This Valentine's Week, my partner and I headed to Olio e Più in River North. We were met with the perfect atmospheric evening, starting with the restaurant's Martini Monday special at the bar and transitioning into a lovely candlelit dinner. Martini Monday includes $10 cocktails off the martini list, including a Cosmopolitan, which I ordered, and an Espresso Martini, which my partner ordered to keep her energy up for the evening ahead.
Our dinner began with an unexpected spoil of riches: fresh focaccia, olives, cooked peppers, and olive oil. We tore into our little beginner plate, more than ready to snack after our round of drinks at the bar. For our first appetizer, we chose from the Insalate section of the menu, opting for the Burrata with mele, radicchio e melograno, which came with sautéed apple, roasted radicchio, endives, pomegranate seeds, balsamic, and crostini. I would recommend trying to include all these ingredients in one bite, because wow! My partner expressed that she sometimes finds burrata overpowering, but this dish was perfectly seasoned and balanced, with bitterness from the raddichio and sweetness from the apple and pepper. The dark leaves in the dish were more bitter than the lighter colored pieces, so we could even vary the flavor of each bite.
Our second appetizer was the Fritto Primavera and tartare aioli, which included calamari, shrimp, carrot, celery, and zucchini. The side sauce was a perfect complement to the fried seafood: creamy, herbal, and delicious, especially with the lemon we spritzed on the calamari and shrimp. Every summer, I look forward to eating seafood in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, so these excellently cooked calamari bodies and rings were a sensory reprieve from this bitter winter (much like primavera, or spring in my mouth!). What I also loved about these appetizers was that, unlike at some high-end restaurants, we enjoyed filling portions and weren't left needing more (though we might have wanted it).
From the Primi Piatti section, we ordered a dish that had already come highly recommended for its exciting tableside presentation. The Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe includes the classic ingredients of the dish: Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano, milk, butter, and black pepper. However, the Parmesan comes as a giant wheel, scooped out to create a perfect bowl for the hot pasta, which is then coated in cheesy goodness. The restaurant's manager prepared this dish for us, explaining the history of its practice in Italy, though nowadays it's more common as a performance in America. Once all the preparations were through and our dish was served, we enjoyed the perfect noodles, absolutely caked with cheese and dressed with seasoning.
For a Secondi Piatti, we ordered the Filetto al Pepe Rosa e Timo, complete with an 8 oz. beef filet, vegetable ratatouille, and a pink pepper-thyme sauce. This dish was my partner's choice, and the steak completely satisfied her craving—beautifully cooked medium-rare, with a crispy, seasoned outside and a soft, tender inside. Still, the ratatouille was my shining star. The combination of the zucchini, squash, and other vegetables had almost a brown sugary flavor, or some element that made it both hearty and sweet. This ratatouille was so amazing, I wanted to make it part of my personality.
We probably had the hardest time choosing among the dessert offerings, just because they all looked so delicious. We had heard the Panna Cotta al Pistacchio was a must-try, but the Tiramisu and Olive Oil Cake also called to us. So, we got them all, because this meal had to be a thorough survey! The traditional tiramisu featured mascarpone mousse, ladyfingers, and a light espresso syrup with a touch of amaretto. We immediately noted the amaretto flavor, which added a pleasant nuttiness to the dish, giving it a less generic sweetness and a more full-bodied taste. Just proceed with caution: You might inhale some cocoa powder off the top and have a delicious coughing fit.
The Olive Oil Cake was my partner's favorite: It came with chestnut cream, tangerine confit, fresh tangerine, and candied chestnut. It was warm and comforting for a cold winter's night, and the whipped topping introduced the perfect foil to the citrus and chestnut flavors woven throughout the dish.
Last, but certainly not least, was the most surprising of the desserts, described by the restaurant's manager as "like the most insane PB&J you've ever had." An absolute beauty to behold, the Panna Cotta al Pistacchio was glazed with blackcurrant sauce and topped with gold flakes and caramelized pistacchio. The dark berry essence juxtaposed with the creamy insides and nutty flavor made for a match made in heaven to indeed rival that of peanut butter and jelly. The pistachios on top absolutely made this dish, and crunchy peanut butter fans will have instant flashbacks to the kindergarten classic sandwich, as promised.
To accompany our desserts, my partner ordered the Moscato D'Asti—a delightfully sweet and fruity dessert wine—and I went with my usual cappuccino. As our evening drew to a close, the manager who had been serving us thanked us for our patience, to our surprise! Our meal had gone swimmingly and without any notable interruptions or long waits. If this dinner was the staff's idea of lacking service, they are surely an elite set. We enjoyed every aspect of our night, from the fantastic food to our table's location near the open kitchen, where we could watch the chef make his final touches on each dish. Top to bottom, Olio e Più and its staff are clearly some of the best in the business. And in the midst of Valentine's Day dreaminess, this restaurant swept us off our feet.
Olio e Più is located at 445 N Dearborn St. You can make reservations through the restaurant's website.
All photos by Row Light.
This coverage was made possible by a promotional invitation. Our opinions and editorial choices remain entirely our own.
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