Monteverde Review

Author and Photographer: Billy Leung

Monteverde is an Italian restaurant in the West Loop, led by Chef Sarah Grueneberg. Their motto, “Flour is Power,” was displayed when watching the chefs make many varieties of pasta by hand behind the bar. We tried to walk in without a reservation as a table of two on a Saturday afternoon, and we were told that the wait would be over an hour, but we were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar, which is first come, first served. So, we were already hopeful that this was going to be a great meal. When I stepped into the restaurant, it was full and bright as light seeped in from the windows to permeate the space. The ambiance of the restaurant was both lively and sophisticated as conversations and light upbeat music filled the air.

Monteverde Interior

Appetizers

We started with the very popular appetizer, Burrata E Ham, and added the extra prosciutto butter. The dish came with piping hot tigelles, which are round breads similar to English muffins, burrata, prosciutto, a pineapple-persimmon mostarda, and  prosciutto butter. The server suggested slicing the tigelles in half and then lathering on the various ingredients. After making my sandwich, the first bite flooded my mouth with a myriad of different flavors. The stark contrast between the complex sweetness of the mostarda, a Northern Italian condiment made from candied fruit and a mustard-flavored syrup, and the saltiness of the burrata and prosciutto, made for a spectacular combination of flavors. The prosciutto butter added a subtle meatiness to the rest of the sandwich. As a lover of burrata and bread, this was an immaculate appetizer to start off the meal. 

Burrata e Ham

Mains

Next up was the Chitarra Alla Norcina, which was a pasta dish with black truffle sausage ragù, porcini mushrooms, black garlic, and parmesan. Spaghetti Alla Chitarra is a variety of egg pasta that has a square cross section and is handmade from a traditional Italian pasta-making tool called a chitarra. The pasta was loaded with a mound of sausage and cooked perfectly al dente, which added an amazing chewiness and thickness to the dish that was unlike most pastas I have had. The combination of the sausage and mushrooms created the perfect level of saltiness for the pasta. The extremely minute differences in texture from bite to bite highlighted the handmade nature of the pasta. Whether you are a fan of pasta dishes or just love good food, this dish is sure to impress.

Chitarra Alla Norcina

The other pasta dish we ordered was the Spaghetti Al Pomodoro. This was traditional spaghetti with tomato sauce, but we added the chile garlic oil. The chile-garlic oil added a slight spiciness to the pasta and a subtle touch of garlic to the otherwise fairly simple dish. Although it was simple, I could immediately tell that the tomato sauce was very fresh and made with high-quality ingredients. The sweetness of the fresh tomatoes pairs well with the slight tanginess and acidity of the sauce. The aroma of the basil and garlic filled my nose and added to the nuanced flavor of this dish. Great pasta never fails to satisfy.

Spaghetti Al Pomodoro

Conclusions

Overall, Monteverde provided some of the best Italian food I have had in Chicago and executed their dishes perfectly. Monteverde is a great spot to have a casual but upscale dinner or weekend lunch with friends. I will definitely be going back to try some more of their pasta dishes and dessert as well, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a trendy restaurant serving handmade pasta.