Maybe it's just me or perhaps I've been going to the wrong places ( doubtful ) , but I've never been overly impressed with the Italian food available in Chicago's Little Italy. In a city with so much delicious and authentic Italian food, that just seems wrong. But, I'm happy to report that there appears to be a bit of a renaissance happening down on Taylor Street.
One. Six One, a global tapas spot with a spacious patio, opened in July, and later this month, a casual Brazilian steakhouse is expected to open on the strip. In September, the folks behind the Francesca restaurants launched Davanti Enoteca. The charming new spot is located kitty corner from its big sister, Francesca's on Taylor. Davanti's rustic, unpolished wooden floors, iron chandeliers and walls lined with row after row of wine bottles make you feel like you've stepped into a quaint café in the Italian countryside. The way-too-loud American rock music reminds you that you, in fact, have not.
Davanti is part wine shop, and part restaurant. So, you can purchase a bottle at "retail prices" and then pay a $7 corkage fee for the privilege of drinking aforementioned wine with your meal. I like this concept, and if the wine prices were a little lower, it might be a good deal. But, they are pretty typical prices for a bottle of wine at a restaurant in Chicago, so I decided to save my $7 and order wine by the glass.
Once you're settled with some vino, check out the formaggi + salumi section of the menu. Davanti has a great selection of Italian cheese like Taleggio, Robiola and a fantastic aged Pecorino with truffle. Pair your cheeses with pigany way you like it, from dry-cured ham to spicy red pepper salami to pork shoulder. You can choose three for $12, four for $15 or five for $18, so if you order a plate for the table, it's a tasty and affordable way to start your Italian feast. ( Tip: The cheese and salami plates come with a few dry slices of raisin bread ( ??? ) , but if you ask for regular bread, they will bring you scrumptious slices of thick Italian bread, brushed with olive oil and grilledso much better. )
The rest of the menu is made up of small plates meant for sharing. The truffle egg toast is a thick piece of bread covered in melted Fontina with two nearly-raw egg yolks nestled inside. The whole concoction is served atop a bed of crisp grilled asparagus. Personally, runny eggs make me want to barf, but if your dining partner chivalrously removes the egg yolks ( as mind did ) so you can enjoy the bread and cheese, this is a pretty good appetizer.
The pizzas are thin, crispy, wood-fired and full of creative topping combinations. I will definitely be going back for the dalla terra, a perfect pizza sprinkled with foraged mushrooms and braised leeks beneath a layer of Fontina brushed with truffle oil. I was sadly disappointed by the pizza della Fattoria, which is made with béchamel sauce and Asiago cheese and topped with potato, scallions and pork belly. A farmed egg is added tableside and "cooked" by the heat of the fresh-from-the-oven pizza. Sounds amazing, right? It's not bad, but even with all of those amazing ingredients, it's a little bland.
Davanti has a handful of interesting pastas. I zeroed in immediately on the Raviolo "San Domenico." It's a huge handmade ravioli filled with what is basically a decadent spinach soufflé. It's positively sublimeand that is a good thing because they charge you $9 for one single ravioli. It is large, and it is good, but it is still one single ravioli. Come on!?
I should have just ordered another overpriced ravioli to satisfy my pasta craving, but I decided to mix it up and try the Cacio e Pepe, a simple dish of spaghetti, Pecorino and black pepper. Big mistake. I love pasta so much that I can rarely control myself around iteven if it's mediocre. But, Davanti's spaghetti was made with so much pepper that it was actually inedible. I tried three times, and it didn't get better so I had to give up.
There are also a few fish and meat dishes on the menu. I tried the swordfish, which was flavorfully seasoned, cooked well and served with pancetta-studded Brussels spouts. It was good enough, but next time I'll stick with the pizzas and pastas.
Don't skip Davanti's house-made gelato, especially this season, when the selections include pumpkin. You get three heaping scoops of cool, impossibly creamy gelato spiked with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor and topped with fresh whipped cream. There is also a chocolate hazelnut mousse with a crunchy candy bar crust to help you finish up those last few sips of red wine.
On my visit, Davanti Enoteca was spilling over with people from every corner of the cityand they don't take reservations. But if you are stealth enough to snag a seat at the bar while you wait, and you know what to order, I'd say Little Italy's latest addition is worth the wait.
Davanti Enoteca is located at 1359 W. Taylor; call 312-226-5550 or visit www.davantichicago.com .
Want to know what I'm eating and what I think about it between my columns? Follow me on Twitter at @SugarAndSpiceMS. Photos by Shira Kollins