Storefront City Chicago

Archive for the tag “pizza”

08 Apr 2013

Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria

WHAT: Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria
WHERE: 8433 S. Pulaski Rd.

OUR RATING: Do It!

Feel like a road trip? If you’re on the Southwest Side, or perhaps on your way out of state via I-55 S, make sure you stop in for your last taste of Chicago before the rolling cornfields. Vito & Nick’s (the first location opening in 1932) has been locally owned and operated ever since, and serving extremely thin crust Chicago pizza and cheap beer. Plenty of foodies have been here before us, so this might be old news, but we’re fairly sure this pizzeria deserve a few more photons from us.

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

Adam: Bustling and traditional, Vito & Nick’s is a staple of any Chicago experience. Since it’s located slightly outside the city-proper, in the Ashburn neighborhood, it might not be on everyone’s docket list, but I can assure you that pizza doesn’t get more Chicago than this. Conviviality brims over here, with the owner, Rose, personally bringing your order to the table and trading jokes as you pass.

(vitoandnicks.com)

Of course, this being Chicago, the pizzas are HUGE and a large can easily feed four. Uniquely, they take into account that you might all have different tastes, but not want to order four pizzas. Thus, you can order a half-and-half pizza, customized as you choose. The simple cheese pizza is thin and juicy, and with a good sprinkling of red pepper, cannot really be faulted.

(vitoandnicks.com)

A selection of toppings can be added to your pizza for an additional charge of $1.75 each (shrimp $3.50). A good combination you can try: sliced beef and giardiniera. Beef is generously layered with the spicy and sumptuous giardiniera to create what should be an American classic.

Alicia: Owner Rose has pepperoni and personality, and will definitely take care of you as soon as you walk through her family’s doors. My family has frequented this establishment a few times over the last year, having heard of it last summer. This is the perfect place for a casual friend/family night out, especially if you are on the outskirts of the city. Ashburn doesn’t quite feel like the city, but who cares when you can grab a large pizza and a pint of beer for under $20?

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

We went splitsies on both of our large pizzas, and I was more than happy to dig into to a half pepperoni and half mushroom. To be honest, I was underwhelmed with my toppings, with the pepperoni being nothing special and oh-so-normal, and with the mushrooms tasting canned and a bit slimy (so I wasn’t so disappointed there weren’t many on the pizza). But it was the cheese and the ultra thin and crispy crust that made the whole experience delicious, and I was loving both centers and outside crust pieces alike.

Service was great and made me feel I was in the friendly-welcoming suburbs, and with $7 for an accompanying pitcher of beer, you can’t really go wrong.

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

Final Thoughts: You have to come prepared for Vito & Nick’s. With no delivery option, you have to be ready to trek out to Ashburn, and you have to have some cash in your pocket, as they don’t take cards or checks. Oh, and come super hungry, because really, that’s the only way to go. And if you’re not a proponent of the saying “Pizza’s not for breakfast,” you’re in luck: they even serve an egg pizza with five sunny-side eggs cooked right into the cheese.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
07 Mar 2013

Balena

WHAT: Balena (Italian)
WHERE: 1633 N. Halsted St.

OUR RATING: Do It!

A place providing physical ease, the relaxation of invitingly comfy furnishings, a spacious atmosphere and a bold simplification of food, Lincoln Park’s Balena is an upscale Italian eatery perfect for pre-show cocktails or a full-on meal. Complete with an impressive cocktail menu, an array of pizzas and other small bites, it also has a nice dessert menu. To be certain, this place is definitely a bit upscale for one’s wallet, but you’re sure to find something you love here.

Margherita Pizza (Photo: Nick Kindelsperger)

Margherita Pizza (Photo: Nick Kindelsperger)

Adam: Pizza: traditional, Italian, fun! And not what I would normally get at an Italian restaurant! But, with all the talk of Balena’s magnificent pizzas, I just had to make an exception. Trying both the margherita and mushroom pizzas, I can honestly say that Balena gets this right. Fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato make for an established choice, named for Queen Margherita of Savoy, who thought the colours resembled the Italian flag. It’s fitting that Old World basil, the King of Herbs, is paired with the New World tomato here, for the merging of cultures elevates this dish to new heights.

Mushroom Pizza (opentable.com)

Mushroom Pizza (opentable.com)

I also tried their mushroom pizza, topped with fontina cheese, taleggio cheese (so ancient that Cicero talked of his liking for it), scallions and thyme. Very Italian, delicate and delectable, you can imagine yourself taking supper on Lake Como with this fabulous combination.

Having a penchant for wine, I decided to try two, both a red and a white, to go with the margherita and mushroom pizzas, respectively. The red was the lovely Stefano Farina “Le Brume Langhe”, a mixture of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Merlot, from Piedmont (2007 12 / 39). Quite full and a perfect complement to tomatoes, black plum comes through strongly, with a definite blackberry flavor and a hint of coffee. Most certainly recommended, Pliny the Elder drank a variety of this wine while in Piedmont – if it’s good enough for old Pliny, it’s certainly good enough for me!

(Photo: Eric Kleinberg)

(Photo: Eric Kleinberg)

Onward then, to the white wine, a Salviano “Orvieto” of Procanico grapes (first cultivated for the Pope) from Umbria (2010 11 / 39). Making an excellent and light pairing with the mushroom pizza, pear is the dominant flavor, along with apple and a minerally aftertaste. Refreshing and relaxing, this wine makes for the perfect end to an evening.

A highly enjoyable experience, which I hope to repeat soon.

(balenachicago.com)

(balenachicago.com)

Alicia: Balena mixologist Debbi Peek crafts some crazy cocktails that explore a variety of Western European bitters and, more specifically, Italian Amari. The bitterness of each of their drinks is rated on a “1-10” scale, a “1” representing the least and a “10” the most bitter. I must admit that my palate hasn’t quite accepted bitters favorably in the past, so I went for a safer option with their Rosemary No2, a well-balanced mix of campari, aperol, fresh sour, egg white, and delicately flamed rosemary. Definitely a fun drink and a great immersion into the world of bitters, with subtle, yet dangerously potent flavors.

(vodamagazine.com)

(vodamagazine.com)

After kicking off the night with a cocktail, I ordered their spicy sausage, red onion, tomato and mozzarella pizza with a glass of their Andrian “Somerto” Chardonnay, Alto Aldige 2011. You might hesitate to mix these two, as red wine is usually a safer bet to pair with sausage. But I was crazy to try their Somerto so I just went for it. The wine was delicate with a hint of peach, but I failed to really catch the mango and grilled nuts as listed in the description. It was nonetheless crisp and refreshing, and I give major thanks to Balena for their more than generous pouring.

Mushroom Pizza (Photo: Nick Kindelsperger)

Mushroom Pizza (Photo: Nick Kindelsperger)

As for the pizza, I usually don’t go for sausage, as I always think most places overcook their meat, but Balena’s sausage was tender and juicy. It wasn’t very spicy, which was fine by me because the lack of spice and the delicate mozzarella cheese paired with my wine quite nicely. And the dough was perfect: thin but substantial, with puffy, chewy edges.

(balenachicago.com)

(balenachicago.com)

Final Thoughts: Chef Chris Pandel works wonders with Peter Becker, who runs the restaurant’s bread program, and we’re just itching to go back and try some of their other breads and perhaps dig into a bowl of pasta or two. And while we didn’t save room with our trio of pizzas and glasses of wine, we hear pastry chef Amanda Rockman’s desserts really do rock, so we’re definitely headed back for more. If you get a chance, don’t forget to check out their cavern-esque cellar/event space downstairs as well!

Posted in Drink It!, Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 Jan 2013

La Gondola

WHAT: La Gondola (Italian Cuisine)
WHERE: 2914 N. Ashland Ave.

OUR RATING: Skip It!

(lagondolachicago.com)

You don’t have to travel to the boot of Western Europe to enjoy some amazing Italian food. Chicago is jam-packed with restaurants serving this popular cuisine, and not just in Little Italy. But next time you’re craving some homemade pasta or some thin crust pizza, stay far, far away from La Gondola.

La Gondola has two Lakeview locations, one at 1258 West Belmont Avenue and the other at 2914 N. Ashland Avenue. We don’t understand why they would place their two locations so near to one another and cannibalize each other’s market, but frankly, we couldn’t care less.

(tripadvisor.com)

(tripadvisor.com)

We made reservations at La Gondola hoping for a relaxed and intimate evening, enjoying one another’s company. When we arrived at the Ashland site we were a little surprised at its strip mall location, but undeterred. Some of the best foodie spots are off the beaten path.

The interior of La Gondola is extremely tiny, fitting a little more than half a dozen tables. Intimate? Yes, we suppose it’s pretty cozy, albeit a bit claustrophobic. The decor is nothing particularly special, but you’re able to get away from the parking-lot exterior rather well.

(lagondola.com)

(lagondolachicago.com)

Once we sat down, our night quickly got off to a terrible start, with our waiter bringing [warm, fresh] bread to our table and speaking to us in a horribly annoyed and condescending manner. We’re not entirely sure what his problem was, but again, we don’t care–just know that we were immediately put off. We’ve had our fair share of poor service (or lack thereof), so we tried to move on and instead focused on their gigantic and delicious sounding menu.

(lagondola.com)

(lagondolachicago.com)

Despite usually ordering two different things to try new flavors, we both loved the sound of the Mostaccioli Salmanate with fresh sliced mushrooms and smoked salmon in a tomato and cream sauce over mostaccioli. After ordering with Mr. Horrible Waiter, we waited what seemed like ages, only to receive two [heapingly] cold plates of salt with salmon pasta. Don’t get us wrong – we love our salt, but this was the saltiest dish we’ve ever tasted, and almost sent it back. However, after waiting such a long time and having to deal with Mr. Horrible Waiter, we really just wanted to eat and get through the dinner.

Soon ready to leave, we presented our waiter with a Groupon we had purchased. However, apparently, we were $2 off the necessary amount ‘needed to use the Groupon’ (we’ve never had that problem before), so we ordered a cannoli to try to round out the night. What did Mr. Horrible Waiter bring instead? Basically a few tiny dry rolls stuffed with minimal pistachios. Yum.

This place is way too pricey (entrees average around $20), way too rude, and way too unexceptional for you to even step foot in their parking lot, unless you plan to shop at another store in the strip mall.

It’s a perfect way to ruin a date though, if that’s what you’re after.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Post Navigation