http://miainstyle.com

Since I was going to be traveling most of the week for work during Restaurant Week, I knew I had to be very wise in my choices. I’m so glad I decided to kick it off with a visit to Cafe Spiaggia.

Spiaggia has a fine dining restaurant and a charming cafe (Cafe Spiaggia). Both deliver impeccable cuisine, with the Cafe being the less pricey option of the two.

Situated right in the heart of the Magnificent Mile overlooking Lake Michigan and glamorous shops, it’s no wonder that 2012 Michelin starred Spiaggia has hosted all types from celebrities with discerning palates including President and Mrs. Barack Obama, Sir Elton John, the late Princess Diana, Sir Mick Jagger, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Billy Joel, Paul Newman. We were fortunate enough to have a prime seat right in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the spectacular view of Michigan Avenue.

Known for its upscale, world-class, authentic Italian-cuisine, Spiaggia always delivers. The restaurant week lunch menu that they offer can’t get any better.

Executive Chef Sarah Grueneberg

Here is what we had:

Starters:

Olive-Cerignola, Gaeta, Alfonso, Torremaggiore, orange zest, pickled fennel

Popcorn-Nichols Farm popcorn, ricotta salata, lemon, controne pepper, rosemary

Patatine-house made potato chips, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, Sicilian sea salt

Since I’m not an olive fan, I opted to skip this since I knew we would be filling up on so many delicious dishes soon. The popcorn was airy, fresh and tasty, although my friend thought it was a bit salty. The potato chips had a nice texture to it without being too heavy or greasy. You could definitely tell the difference between these and your regular store-bought chips.

Freddo (Cold):

Bocconcini-mozzarella di bufala, apple mostarda, thyme, lemon zest

Rucola-arugula, Capriole Farm goat cheese, balsamico

Bocconcini-mozzarella di bufala, apple mostarda, thyme, lemon zest

The Bocconcini was a tantalizing sweet treat and was well balanced with the mozzarella and other flavorful ingredients. This is definitely something you will not get anywhere else.

The Rucola was light, flavorful and garnished with the just the right amount of balamico and paired well with the pasta dishes.

Caldo (Hot):

Polpette-meatballs, tomato sauce, Pecorino Romano, creamy polenta

Cappellacci-butternut squash, sage, Parmigiano Reggiano, brown butter

Cappellacci-butternut squash, sage, Parmigiano Reggiano, brown butter

The Polpette was a nice hearty meat dish without being too heavy.

The Cappellacci was my favorite out of the two. I absolutely love butternut squash in any pasta dish! The blend of brown butter, squash, Parmigiano and sage make for an out of this world experience.

Kudos to the chefs for incorporating the sage in the dish to help balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. Sage is one of those spices that when done properly help compliment the flavor of the dish so it’s important to incorporate just the right amount otherwise it’ll wind up tasting sour.

Dolci (Dessert):

Tiramisu-ladyfingers, mascarpone, cocoa, amaretto, Illy espresso

Hand made assorted sorbetti

The tiramisu was just the icing on the cake to the meal! What more can I say, but pure indulgence! It’s soft texture and creamy goodness just awaken your palate. By far, the BEST tiramisu I’ve ever had.

Although the Sorbetti was also wonderful, the tiramisu outshined it by far. The sorbetti was refreshing and a great light option to end the meal.

On top of the superb dining experience, what topped off my Restaurant Week experience here at Cafe Spiaggia was the opportunity to meet Top Chef Texas Final 3 contestant and Executive Chef Sarah Grueneberg.

Not only is Sarah very talented in the kitchen, she was very sweet and down to earth and even entertained my photo-taking antics. She took time to chat personally with me as well as the many other guest diners who were just as excited as I was to meet her. She shared with us some of personal experiences on the Bravo TV show and commented just how grueling it is that they shoot for days just to capture enough footage for the show.

Overall, my rating of Cafe Spiaggia is a 5 out of 5. Service, quality, ambiance and mostly important the food were as good as you can get for fine, gourmet Italian dining in Chicago and the surrounding area. I can’t wait to come back again as soon as possible.

Special thanks to Jason Goldsmith (Cafe Spiaggia Dining Manager), the dining staff and of course Chef Sarah Grueneberg for your warm hospitality!!! Tutto era grande!!! Mille grazie!!!

Stay tuned for the next edition of my Cafe Spiaggia review on the rest of their amazing cuisine!

Cafe Spiaggia Lunch Menu