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Grand (Blue O'Hare)
"This is one of my favorite places in printers row! They have the best olive oil and cheese, honestly I have to say take it away our I will…" read more »
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I'm trying to use up all my gift cards from a la card Chicago, and was in the neigborhood and decided to try Piccolo Sogno. I had driven by and wanted to go here since place was called Thyme..but never had the chance.
The place was about 70% packed on a Saturday night. The hostess asked if we had a reservation..said no..and she sat us at the first table as you walk in. She was a little ditzy..and I had an iffy feeling about this place...that is until we sat down
Our server was amazing and acted just the way a server in a 5 star dining establishment should act. he refilled our wine, made suggestions about the menu, and even knew all the ingredients on the specials.
I was in the mood for pizza..got the quattro formaggio (4 cheese pizza) OMG it was probably the most amazing thin crust pizza that Chicago has to offer. It was smooth and silky and I would pay $14 again to have to pizza again.
The atmosphere is a brighter and bigger Violet Hour setting. Great for a date, business meeting, and going out with friends. This place was really impressive and I was kicking myself for not trying it sooner.
The server even shook our hands after dinner. This place is classy and great for impressing a date or client.
Some of the front staff can be a bit ditzy and cocky -- but don't let that deter you from how amazing this restaurant is and how delicious the food is. can't wait to return
I went to Piccolo Sogno on a Sunday night and the place was packed, in the midst of the Great Recession. That's how you know this place is good.
The service was impeccable and the pizza was perfect! It reminded me of dinners in Rome but they didn't charge us for the water or bread. I am looking forward to going back ASAP.
Did I mention their prices were very reasonable for this type of establishment. Yum!
I had an affair on Saturday night. Go ahead and tell my wife because she was there and actually encouraged it. OK, now get your dirty minds out of the gutter.
Our favorite mid-priced Italian restaurant in the city is Follia - for that matter it's one of our favorite restaurants of any kind for the food, the atmosphere, the owner/staff, etc. However, after hearing so many great things about Piccolo Sogno, we decided to step out on our very solid and wonderful relationship with Follia and thought there's nothing wrong with having an alternative on the side. The menu looked very similar to Follia both in terms of selection and price so we figured we'd be in for a great meal.
Early in the day, we knew we were going to be running a little late for our reso, so I called and the host was very accommodating - actually pushing us up 1/2 hour even though they were booked for the night. We arrived and were seated right away. The restaurant is definitely charming and although it was way too cold to eat in their "famed" outdoor area, the feeling was definitely that of something not smack in the middle of the city. I couldn't quite put my finger on where this "out of the city" feel was - but on further consideration, I'm going to go with the suburbs (which isn't exactly what I had in mind). The crowd was on the older side (which is fine) but made it feel like a place best suited to go with your parents and/or for a weekday meal as there really wasn't too much in the way of excitement.
The wine list was extensive and moderately priced. We settled on a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. For apps I had the fried calamari which was excellent and Amy had the caprese salad. I must denote that caprese salads are pretty much her favorite thing in the world so to say she was disappointed was an understatement. Yes, the mozzarella was creamy and delicious, but it was served with sundried tomatoes as opposed to regular ones which ultimately killed the dish.
For entrees, I had the green and white ribbon pasta with veal ragu. It was tasty but somewhat amateurish and basic and didn't really have any umph after the first few bites. Amy had been looking forward to her dish all day which was the truffle ravioli, mushrooms, cheese, etc. The dish was drenched in truffle oil to the point of being very overwhelming in a bad way. A few of her mushroom bites tasted "like they were still in dirt" and although we can both appreciate food "of the earth" this I believe was unintentional, again, in a bad way.
We opted to skip dessert and move on with our night. The bill was reasonable - just over $100 for everything mentioned.
We might give this another try in the warmer months to experience the garden but until then, it's seems that our best bet for this sort of meal is to stay faithful to Follia. It's a few days later and we're both still feeling guilty!
Went here on a weekend evening. The bar was crowded, but not so uncomfortably so. The dining areas are spread across a few different rooms. The noise level was fine (one could carry on a conversation without shouting). They have extensive wine Italian-centric wine list (we enjoyed a Brunello and also an Italian Shiraz effort). I really enjoyed the beef short ribs and thought that the lasagna entree was very good. I'm told that they have a very nice outdoor eating area and we'd like to try that come better weather.
I have good friends.
Well, one in particular who has been raving about Piccolo Sogno for months. She is a regular there, and decided to share this lovely secret with me. We decided to make a date of it and went on a Wednesday night. To my surprise, the place was pretty busy, but not too loud (which is a huge thing for me). We sat in the room separate from the main dining room, and made ourselves comfy at our intimate two-top table.
After settling in for a couple of minutes we quickly ordered a delicious bottle of wine. Our server Frederico (?) was absolutely lovely and attentive. He was super friendly, and completely honest. The wine list is huge, and when we asked him his opinion of a wine, he didn't hesitate to say that he was unfamiliar with it. This is a response I prefer over a BS answer.
So far so good, but it just gets better. We ordered the Insalata di Pere, Sformato di Zucca as appetizers, and my friend and I shared the special Raviolini di Mascarpone, and the Rosticciana. Can you say "Mmmmmmmmmm." The sformato is a must-have, and an awesome autumn treat. The raviolini (if you love mushrooms the way I do) was bomb, and the rosticciana (braised short rib) is comfort food at its finest. Let me tell you, we annihilated our food without regard for anything else and enjoyed every moment of it.
Was I full afterwards, you ask? You bet, but who cares? We ordered dessert anyway...and a bottle of Moscato D'Asti (Don't judge...we both had a long day alright?). We went with the "Thousand Layers" dessert which was the only thing that didn't wow me. It was good, but not amazing, and I am a connoisseur of all things sweet.
Don't worry I'm almost done. I'll end this by mentioning the fact that after two bottles, apps, entrees, and dessert, our bill was only $130.
In my experience, there are few times when the clouds part, a light shines down, and the restaurant gods smile upon me (cue harp music), but Piccolo Sogno is restaurant nirvana. Everyone should go once before they die.
I went to Piccolo Sogno with a very snobby "foodie" friend and the restaurant exceeded his expectations. Yay!
We had made 8:30 reservation on Thursday night but decided to show up an hour before because we were starving. The hostess was very understanding and sat us within 15 minutes. We also run into a friend's father who paid for our drinks at the bar. Another Yay! So, just like that the restaurant was full of sophisticated Chicagoans with an old world charm. The waiter, an older Italian man with a heavy Italian accent, absolutely took care of us. The food and the wine was what you would expect from the former chefs at Coco Pazzo.
Great place to charm a date.
Absolutely have to go next door for a desert cigar!
For once, my expectations of a restaurant were not only met, but exceeded by far. Piccolo Sogno is every bit the outdoor oasis that others have said it is--its beautiful lush oudoor garden makes you forget that you're in Chicago, much less on the corner of Halsted and Milwaukee. As soon as you step into the restaurant, you're met with old world charm, crystal chandeliers, and tasteful interior decor. The outdoor garden is romantic, elegant, classy, and comfortable all at the same time. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to linger there all night.
Food: The four cheese ravioli was absolutely my favorite dish, it melts in your mouth like butter. The grilled calamari, tortelli di carciofi (artichoke and ricotta filled pasta with peas and fava beans), prosciutto pizza, paccheri alla siciliana (pasta with eggplant, capers, and olives), and gnocchi are all excellent. My only critique of the food--and this is only a minor issue--was that the food was just a tad too salty for my taste but it wasn't anything overpowering. The dishes were all made with fresh ingredients and were as close to authentic Italian food as you can get here in the States. And prices are absolutely fantastic for the quality of the food that you get.
Service: Our server was friendly, polite, and attentive. We had a lot of requests for our large group and he took good care of us.
Crowd: Majority are older but very trendy authentic Italian clientele. A Giorgio Armani and Sophia Loren type crowd.
Seating: I didn't see many two-table tops in the garden area, most outdoor tables were seating 4-8 people, so it's a great restaurant for groups. Make reservations ahead of time, this restaurant is definitely worth the wait.
If you are looking for a place to spend your entire night and be treated poorly then this is your place. The food was average at best. Duck was overcooked and the short ribs were just ok. Had to wait at least 15 minutes for wine each time we ordered a glass and there was a good hour that passed between first course and entree. When paying our bill the manager tried giving someone elses bar tab to us, and once he realized the mistake he never apologized for making a scene. Needless to say our table of 7 was underwhelmed and will not be returning.
Dining at Piccolo Sogno is an exercise in the simple pleasures of life.
Marble Bar, where you can have a strong cocktail and chat up the bartenders.
Open Kitchen, where you can see the delightful flurry of food preparation and watch plate after plate of regional, rustic Italian food get whisked to their tables.
Antipasto Station - where you can ogle platters of roasted tomatoes, grilled asparagus, jewel-toned beets and paper-thin prosciutto.
Outdoor Patio - where you are transported to a private Italian garden, with brick walls and beautiful trees and no hint whatsoever of the city streets.
Your Table - where you dip buttery foccacia into syrupy balsamic vinegar, enjoy a plate of pasta or a perfectly prepared entree, and relax into the comfort and delight of being well served.
What we ate was wonderful - antipasto for three, Halibut with Farro (best dish), Black Spaghetti with Shellfish, Veal Ragu atop green and white ribbon noodles, and a perfect Panna Cotta. What we drank was lovely, Italian wine that complimented the food perfectly.
What I will remember most is a beautiful night with dear friends, the enjoyment and sharing of delicious food, laughing and talking with the GM who stopped by our table for 20 minutes, and walking out with the glow of summer and the smiles from a perfect evening illuminating our faces.
Just fantastic. Went here for lunch today and could not be any more pleased with the entire experience. Obviously, enjoying gorgeous 75 degree weather on their secluded patio sets a positive tone for the rest of the lunch, but everything was great. I started out with Insalata di Pesche - a nice mix of greens and goat cheese on a bed of sliced peaches. Was very refreshing and just the right size to start out the meal. My main dish was one of their specials, a Risotto with vegetables that was also very, very tasty and again, just the right size for lunch.
Service was great. They were attentive but not annoying, and I felt like I could have passed the time there without any issues of them trying to hurry us along. Unfortunately I did not drink during this lunch so can't vouch for their bar drinks or wine selection. But the overall experience was just fantastic all the way around so I would highly recommend.
What makes me take a restaurant I loved so dearly from 5 stars down to 3? Maybe it was the fabulous food that I had the last time that sadly just wasn't there this time. Maybe it was the level of service. Too bad the gorgeous patio setting couldn't steal all the stars because it certainly is a magical city location, especially as the sun goes down.
I enjoyed my appetizer of stuffed squash blossoms, and sampled the proscuitto and figs as well. I was practically drooling to have their homemade pasta and the verdict? It was OK. Really there was nothing special and my food was undersalted. Unforgivable. My brother had a few bites of his pasta. The waiter (very busy with 2 bachelorette parties and a slew of other tables) asked how his food was and he said "OK". If you're coming to clear a plate and the majority of the food is still there you know something is wrong. We were able to wrangle in our waiter to get the bill and luckily my brother's pasta dish had been removed.
Will I go back to Piccolo Sogno? Its hard to say no because I know how great it can be. Did I have a subpar experience this time? Yes, but the gorgeous patio atmosphere more than made up for it.
I'd been to Timo and was excited to see the redesigned Piccolo Sogno space. I was not disappointed… Read more »
Go to Piccolo Sogno and sit outside (no matter how cold it is) -- you will not believe you're sitting in the middle of Chicago. It's one of the most beautiful restaurants I've ever been to, and the outside area alone is reason enough to go!
The bar is a great place to start for a drink, and once we were seated outside I did not want to leave! We sampled their fried calamari, which was so tasty it didn't even need a sauce, and a plate of cold ham, cheese and vegetables. I also had the caprese salad which was so good. For dinner, I've heard that their fish is not fantastic, so I had their special butternut squash risotto which I tried my very best not to finish but apparently had to eat every last bite, and also sampled some other pastas which were all really good.
For dessert we tried the chocolate hazelnut cake (can't say there was any left of that) and the pannacotta, which isn't a favorite of mine. We also had a delicious Italian after-dinner drink (Moscato with something else in it, recommended by the sommelier). Next time I want to try the duck and their pizzas. Great atmosphere, great food, can't wait to go back!
To me this is an excellent restaurant. Have gone twice now and food has been consistently top notch. Last night had the appetizer special of parma ham, olives, pecorino cheese and roasted vegetables. Very fresh, can't get proscuitto like this in too many places. As a meal I had paparadelle w/wild boar sauce. The pasta is homemade and the meat in the sauce was so tender and flavorful. Full bodied, hearty, and seasonal. Tony (the chef) is always walking around and mingling which is admirable. The bar even made special request drinks w/Aperol. The place is on the small side so not every table's in the best spot but I really didn't mind.
I had a dream.
I was having lunch with a dear friend of mine on a hidden patio. The air was heavy with the scent of flowers, the sun just warm enough, the breeze perfect.
I was tanned, 25 pounds lighter, had a perfect hair day, and didn't have a care in the world.
I was in Italy.
:::::::::::sigh:::::::::::::
That is the sort of (not so 'little') dream that Piccolo Sogno induced in me the minute I walked in (out?) their outdoor space. I had heard of it, seen it, anticipated it but was still wowed.
A real stunner.
So much so that I decided right there and then that I would have my birthday dinner right at this very place.
Damn right.
But you know that they say....
Good looks aren't enough. You have to sustain them.
So munching away on bread and gressini I waited on the food with mixed emotions. Apprehension, fear, hopefulness, excitement.....
I loved it.
My insalata di pesche was perfect. The arugula was nice and crisp, really fresh and peppery. It came with sliced and diced peaches and creamy goat cheese and a wonderful vinaigrette. The best salad I have had in a long time.
I had then opted for the pasta special: orecchiete (little ears, isn't it cute) with fresh wild salmon, green and yellow zucchini, basil in a creamy tomato sauce. Once again - match made in heaven. So flavorful. And with an appetizer size serving I didn't have to feel too guilty about it.......
What a great idea. Even so it's still a very generous serving. European size, I would say (wink-wink).
I am holding on the 5th 'til next month.
Just to fend off bad luck.
I went here EXTREMELY hungry at 10:00pm...NOT a good idea. Although the food was excellent, it was soooo slow. I am not sure if that is because I was starving or because everything was made fresh but even our sweet server could not keep our wine filled or check on us enough!
I did enjoy the fresh pasta dishes very much and would definately go back for the patio because inside seating was nothing fabulous.
Also they had fresh figs. Rare and I love that. But when I go to a restaurant I want my water and wine filled constantly and frequent checking on's- but maybe that's just me!
Regardless, food was delicious.
Wonderful restaurant! (4 visits in the last year) The service is always good, the restaurant is comfortable and nicely decorated, but the food is what brings us back every time! Very authentic and always consistent. The salad selection is very good and very reasonably priced. We usually have the Tre-colore salad and the beet salad. I ALWAYS go for the Frutti Di Mare - by far my favorite seafood pasta dish I have ever tried. If you like the seafood pasta dishes - you will not be disappointed. Black spaghetti with wonderful spicy sauce and a very generous mix of shrimp, mussels, clams, and calamari. My husband loves their lasagna. Good wine selection, well priced!
Outstanding Wine List. Pages of Super Tuscans. I'm a hugh fan of La Scarola, but I ventured into Piccolo for dinner and I wasn't disappointed. Service was outstanding and the food was fresh. If you compare it to La Scarola, it wins on the wines and has nicer decor.
There are already plenty of reviews here about the beautiful outdoor area and the delish food. No need to repeat those. But I would be very happy to come here again, with friends and family.
If you normally split the bill and your friends are having problems in the current economy, wait until they are back on their feet, ok? Or else just come here by yourself -- this is not the most expensive restaurant in the city, but $20-25-ish for entree might be steep for some, especially as you have the add-ons like wine, apps, dessert.
On a Tuesday, my group and I were surprised at the well-dressed crowd. Some designer duds and "wow, look at the best necklace I own!" on display here. The place was full for dinner. Clearly a popular place as every table was occupied in the middle of the week.
The only gripe I would have is the _tiny_ women's bathroom. They certainly did what they could with the space they had, but if patterns collide, there could be an unseemly line of ladies crossing legs in the bar area. The restroom is only a two-fer, and a pretty small one at that. I only include this point, because it was kind of a surprise at this place where everything else was first-rate. I am unable to comment on the men's room :o)
Ate dinner last night on the patio. I wouldn't really call this a patio as much as I would call it a hidden garden oasis in the west loop. When we first walked in we had the option to eat in or outside (we had a reservation, don't go without one), the inside looked so beautiful I wasn't sure i'd want to sit outside. Once I got out there, i "got it" about why the foodies are all atwitter about this al fresco dining opportunity. There are many, many outdoor tables, but they are far enough away from one another that you definitely have your privacy. It's not noisy at all, which is fast becoming my biggest gripe about chicago's hippest new dining spots.
Now. Onto the food. We ordered the panzanella (after reading about it in my daily tastingtable email) and the antipasto to start. Both were excellent and enjoyed with the generous portion of breads they give you. Also, don't miss the balsamic on the table with the bread- it's to die. You could tell how fresh everything was, truly delicious. Apparently Chef Tony Priolo gets most of his ingredients from a local farm, which is very apparent. For dinner I had a pasta that was basically like a puttanesca, and again i could just taste the freshness in each ingredient, especially the tomatoes. My boyfriend had Pesto pizza with figs which was also excellent. All enjoyed with a tasty, summery white we plucked off the 600-bottle wine list, at a modest $30 for the bottle.
Service was excellent and unpretentious. It was threatening rain and our server made sure to let us know if it rained not to run inside where we came out, but to go to the private dining room, and he would replace our food.
All-in-all a wonderful dining experience, I would definitely go back for a special occasion.
I recently went to dinner here for my birthday, so let me start by raving about the AMAZING patio. This was the single reason my boyfriend picked this restaurant. Needless to say we were not disappointed with their beautiful outdoor patio, nor the amazing landscaping.
As far as the food went, I was impressed with some of it and just so so with others. For the appetizers we got the prosciutto with figs. and the grilled seafood appetizer. I was blown away with the portion size. There is no need to serve me the entire pig, but hey, if you want to waste it, i'll take the rest to go.
As for our main courses we got the ravioli and the pasta triangles with truffle oil and mushrooms. I really wasn't impressed with either. First if you are going to tease me with a description of food that includes truffle oil, at least make sure that I can taste it. Also being an Italian restaurant, I would appreciate the pasta actually being cooked. I do like al dente but the raviolis were still a little crispy. I will admit that I am slightly judgmental, as I love Terragusto; so take anything I say with a grain of salt. The simple fact after this long winded review is that Terragusto does it way better and for less money.
After taking in the weather on a walk on my lunch break, I decided I had to dine outside tonight. Piccolo Sogno was the obvious choice, since I hadn't yet been and they've got such a lovely hidden patio.
The amuse was a potato croquette filled with cheese - tasty, but maybe not the most palate-stimulating amuse I've ever had. I ordered the salad with fava beans and pecorino. It was light and fresh and delicious. My friend's Tre Colore salad looked amazing, too. I had the halibut as my entree, which was served with faro. The preparation of the fish was perfect, as was the portion. My friend said the salmon was great. To finish, we had the ricotta cake with fresh berries - it could have used a few more berries, but otherwise, it was yummy.
Our waiter was fantastic, very charming, and the wine list was expansive. The patio is secluded and fantastic. Such a lovely dinner!
Let's cut to the entrees. The 1/2 roasted duck (anatra arrosto) and rosemary lamb (Angello al rosmarino) was unsatisfactory. The fennel sausage and polenta that accompanied the duck was quite nice but I didn't order this dish for the sides, did I? Quite frankly, I would have been much happier with peking duck from Chinatown. As far as the rosemary lamb, it wasn't a total disaster, but I would still rank it in the bottom 20th percentile of lamb dishes I have had. While I am still on my rant, I'm gonna have to say service was disorganized. The servers kept coming to our table with the wrong orders and bottles of wine that we never ordered.
It's a harsh start, but I wanted to end the review on a good note. The greeter honored our reservation and we were seated immediately on the outdoor patio. To start, the calamari was done well and the batter was not too heavy. The funghi tartufati pizza was commendable. But it was the pasta dishes that really won me over. The stracci di farro was refreshing. The pasta is made with imported farro flour and tossed with asparagus tips and mushrooms, then topped with truffle oil and parmesan curls. The spaghetti nero "frutti di marre" was my favorite of the night. The black spaghetti melded with the thick san marzano tomato sauce and there was just enough green chile to stimulate your palate with every bite. Hidden throughout the dark strands were the array of fresh seafood.
As far as ambiance: Dining al fresco under the fig trees with a glimpse of the night sky was just sublime. This experience ranks up there with the outdoor cabanas at Volo. I guess this is as close to dining on the Italian countryside I can get for now...sigh*
I didn't want to have high expectations given the fact that I inevitably compare all Italian food eaten in Chicago to Italian food eaten in Italy. Good news: Piccolo Sogno is the closest I have yet to come to Italian food in Chicago. Bad news: be prepared to drop close to 4 bills if you order as an Italian would (i.e., 2 reasonably priced bottles of wine, insalata, antipasti, primer piatti, segondo piatti, dessert, coffee).
Service is wonderful. Wine list great.
to eat:
Caprese salad made with real bufala mozzarella from Italy and heirloom tomatoes. Excellent.
Griglia mixta: octopus and shrimp grilled with a center of arugula. Very good.
Zucchini flower blossoms lightly breaded, filled with cheese and fried. EXCELLENT.
Green pasta with veal ragu: EXCELLENT
Pizza funghi: (white sauce or no sauce...can't remember): EXCELLENT. I wanted to order a pizza to go to see what their red sauce pizzas tasted like. First pizza that closely resembled Roman pizza. Not exactly there, but wonderful texture and taste.
Lobster risotto: Meh. I've had better at Le Cirque. I felt that they did not cook rice in lobster broth but in chicken broth. Not salty. A plus.
Pork with rapini and potatoes. Very nice pork flavor but a little on the dry side.
Mille foglia: Thousand layer desert with chocolate chip custard. TO DIE FOR.
If I had to do it again, I would order exclusively off of the salad, antipasti, pizza, pasta menus (they do offer appetizer portions---they are also amenable to cooking up something that you would like--perhaps a puttanesca) and skip the entres.
Server was a very charming Parisian woman. Will go back as soon as I save four bills for two people.
Crowd was very Botoxed, but relaxed atmosphere.
I was here a few nights ago for a birthday dinner with some girlfriends. We split the roasted vegetables, cheese and prosciutto platter for an appetizer and I got the short ribs. Everything was AMAZING! The food is always great here but the ambiance on the outdoor patio makes this a gem in Chicago. My one friend said it was a perfect place for a romantic dinner or to bring out of towners. I agree!
Piccolo Sogno was hands down the best Italian restaurant I went to last summer. The outdoor is perfect for a date with a deck and trees with lights.
The food is out of this world and is well worth the price. I highly recommend the ravioli of choice for the night and the salad. Go ahead and order dessert because they are all amazing!
This place was phenomenal. The patio is simply one of the nicest, most elegant, well design and hip patios that I have ever been to. The food was outstanding. I had a 4-cheese ravioli and a little bit of Pork Tenderloin. The pork was juicy, perfectly cooked and wrapped in bacon. Totally totally worth going.
Well, I can't agree with Bruce A. that this place is the best italian in the city but it is up there. The space is nice on the inside but the outside is perfect. What happens in the winter when it's just the indoor space?
Our group had the antipasto platter to start and all good flavors, from the fresh proscuitto to the grilled veggies. I had the parpardelle pasta with the veal ragu- and it was DELICIOUS!! My friends had the risotto and the fish special of the night and both said they enjoyed their meal.
I truly want to give this place 4.5stars but you have to choose between 4 or 5 and 5 is far to high for any place unless they shine my shoes whiles dining.
Give it a try, you'll be happy and leave feeling like you got your monies worth.
Best Italian in the city, hands down. Authentic Italian with highest quality ingredients. Right portion size, Not overly fussy. Pasta, pizzas, apps, salads, fish, deserts -- everything is great. Did I mention the most beautiful garden dining in the city. Beautifully landscaped and walled off but without that claustrophobic feeling at many other restaurants. This is probably the best restaurant in Chicago, taking into account value, ambience, convenience, food quality and service.
The food was the closest to that which you find in Italy. It was not Americanized at all. Absolutely delicious. I would have given it five stars, except I was seated in a walkway where waiters bumped my chair every time they passed. Other than that, no complaints.
I wish I had come here during Restaurant week so I could have tried their appetizers and desserts!! Oh well, maybe next year. I came here tonight with a friend and had a good time. I give this place a solid 3.5 stars. The food was good. I had the spaghetti frutti di mare. The seafood was super fresh and delicious! The spaghetti was only ok for me. It was a bit on the chewy side and I prefer my noodles a little softer. The service was excellent! The bread was yummie and the balsamic vinaigrette they had was so sweet! Mouth watering! Things were a little on the pricey side. Parking sucks in this area but the restaurant does do valet for $6.
Overall, I think I prefer the pasta I had at Filippo's because it just tasted better, had bigger portions, and was cheaper!
This review is for special events. Although I have eaten at the restaurant, very good, I couldn't recall what I ate so I wasn't compelled to write anything.
This event was an office party held in the huge outdoor patio, which is perfumed by lillys and other beautifully maintained flora, we were greeted with antipasti, and a wine tasting to start us off. The wines were all Italian and ranged from a rose to a Barbaresco. All four wines were mid range quality but perfect for this kind of event. The restaurants wine buyer led individuals through the four wines and showed great patience at the new comers that would infiltrate the line half way through. The Antipasti consisted of perfectly roasted eggplants, onions, squashes, asparagus and beets, there were two unmemorable cheeses and a nice creamy pecorino, crusty bread of course and an olive tasting. A very nice easy to schmooze beginning.
A large communal table was set up in the shade and other tables of 6 were set up around the patio, the kitchen began bringing courses out family style, not the family style I grew up on either. First was Barrata cheese and proscuito ,then figs and proscuito, a wonderful asparagus risotto, there was whole wheat penne in rich tomato sauce, but not drenched, just enough sauce to let the pasta shine. The main course came next with a decadent roasted pork with crispy skin and an herbacious undertone. To liberate my palate from the unctious pork, a platter of Branzino (mediterranean sea bass) was dropped before me with a light lemon sauce and cooked wonderfully. What impressed me the most about the food was that the first communal table started its samplings an hour before my table was set, the kitchen responded flawlessly and all the food was outstanding. For dessert a table was set with canape's stuffed with creme anglaise and berries, chocolate sauce and hazel nuts, several biscoti and a few more things frankly I couldn't cram into my gullet.
Why only 4 stars a few of the planners stated the entire patio was to be reserved, but the restaurant served a few diners in the back of the patio, a few of the guests didn't like the tables being set up for regular service before 5 o'clock, the time we were supposed to be out, but this is typical for a party like this, also guests seemed confused by the service, and didn't understand how and where to eat but once again that may not have been the fault of Piccolo Sogno.
I highly recommend them for dining and for catering , and the patio is really more than you will expect.
Gorgeous patio space. Seriously, worth going to just for that.
I took a few people who were not very appreciative of the small portions, high prices and just average food.
I enjoyed my gnocchi very much and the rest was somewhat blah.
It was a beautiful evening though and the city looked magical from the softly lit patio here.
Restaurant Week Lunch menu was delicious! I went with a friend of mine and we loved all of our choices. I'm so full - the portions were huge and very filling. Perfect choices for a chilly Chicago afternoon....
The roasted pear and goat cheese arugula salad was delicious with great sweet, salty and lip smacking puckery flavors.
My veggie "soup" was soaked in crusty chunks of bread and served to the consistency of stuffing - it was pan fried then drizzled with olive oil.
Entrees were spinach gnocchis with a mushroom sauce was so SOOOOO good. And the wild boar sausage was delicious, served with pan fried rapini (one of my fav veggies) and white beans.
Dessert - oh my! got sorbet and gelato trios which came out to 6 heaping scoops of yumminess. Tart and sweet at the same time!
I can't wait to go back and try their regular menu. A restaurant like this with gourmet food and atmosphere that serves AWESOME wines at $6 a glass is a keeper! Our server, Joey was awesome - very attentive and helpful as we had to rush out to an appointment. Beautiful ambiance with an open kitchen for those curious to peer into. Recommended for a cozy, romantic dinner!
I had a great Restaurant week experience here with my partner in culinary crime Robyn T. I have loved every restaurant that has been in this space so was looking forward to trying Piccolo Songo for the first time.
First of all - I LOOOVVEE what they've done with he place. The new decor/feel is really warm and plush and great for dining- not at all what i expected really. I was amazed by the transformation.
Our service was absolutely impeccable- I am terrible at remembering names, but our young female server was great...she had amazing pronunciation and a real sense of tempered enthusiasm for the food..she also was the epitome of non intrusive service- something which I yap about on this very site all the time.
The food was just wonderful- We both enjoyed the Boar Sausage for our first course and I had a wonderful pasta dish for my 2nd- Dessert was gelato for me, but I should have got the panna cotta- because it was unlike any panna cotta i've ever had-- Robyn was nice enough to let me have a few bites of it and I have to say I wouldnt have been so nice- it was amazing. The wine list was reasonable- no complaints here and I enjoyed my Syrah.
I'll save the 5th star for when I can go back for a non restaurant week meal, but this is definitely on my list.
This would be three and half stars. I wasn't expecting much, but came away pleasantly surprised with my long, late, rather European lunch.
We were taken to this restaurant by a Calabrian friend (like the kind that has an Italian passport not Italian great grandparents), so I think this boded well for my time here. Both the maitre d' and the chef came by to greet us and send us some chickpea fritters (which were the most underwhelming part of the meal, why bother?)
After the waiter essentially raped the Italian language reading the specials in front of our friend, we got off to a nice meal. We started with a prosciutto pizza, which was much better than anticipated. The crust was lacking the char of a proper Neopolitan pie, but the thickness, flavor and toppings were spot on.
I had the special salad, thinly shaved artichokes and arugula. It was just like the carciofi salads I've had in Italy. My husband had the Ribollita, which was NOTHING like is was in Firenze. They took all the solid parts of the Ribollita and made a pancake out of it, kind of like Ribollita al salto. There was NO broth. Ribollita is bread soup, not bread! He said it tasted good , but it was so filling he had to leave most of it behind to save room for the entree.
I was pleased that they allow appetizer portions of pasta here, and I had four beautiful ravioli Piccolo Sogno, four cheese filled clouds swimming in a lovely buttery sea. It was well done, although the Marsala drizzle could use some fine tuning. My husband had Branzino, which he highly praised. It looked like a nice piece of fish and it was cooked perfectly.
I would go back here for a lunch anytime...I love a comforting Italian lunch. I probably wouldn't make the trip for dinner. While the food is good, it's not worth the dinner hour tariff.
Really great patio. The prosciutto melts in your mouth like cotton candy. Best I've had in the states. The pasta is so-so, but not as good as Terra Gusto.
Valet parking $6?!?!? love it....
Really cute little place, made us wait 20 minutes for our reservation though. Also, in the bar/dinning area it is very crowded -- actually the whole place was crowded, a lot of server butt to customer face time.
Our server was pretty good, strong service, but not too strong on her food and wine knowledge. The bussers and runner were really good though.
The food did remind me of the year I lived in Italy.... much more Italian than the american-italian food some many of us get used to eat. Unfortunately nothing really stood out. The grilled calamari was good, but over priced. We had a couple of the pastas -- good but not great. I had the short rib and it was decent, but ended up being disappointing because it had been so highly recommended.
I'm looking forward to going back this summer when the outside back patio is open... I keep thinking it would be the perfect late afternoon long lunch. It's a great looking spot.... some meat, cheese, light bits and a couple bottles of wine..... I could easily pretend to be back in Italy here!
We enjoyed our experience at Piccolo.
The restaurant is quite charming, but the tables are very close together, but for our party, it resulted in 2 complementary pizzas for the table, as one of the people in our party kept getting bumped. After the pizzas, there was no need to order appetizers, and we ordered our main courses.
Our party of 6 all ordered different pastas, and they were all very delicious. I tried most of them, and my favorite was definitely the tortelli, served with peas. Yummy! The portions are pretty decent, not big enough to share though. The balsamic and olive oil were also amazing, and I absolutely love foccacia!!! (If anyone knows of a bakery that sells foccacia - PM me!)
The restaurant was really accommodating too - I ended up changing our reservations 3 times - our party grew from 3 to 6. It was half empty at about 6:30 on Saturday, but by the time we left, the entire dining room was full.
There is plenty of metered parking nearby, but at $2/hour now, it's a much better bet to go with the $6 valet.
We hope to be back to dine al fresco when the weather gets warmer!
We have eaten at this River West gem twice now, and I loved it both times. It is a real restaurant (not a bar pretending to be a restaurant!) with white tablecloths, good service, a large wine list, and great foood.
The best part is the fresh "antipasto" choices. They have a daily fresh plate of mixed items (on one visit it was assorted grilled veggies, prosciutto, hunks of parmesan). They regularly offer my favorite appetizer - prosciutto with fresh melon (even in the winter!)
I had pastas both times, which were delicious, and the waiter was very helpful in assting us with a less pricey wine choice (On one visit we got a delicious Barolo for $60, which was a real surprise because they usually run much higher!)
They are great about honoring their reservation times, seating us within five minutes of our arrival. Their two-tops are really cramped, so I would highly recommend going with a party of four. This place is popular, and gets VERY crowded. Reservations are a MUST for the weekends!
The food was in average good, not great. The service needs some serious help.
Wine selection is ample, but again, the server either needs training, or he needs to know when to call a sommelier.
The "Sapore" di Mare was excellent in taste. Definitely generous on the saffron, which made up for the thick, stew-like consistency.
The Salmone was good. The mille-fleur is excellent.
The overall experience was ok, however definitely expected more from the service. The restaurant is very well lit, decorated and presented. Makes you want to expect more.
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