Author and Photographer: Kallie Hoffman

There is no doubt that Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. There is just something special about sitting down at a dining table and being greeted with a basket of fresh-baked, warm bread before diving into a main course that is bound to leave a person stuffed to the brim for hours on end. In contemplating which Italian restaurant to venture to in downtown Chicago, I proceeded like any other typical college student and migrated to the Yelp website. However, I was instantly overwhelmed by the myriad of choices and decided that I needed to limit my scope and narrow down the choices. With this line of reasoning, I typed in "Best Italian Restaurants in the West Loop" because, to me, there is no better village in Chicago for trendy restaurants, an energetic nightlife, swoon-worthy desserts, and, as we say it, "good vibes." I analyzed the options and finally decided on Riccardo Osteria, an old-fashioned Italian restaurant that prides itself on serving the most authentic Italian food with only the highest-quality ingredients.

Thankfully, the restaurant always has a plethora of tables available, so it was no problem to secure a reservation for my friends and I on a Saturday night. From the minute we stepped out of our Uber and into the restaurant, I knew that we were going to have an amazing experience. The hostess greeted us with a smile on her face as we looked around in awe at the lively atmosphere and the happy tables overflowing with delicious dishes and never-ending glasses of wine. The place was a little dark, so I definitely embarrassed my friends when I whipped out the flashlight on my phone to view the menu, but there was no need, for the waiter jumped on our table as soon as we sat down and immediately gave us a thorough rundown of the menu. There were starters, pasta dishes, meat and fish entrees, sides, and more. It took us a few minutes to collect ourselves, but in line with the atmosphere of the restaurant, we decided to eat family style and all share everything.

Antipasti

The key to a good Italian restaurant is their complimentary bread. It took the waitstaff a few minutes to reach our table, leaving us salivating at the edge of our seats, but from the second I took a bite of the soft sourdough and the focaccia oozing with plump, red tomatoes, I knew Riccardo Osteria was going to be a winner. After munching on the bread, we ordered the Burrata & Prosciutto di Parma. The order came quickly, and I wasted no time diving into the food. The appetizer was a tad expensive ($20), but the amount of fresh prosciutto was enough for a meal, and the way in which the soft burrata broke apart at the touch of a fork and instantly spread all over the meat was something too good to be true. We practically licked the plate clean, and then it was off to the mains.

Secondi

For the main course, we decided to order two pasta dishes, because how could you not in an Italian restaurant? and a fish dish (to convince ourselves we are at least somewhat healthy). The Bucatini Alla Carbonara was honestly a little underwhelming, as it came served in a small, standard kitchen bowl, and the bucatini teetered on the side of being too al dente. The pasta was swimming in a heavy cheese sauce, and the strong smell of the heavy cream was almost too much for my stomach to bear. However, the Trofie al Pesto Genovese was just the right size and had the perfect combination of garlic and basil. The pesto offered the faint taste of pine nut and pecorino cheese, and the trofie pasta absorbed the sauce to perfection, which meant it took a great deal of self-discipline to not scarf down the pasta in record time. Finally, the last dish to arrive at our table was the Faroe Island Salmon. There was not much to the plate for $26, as it only came with a small filet of salmon and a side portion of spinach, but I have to say that the taste was top-notch. There was definitely more olive oil on the plate than necessary, but the olive oil complemented the fish well and provided a good base for sautéing the spinach. The garlic and oil took all of the bitterness out of the spinach, and the subtle flavor of the grill residue on the salmon took the dish to another dimension. There were many different flavors occurring all at once, but the fish contained the prime amount of juiciness, and the smooth, soft spinach left me yearning for more. In general, each dish brought something different to the table, and each one was packed with flavor and added a unique and yummy twist to our dinner.

Overall, Riccardo Osteria is definitely not the best Italian restaurant in Chicago. However, if you are looking for a family environment that reminds you of home, and you are in desperate need of quality food at reasonable prices, then Riccardo Osteria is an excellent option. Not to mention, the close proximity to other restaurants, dessert shops, stores, and bars makes it easy to fill up on some good food and make a lateral move to your next destination. This restaurant definitely deserves more recognition, and as a foodie myself, I will confidently say that I would not hesitate returning to this spot and exploring more of their delicious menu.

Riccardo Osteria Review

Author and Photographer: Kallie Hoffman

Antipasti

Secondi