Via Ventuno THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Via Ventuno

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Via Ventuno

2110 S. Wabash Ave. (Cermak Rd.)
Chicago, IL 60616
312-328-1198
Map
Cuisine: Italian / Small Plates
Wacky and colorful, this Jerry Kleiner restaurant in a former Capone hideout is appropriately theatrical.
Openings: Dinner nightly

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THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Via Ventuno, Chicago, IL


THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Via Ventuno Restaurant Review:


Restaurateur extraordinaire Jerry Kleiner (Gioco, Opera, Carnivale) plays it relatively safe---save the tricked out surrounds---at this wildly colorful Italian restaurant in the old Room 21 space. Intriguing in part for its secret passages (this was a Prohibition-era Capone hideout), it manages to bypass Sinatra tunes in favor of something decidedly cooler: jazzy remakes of ’80s tunes. Another plus comes in the form of an “interactive” antipasto bar in the corner of the room, where fresh shaved meats and slivers of nutty cheese materialize in fine form before your eyes. Executive chef Jim Kilberg has pleasing surprises coming from the kitchen, too, starting with handmade capellacci con cavolfiore, toothsome, cauliflower-filled “hats” crowned with pancetta and breadcrumbs. Tender meatballs, cloaked in sprightly tomato sauce, get extra oomph from a drizzle of salsa verde; forever-cooked pork, which might appear as a special, is not to be skipped. Do ask to see the private chef’s table overlooking the kitchen through glass: it’s accessed through a hidden passage. Sitting on the beautiful patio while sipping Italian vino, you’ll almost forget the city environs.