Tag Archives: rustic

Benvenuto! Discover a modern, rustic Italy in Chicago at Siena Tavern!

Siena Tavern

The Siena Tavern concept was an idea born during a trip to Italy, where there was a little tavern with a good open kitchen and a kind of rustic look that the owners liked. They got that idea in Italy and brought it to Chicago, modernized it a bit, and created a modern-meet-rustic restaurant with a menu of homemade pastas and Neapolitan pizzas baked in a Woodstone oven.

The food is very local with its peak of flavor and freshness.

The restaurant has become a hit in the River North neighborhood. As Chef Fabio Viviani says, “When you see the same people ten times, with all the great selection and great choices around here, in this town, that’s a home run to me.”

Visit the website at sienatavern.com.

La Chaumiere: Relaxed, French Country Dining in the Heart of Georgetown

chaumiere3

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life, and enjoy a warm, rich meal at Georgetown’s, La Chaumiere, a hallmark of unpretentious French cuisine with a country inn atmosphere.  Cozy up at a table near the central stone fireplace and make yourself at home within the rustic, stucco-covered walls of this authentic French gem.  With a knack for seasonal ingredients, consistently delicious French specialties and an inviting atmosphere, La Chaumiere is the perfect spot for a romantic evening out. 

Start off with a delectable pate or refreshing salad niçoise for a truly French beginning, then opt for an order of the authentic Moules Mariniere, or mussels steamed in white wine.  La Chaumiere also offers a variety of house specialties, including the Quenelles de Brochet (Pike dumpling in lobster sauce), or traditional cassoulets prepared with rabbit and lamb. On Tuesdays only, the chef prepares the rich Crabe en Chemise – French crepes filled with Jumbo Lump Crab, mushrooms and a champagne cream sauce. Whatever dish you choose, La Chaumiere will certainly transport you to France with one simple bite. 

Insider Tip:  It’s no secret that the French know how to please a sweet tooth. Don’t request your bill until you’ve ordered the chef’s special soufflé for dessert.  Offered in both Grand Marnier and Chocolate flavors, this light and fluffy treat will definitely end your fabulously French evening on the right note!

Experience the Familia that is Mia Francesca

You know you’re a success when you’re rocking 16 locations in Chicagoland. Such is the story of Mia Francesca, not your average run of the mill Italiano eatery.

With name recognition by all Chicagoans, one would think the restaurant had been thriving for the past century. Au contraire, only having been open since 1992, Chef Scott Harris opened the original location on N. Clark Street and hence created a sensation. Not that he came out of nowhere, mind you. Chef Scott Harris was no stranger to finePicture 21 cuisine having worked in The 95th, Ambria, Cucina Cucina, Harry’s Café, Sole Mio, Trattoria L’Angelo di Roma and Petthany’s in St. Croix.

But it was his rustic Italian comfort food, homemade pastas and sauces, delicate but pungent salads and cozy Euro-style ambiance that gained him name-status fame and the “Critics Choice – Rookie of the Year” award by Chicago Magazine.

From his first opening to the next 15, all corners of Chicago and its food-loving suburbs called for Mia Francesca locations of their own, and Harris delivered. He stuck to the same rustic Italian menus and paired with more notable chefs to make each restaurant stand on its own. What you can count on at any of its locations is a casual atmosphere with the cuisine of a restaurant charging triple what you’ll find at Mia Francesca- mamma mia!