Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Whole Wheat Honey Grissini, Rosemary Grissini
Zeppole – Cardamom, Sugar, Seedling Farm Raspberries, Vanilla Cream
#Montemadame Toast – Berkalitsa Peameal Bacon, Fontina, Ciabatta, Fried Duck Egg, Radishes, Chives
Gnocchetti con Pesto – Housemade Ricotta, Basil, Tuscan Pinenuts, Pecorino
Cacio Whey Pepe – Mancini Bucatini, Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Whey, Four Peppercorn Blend
Butterscotch Ice Cream Puff – Famous Grouse Scotch, Pineapple Glace, Buttered Pecans, Espresso
Warm Chocolate Ganache Tart – Hazelnut Praline, Banana Caramel, Stracciatella Ice Cream
Garnering accolades from day one for Pasta visibly made on-site and a rustic-chic approach to Modern Italian fare it was on Saturday afternoon that Brunch was ordered at Monteverde, Chef Sarah Grueneberg’s 2017 Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes hanging proudly on the wall and the outdoor patio quick to fill while the interior was perhaps at 1/3 capacity.
Opened in 2015 and a Best New Restaurant awardee the following year, time under the guidance of Tony Mantuano allowing Grueneberg access to great Ingredients but apparently never convincing her that pretense and a good view were necessary, guests entering Monteverde will immediately notice a homey feel despite see-and-be-seen layout, the waiters and waitresses all professional yet genial whether describing plates or suggesting Wine while back-servers do world-class work keeping glasses filled and making emptied dishes vanish.
Slightly varying the daytime menu from that at night, Brunch plates lining the left column with Snacks, Small Plates, Pastas and dishes “Per la Tavola” to the right it was after a discussion of serving sizes that four items were requested, a one-by-one procession begun by two styles of Grissini from which savory bested sweet while a $6 follow-up of three Zeppoles immediately made Dessert a necessity thanks to unrivaled lightness beneath Cardamom Sugar and Raspberry Jam plus plenty of warm Vanilla Cream for dipping.
Originally planning to go all-in on Pasta, those thoughts reconsidered when the waiter described “generous” portions, it was instead “#Montemadame Toast” that next found itself compared to a similar Croque-riff from The Loyalist just one day prior, both Radish and Black Pepper helping to refresh a classic but Fontina Cheese simply not as enthralling as well-made Mornay Sauce.
Next presented with Gnocchetti and instructions *not* to mix the Ingredients so flavors could stand apart it was admittedly interesting to see the variance in textures ranging from creamy to leafy before disobeying and creating something far better with a few stirs, the famous “Cacio Whey Pepe” to follow intensely saline on first bite but subsequently mellowing as heat developed in the mid-bite before permeating the sinuses.
Turning things over to Pastry Chef Sara Lamb to finish, time at The Pump Room and now Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio making her a name to watch, it was ignoring warnings from one Staff member that two Desserts were requested, the $12 Butterscotch Ice Cream Puff manageable by one thanks to delicate Choux, Meringue and complexities created by Booze and Fruit plus Buttered Pecans that all contributed to something greater than the sum of its parts while the Warm Chocolate Ganache Tart was admittedly a dish best shared thanks to its thick Dark Chocolate that even Bananas, Caramel and Ice Cream could not make seem lighter.
www.monteverdechicago.com
