This unpretentious Italian eatery in the heart of Pilsen boasts some of the best Italian sauces I’ve ever tasted on this side of the world. As a frequent flyer (that’s for you Gus) at Ciao Amore, I’ve had some outstanding homemade Ravioli in all different shades – cheese, mushroom, pumpkin, and my new found love, lobster. If I could only bask in the warmth and creaminess of the lobster sauce, but I settled for spooning it up. My typical 5 hour dinner usually ends up in repeating the menu after-hours with the kitchen staff (thanks for the sauce Eric). Great food, even better service, and just down right saucy, the chef leaves me speechless and coming back for more – Chef Cesar, I’ll never say good bye to you!
If you’re in the mood for a culinary orgasm, you’ll find it here and don’t forget to BYOB.
If you are headed to a new Chicago restaurant, it’s always a good idea to CALL FIRST and ask the restaurant about their corkage fee. I’ve recently walked into a restaurant that claimed to have NO CORKAGE FEES, but the moment they brought the bill, we were charge $15 for “3 Buck Chuck” from Trader Joe’s.
For all you white wine drinkers, remember toBRING YOUR BOTTLE CHILLED. Not all restaurants have ice buckets to keep your wine chilled.
This last tip was based on an adventure while looking for a BYOB eatery recently. Bring Your Own Wine Glasses. Not all restaurants have wine glasses….believe it! (Anabelle, this is where you jump in and complete the story).
Every so often Thai food is a necessity when in Chicago. Opart Thai House is your place to go for some amazing appetizers. All appetizers on the menu are great, from the Chicken Satay to the Crab Rangoons, but the ONE I call my favorite at Opart is the skewered tender beef called Tiger Cry. In the past I have walked in with a wine bottle and ordered three appetizers of just Tiger Cry for dinner…it’s that good. Oh, the Pad Thai noodles, Fried Curry rice, and all that jazz is also good.
We enjoyed our Thai dinner with a new bottle on the scene – Puerto Viejo Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile ($8.99)
Opart Thai House
4658 N Western Ave
(at Leland Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 989-8517 www.opartthai.com
1. Category: Toasty
2. Wine Type: Tempranillo
3. Country: Spain – Jumilla
4. Price: $15
5. Notes: On a cold day in the Midwest, this particular bottle of Tempranillo is just comforting. It has plenty of dark rip fruit flavors along with some hints of vanilla, but the comforting part comes with the nice touch of nutmeg and clove somewhere in between. This 2004 vintage 2004 Crianza can keep me warm anytime!
Wine Type: 55% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot
Country: Australian
Price: $13
Notes: The Yard dog is out and it’s making noise. This $13 screw cap bottle has an intense bouquet of blackberry and plums. At the first inhale, the berries and spice came through quickly, but this blend of Petit Verdot (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), and Merlot (15%) had so much more to offer after sitting for about 20 minutes. To the palate it was soft and juicy with absolutely no tannins present and after breathing for a bit, the hearty Merlot flavors and musky plum followed.
Description: French Oak aging, ripe dark red fruits, loganberry and blackberry. I found a bouquet of toasted oak with hints of chocolate aromas. This wine had a great long finish and went down all to smooth.
