 There’s a sleek, low-hung feel to this second-floor dining room in the stylish Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago. It’s set atop a sprawling, street-level bar serving stuzzichini (Italian bar bites) and sports a shareable spirit --- but the carpaccio bruschetta with saffron aïoli is something you'll want to keep to yourself. Overall, flavors are bold, be it in a dish of grilled blue prawns with artichokes, orange segments and briny black olives or tender, braised pork belly with bitter radicchio, balsamic glaze and bulbs of cipollini onions. What stands out most, though, is the pastas, namely the lush garganelli in mascarpone-truffle oil cream sauce that's specked with prosciutto and Italian chicory. Good, too, is the house-made, cacao-tinged pappardelle, tossed with wild boar ragù and a drizzle of Parmesan cream. The menu is modern Italian through and through, so don’t come expecting red sauce-type eats. Rather, take comfort in familiar flat-iron steak, augmented by arugula, grilled polenta and juicy cherry tomatoes or Corona beans stewed in tomato sauce. Come dessert, we found the bomboloni not nearly as airy as others around town and the tiramisu --- layered in a martini glass --- decent, but not accolade-worthy. Is this a destination? That remains to be seen. But what’s good is very good, and the Italian wine list and off-Michigan Avenue location lend no shortage of appeal.
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