1359 W. Taylor Street
(312) 226-5550Head Chef: Jonathan Beatty
Davanti Ecoteca is an experience all of us in Chicago must have at some point. An authentic, romantic Italian-inspired setting breathes new life into familiar flavors and relationships as enjoying dinner with a special someone, a group of friends, or family is rejuvenated. When we first dined here, dead in the middle of winter, it exuded a warm, cozy feel, so we were skeptical that it would feel too dark and wintery when we went back in June. Pleasantly surprised, we couldn’t have been more wrong. Davanti echoed the vibrancy of spring, as lovely as ever, and we cannot wait to make a third summer trip to experience their upstairs retractable roof area that seats 40!
Props to Davanti’s wine program for its vast selection and more than reasonable price point. Their astute eye and palate for great wine sold at retail price is nearly unheard of in other Chicago born Italian eateries half as nice as Davanti. We got a bottle of 2007 Chianti from their Reserve list for a mere $30 dollars; normally it’s more than twice that amount.
We started with the Escarole salad with gala apples, pecorino dolce, celery, and hazelnuts bathed in a fruity, light vinaigrette. This was the perfect, refreshing start to our meal as it forecasted heavier dishes to come. A must try, the Ragu of the day (something Davanti has mastered and are known for) was a braised Brisket with wild mushrooms in a white wine reduction sauce poured onto a layer of polenta. To round out the meal, sans dessert, we shared the perfectly portioned Paccheri conSalsiccia e Pomodori al forno (Giant Rigatoni, rustic, smoky sausage, oven fire-roasted tomato, and parmigiano cheese). Flawlessly al dente pasta and homemade tomato sauce certified that we will never enjoy pasta sauce from a jar ever again; Davanti is the real deal and far less expensive than springing for the red eye to Positano, Italia.
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