Chicago: Quartino
We were shopping down Magnificent Mile when it started sprinkling, so my friend and I ducked into Quartino for a late, late lunch. Despite the light rain, it was still warm enough that we opted to sit outside:
Our server was really helpful when we asked him for some recommendations. Because we were hoping to score seats at the Publican without reservations later that night, we didn't want to order to much. We started with the fondue:
My friend said it tasted better than the fondue she had in Switzerland, but I'll reserve judgment on that until I've actually tried it myself. The fondue was warm, creamy, and probably not too good for you...just the way any cheese dish should be. A nice perk is that the bread is unlimited. We didn't even have to ask for someone to come refill our bread. The fondue did come on a little stand, but the wind was so strong that the candle blew out the minute our server turned away.
Our favorite dish was the veal meatballs Napoli with sun-dried tomatoes and golden raisins:
The meatballs had a smooth consistency and the golden raisins added an extra sweetness.
Unfortunately, what we had been most excited about on the menu turned out to be the biggest let-down. Oh, mushroom risotto, you could have been so good:
The risotto seemed a little undercooked, the flavors were underwhelming, and the mushrooms didn't stand out at all. Fortunately, we only ordered a half-portion, so we didn't have to beat ourselves up about paying full price for an unappetizing dish.
What I loved most about Quartino were the reasonable prices. Quartino is designed so that people can share lots of small plates. To further that ideal, Quartino allows you to order half-portions of their various pastas and risottos. Most dishes are under $10 and you can even get full pizzas for slightly more than that.
Quartino
626 N State St
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 698-5000
http://www.quartinochicago.com/
Our server was really helpful when we asked him for some recommendations. Because we were hoping to score seats at the Publican without reservations later that night, we didn't want to order to much. We started with the fondue:
My friend said it tasted better than the fondue she had in Switzerland, but I'll reserve judgment on that until I've actually tried it myself. The fondue was warm, creamy, and probably not too good for you...just the way any cheese dish should be. A nice perk is that the bread is unlimited. We didn't even have to ask for someone to come refill our bread. The fondue did come on a little stand, but the wind was so strong that the candle blew out the minute our server turned away.
Our favorite dish was the veal meatballs Napoli with sun-dried tomatoes and golden raisins:
The meatballs had a smooth consistency and the golden raisins added an extra sweetness.
Unfortunately, what we had been most excited about on the menu turned out to be the biggest let-down. Oh, mushroom risotto, you could have been so good:
The risotto seemed a little undercooked, the flavors were underwhelming, and the mushrooms didn't stand out at all. Fortunately, we only ordered a half-portion, so we didn't have to beat ourselves up about paying full price for an unappetizing dish.
What I loved most about Quartino were the reasonable prices. Quartino is designed so that people can share lots of small plates. To further that ideal, Quartino allows you to order half-portions of their various pastas and risottos. Most dishes are under $10 and you can even get full pizzas for slightly more than that.
Quartino
626 N State St
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 698-5000
http://www.quartinochicago.com/
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