes on your quest.

I used to go to Manzo's regularly about 15 years ago. I recall it the way you describe; better for the atmosphere, service and drinks than the food (although the food was not really bad at all, either, simple and unpretentious). Given the decline you describe (and the reasons for it), I think I will just hang onto my memories of the place as it was.

I am pretty sure the one-time Gianotti's in Oak Brook is now Vic's Italian Steakhouse. Same family, but reconcepted. Have never been, though I have been meaning to.

I guess that the GNR recipient Agostino's is no longer so beloved, since no one has mentioned it?

Me, I head to Oakley and Heart of Italy, or one of the Capri empire when I want some old school Italian and Sabatino's is inaccessible, but they are not exactly in the same neighborhood as OP/RF/EP, etc.

Steve, it seems to me we had a discussion about Al's here in the last few years. I last went to Al's in 1974 or 5, though it sure looks the same. It was okay then, not fabulous, not that I would use that as any sort of reference point after 30 years. The waitresses sound the same, though, which makes me wonder if there is not something fishy going on there??

Actually, I'm still really big on Agostino's, having had a few good dinners there in the past 6 months. But, I feel it's strengths are really the sea food, and that it doesn't sound like a good equivalent to Sabatino's.

And, yes, one of these days I'm going to have an LTH dinner there. I'm thinking early fall when the sea food season gets better.

Me getting around to things can be a slow, painful process sometimes.



Giovanna

dicksond wrote:Steve, it seems to me we had a discussion about Al's here in the last few years. I last went to Al's in 1974 or 5, though it sure looks the same. It was okay then, not fabulous, not that I would use that as any sort of reference point after 30 years. The waitresses sound the same, though, which makes me wonder if there is not something fishy going on there??

That sounds about right. It's not earth shattering food but, much like Sabitinos, it's well prepared time warped Italo-American cusine in a somewhat casual setting with a bar that attracts the highball drinking smokers from the neighborhood.

Giovanna wrote:Actually, I'm still really big on Agostino's, having had a few good dinners there in the past 6 months. But, I feel it's strengths are really the sea food, and that it doesn't sound like a good equivalent to Sabatino's.

And, yes, one of these days I'm going to have an LTH dinner there. I'm thinking early fall when the sea food season gets better.

Giovanna

Good idea - speaking as the GNR guy for a moment - renominations come up at the end of the year and Agostino's strikes me as a place, one of a very few, that might not be chosen again based on the minimal, but not too positive, dialogue. But since I have not tried it, it would be good to check it out and have an informed opinion, just this once .

Well, I'm going to bite the bullet and try Manzo's.....seems like it used to have its fans, but nobody has been there in a while.....if nothing else, stopped by for a drink the other day and the (very very sweet) bartender/hostess swears the veal is very good (who knows?)...but she did earn credibility points for conceeding that Sabatino's meat sauce is much better than theirs..

So we'll see...I'll report back...

jnm123 had a great experience at the Des Plaines Manzo's. As explained in that thread, the former managers of the Irving Park location (presumably the folks running the place when I used to go there around 1990-91) now run the Des Plaines Manzo's. The Irving Park Manzo's is run by a different bunch entirely. Although that's probably oversimplifying things, and is based a lot on conjecture and hearsay... Anyway, I'm anxious to know whether the Irving Park Manzo's is worth revisiting and look forward to your follow-up post.

I work pretty close to Al's, and have done a good job of avoiding it. I try it about every 5 years, and I can't say I really like it. My memories are of too-much garlic, overcooked pasta, and sub-par veggies.

In regards to Capri, their food definitely varies from store to store. The one on North Avenue seems to be the most consistent and the best. Naperville can be up and down, but Burr Ridge simply butchers the recipes.