![]() It's made with colorful heirloom tomatoes that tasted to me like they could have been picked a few hours before I ate them. Even the tomato salad, an overdone staple that makes an appearance on most menus, is a cut above the rest. It's made with Wisconsin white cheddar and topped with garlic crumbs (like every fancy mac & cheese these days), but unlike its many competitors, this mac is made with oriechette pasta and truffle butter. ![]() In a world where some sort of fancy mac & cheese is as likely to be on a menu as a hamburger or French fries, Al Dente's version really separates itself from the pack. Speaking of exquisite, be sure to start with the mac & cheese. Al Dente is BYOB at the moment, so now is your chance to get an exquisite meal on the cheap. So, if you're looking for ambiance, I recommend you bring it yourself in the form of a few lively dinner companions and a couple of bottles of good wine. The result is inspired offerings like gnocci made from white corn tortillas (who knew?), guajillo-marinated calamari steak and pasta with chorizo and orange saffron sauce.Īl Dente is in a non-descript storefront on Irving Park Road, and the interior is clean, but not exactly exciting. A lesser chef's attempt to merge three distinct cuisines could fail miserably (and several have in now-closed restaurants), but Chef Javier Perez nails it. That is certainly the case with Al Dente, a new spot in Irving Park/Avondale that is cranking out truly delightful cuisine that blends flavors from Italy, France and Mexico. Far from itin fact, I'd venture to say some of the best food in Chicago can be found off of the beaten path. One of the things I love most about a big city like Chicago is that you don't have to be on one of the main strips or in the see-and-be-seen neighborhoods to get a truly great meal. This article shared 2899 times since Wed Aug 24, 2011
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