Restaurant for Two: a feature where I bring a friend to a restaurant and we write a review together. My gal pal, Karen, and I hit up Angelo’s Wine Bar in Albany Park.
More than your average Italian restaurant, Angelo’s Wine Bar takes traditional fare and bulks it up with subtle, unique, and fruity flavors. The dinner menu features four sections, including appetizers, pizza, pasta, and per la tavola – small plates perfect for sharing (think tapas or dim sum).
The menu has so many options that it was hard to choose just four to sample! First on deck was the Burrata Mostarda antipasti. Thick chunks of burrata mozzarella sat atop a fruit mostarda (an Italian condiment made of chunky, candied fruit) and was topped with salted cashews. The appetizer was served with olive bread made for dipping. I happily eat burrata whenever it’s on the menu with sweet fruit and this dish did not disappoint.
Next, Karen and I moved onto the per la tavola (small plates) section of the menu. We continued our cheese theme with the Whipped Ricotta smothered with clover honey and balsamic, and served with toasted baguettes. The smoothness of the ricotta matched nicely with the sweet honey.
Also from the small plates menu, we shared the Roasted Amish Half Chicken. The deliciously tender chicken was accompanied with baby carrots and rainbow marble potatoes. The plate dripped with a roasted shallot pan sauce that was perfect for dipping the veggies and chicken into.
Venturing onto the pasta side of the menu, the Summer Risotto was the last dish we tasted. It was a picture-perfect mix of summer with roasted corn, charred vidalia onions, peas and tomato confit. The cutest little squash flower stuffed with ricotta and lightly fried sat atop the dish.
No meal at Angelo’s is complete without a glass of wine; I tried the Sauvignon Blanc for two thumbs up, while Karen went for the Anita Nutha #1 (Sangria, bitters, and Belvedere) for another two thumbs up.
Angelo’s has great deals so plan your next date night accordingly:
- Mondays offer half-off glasses of wine
- Tuesdays offer $7 craft cocktails and $5 drafts
- Wednesdays are Jazz and Juice night offering half-off bottles of wine (you have a choice between 350 bottles!)
- Thursdays offer BOGO for salads and pastas
Grab a friend or two or three and check out Angelo’s, not only for their vast wine selection but for their Italian-with-a-twist fare. The next time I hit up Angelo’s will be for brunch on the weekends!
3026 W. Montrose
Albany Park, Chicago
New City Life Adventure 