2119 North Clark Street, Chicago
773-549-0074
Broadcast June 16, 2006
CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- The Riccardo of Riccardo Trattoria, at 2119 North Clark Street is chef and owner, speaks Italian in the kitchen to his employees and is a veteran of an authentic approach to Italian cooking. In true trattoria style, a table in the middle of the dining room is loaded with an antipasto assortment, roasted asparagus, grilled zucchini, eggplant, potato egg torta, aged pecorino in olive oil, and more. A platter is enough for two, especially considering complimentary bruschetta and a well-stocked bread basket.
Among other antipasti, the caprese is traditional and fresh, while other selections include fried calamari in puttanesca sauce, veal and ricotta cheese balls, and prosciutto, to name but a few. One could add a la carte soup or salad before moving on to any of the tempting pastas. There's always a special risotto of the day as well as two listed on the menu. There are several noodle pastas and gnocchi; we settled on fettuccine Bolognese. I cannot say for certainty whether this is fresh rather than boxed pasta, but it was cooked perfectly and set with the kind of sauce that is as substantial as gravy.
Many diners like pasta as their main course, but especially at Riccardo Trattoria I urge you to follow it with a second course and split pastas family style. Among those second courses, peppered tuna is served rare with a side salad of white beans, arugula and grape tomatoes. I thought it a bit salty, but clearly the pepper bite was there.
Recently codfish Livornese was a special, and because I was told that Chef Riccardo was raised near Livorgno, it seemed the correct thing to order. I could not have been happier with the snow white cod and its blanket of capers, onions, tomatoes and garlic.
As for desserts, ricotta cheese cake is studded with macerated raisins and pine nuts among choices that include panna cotta, tirami su and gelato. Service is well informed and cordial. Expect to pay about $50 a couple plus drinks, tax and tip.
Riccardo Trattoria is at 2119 North Clark Street and has a K/RATING of 19/20.
AMBIANCE 3.5/4
HOSPITALITY 5/5
FOOD 9.5/10
VALUE 1/1
K/RATING 19/20
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