Two little piggies (restaurant week, continued)

Because Jason and I are gluttons, we decided to hit up another restaurant for Chicago's restaurant week: Cafe Spiaggia. Now, we are not fans of Sarah's on this season of Top Chef, but we did like Chef/Owner Tony Mantuano on Top Chef Masters, and we've been hearing good things about Spiaggia for years. It's the only 4-start Italian restaurant in Chicago and also happens to be the Obama's favorite restaurant. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, Cafe Spiaggia is the more casual part of the restaurant, but there was nothing casual about the food. Check it out:

Cicchetti:

Olive, Patatine, Popcorn 

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

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

Nichols Farm popcorn, rosemary, lemon zest, ricotta salata, Controne pepper

Piattini:

Bocconcini 

mozzarella di bufala, apple mostarda, olive oil

Gnocchi 

wild boar ragu, Parmigiano Reggiano

Dolci:

Sorbetti 

passion fruit, lemon-lime, pomegranate

I've never had mozzarella so good -- sweet and creamy, drizzled in oil and topped with some kind of delicious cooked apple. And there was something special about the gnocchi. It was lighter somehow than any other gnocchi I've ever had.

I still don't like Sarah on Top Chef and am dying for Paul to win, but I have to admit, her restaurant serves pretty darn good food!