One of the things I love most about a big city like Chicago is that you don't have to be on one of the main strips or in the see-and-be-seen neighborhoods to get a truly great meal. Far from it—in fact, I'd venture to say some of the best food in Chicago can be found off of the beaten path.
That is certainly the case with Al Dente, a new spot in Irving Park/Avondale that is cranking out truly delightful cuisine that blends flavors from Italy, France and Mexico. A lesser chef's attempt to merge three distinct cuisines could fail miserably (and several have in now-closed restaurants), but Chef Javier Perez nails it. The result is inspired offerings like gnocci made from white corn tortillas (who knew?), guajillo-marinated calamari steak and pasta with chorizo and orange saffron sauce.
Al Dente is in a non-descript storefront on Irving Park Road, and the interior is clean, but not exactly exciting. So, if you're looking for ambiance, I recommend you bring it yourself in the form of a few lively dinner companions and a couple of bottles of good wine. Al Dente is BYOB at the moment, so now is your chance to get an exquisite meal on the cheap.
Speaking of exquisite, be sure to start with the mac & cheese. In a world where some sort of fancy mac & cheese is as likely to be on a menu as a hamburger or French fries, Al Dente's version really separates itself from the pack. It's made with Wisconsin white cheddar and topped with garlic crumbs (like every fancy mac & cheese these days), but unlike its many competitors, this mac is made with oriechette pasta and truffle butter. Even the tomato salad, an overdone staple that makes an appearance on most menus, is a cut above the rest. It's made with colorful heirloom tomatoes that tasted to me like they could have been picked a few hours before I ate them.
Perez moved to Chicago from Mexico City in 1990, and began his restaurant career as a dishwasher. He went on to work in the kitchens of notable restaurants like Spiaggia, Cibo Mato at the Wit and MK Restaurant. Now he's running the show with his own restaurant, and it is apparent—from the little pot of coarse Mediterranean sea salt on the table to the fact that each dish is served at exactly the right temperature—that Perez pays extraordinary attention to detail. That, in my opinion, is what takes a meal from forgettable to fabulous.
I honestly don't think you could go wrong ordering anything on this small but thoughtful menu, but I highly recommend the escolar. The mild white fish is chipotle-marinated, pan-seared and served atop a thyme-scented potato cake and drizzled with horseradish crema. Carnivores will be thrilled by the pork, which is at once crispy and tender, and served with mole verde and that truly original tortilla gnocci.
I knew during my appetizer course that there was no way I was going home without dessert. I thought, "If that man can do for peanut butter and chocolate what he does for mac & cheese, I'm sticking around." My instincts were right. I sampled (OK, ate nearly the entire serving) of both the strawberry shortcake—a summer classic made unique with rhubarb compote—and the honey peanut tart. The latter begins with a crunchy graham crust topped with rich honey-flavored mousse, which is glazed with chocolate and finished with a dollop of light-as-air peanut-butter cream.
I, for one, am glad Perez struck out on his own. He brings some fresh ideas to Chicago's crowded dining scene, and I look forward to seeing (and tasting) more of what he has to offer. If you're looking for a meal that doesn't taste like every other one you've ever eaten, head on over to Avondale and grab a table at Al Dente.
Al Dente is located at 3939 W. Irving Park Rd.; call 773-942-7771 or visit www.aldentechicago.com/index.html .
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