Bar Toma Review - Chef Tony Mantuano's Laid Back Italian Gem

Bar Toma Review – Chef Tony Mantuano’s Laid Back Italian Gem

By Laura Busch Ciraulo and Torie Gehrig

Located in the upscale Gold Coast, just off of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, Bar Toma offers a delightful alternative to many of its Gold Coast counterparts. The atmosphere is refreshingly casual with a trendy vibe. This laid-back Italian spot is owned by legendary Chicago chef and Top Chef Master, Chef Tony Mantuano.

Chef Tony’s love of our great city radiates from every corner of the restaurant. The iconic red and blue stars and stripes from the Chicago flag find their way into many elements of Bar Toma’s Windy City-inspired décor. Wide screen TVs can be found broadcasting Cubs, Sox, and Bears games, making it a great game night destination. The large wall next to our booth was adorned with giant chalkboards displaying menu items and drinks. There are numerous cozy booths that are ideal for families and couples, as well as a gorgeous patio that looks out onto Chicago’s historic Water Tower.

A round of drinks was the perfect way to start off our Thursday evening at Bar Toma, and their impressive drink menu did not let us down. Chef Tony’s clever cocktail monikers, such as “You’re Berry Welcome,” the “Professor and Mary Ann,” and “Waikiki Sneaky” gave us a good laugh. We opted to try The Red Line, a cocktail whose namesake pays homage to our great city’s public transit system. Gin, plum bitters, red wine, and lemon zest come together to give The Red Line a deep fruity flavor with a hint of earthiness. The plum bitters and lemon zest are really what make this drink great, by lending it just the right amount of tangy sweetness with every sip.

We knew we had to try The Tableside Margarita. This is a fun little “choose your own adventure” gimmick in which you get to pick your own ingredients. A tray is brought out with various fruits and herbs for you to pick from. We opted for pineapple with mint and jalapeno. The result was a sweet and delightfully spicy custom-made margarita.

No first course would be complete without some Italian bubbles and wine to accompany our appetizers. In celebration of the last bit of summer we ordered the light and fruity DiGiovanna Rosé. Conversely we also tried the Cesani Chianti, which was robust and woody, and our Ca’Furlan Prosecco’s bright and fruity floral notes provided a nice contrast to our savory appetizers.

We decided to dive right into the appetizers by ordering up the one-pound fried egg-topped meatball (you heard us right 1-pound!!). This 16-ounce delight is affectionately known as the B.A.M. (BIG A** MEATBALL). Smothered in homemade marinara this monstrous Italian favorite is presented in its own skillet and skewered by a steak knife with flatbread wedges on the side. As we sliced into the fried egg, the perfectly cooked yolk ran down the sides of the meatball, and we reached for the warm flatbread wedges that were just begging to be dipped into the yolky goodness and marinara. Chef Tony combines pork and beef to create a tender, moist, and well-seasoned meatball.

Per the restaurant’s recommendation we ordered up the herb-marinated Roasted Olives. They packed a lot of flavor and made for a nice accent to our drinks. The Pasta Nachos sounded far too interesting and indulgent for us to pass up. Chef Tony got super inventive with this tasty appetizer. Marinara stood in the place of salsa, ricotta took the place of sour cream and crunchy fried pasta shells made an effective replacement for tortilla chips. The nachos were loaded with green onion, jalapenos, black olives, pepperoni and cheddar nacho cheese, which complimented the ricotta quite nicely. This is a great appetizer for sharing and will likely be very popular at your table.

The Whole Roasted Cauliflower worked as a delightful contrast to the richer appetizers we ordered. Lightly roasted, the surface was subtly browned and the cauliflower maintained a distinctive crunch. The mildness of the cauliflower was offset by a dusting of red pepper, which added a surprising punch that remained on the palette. The spice was cut by the creaminess of some lovely whipped goat cheese dip, which was served on the side.

Chef Tony’s sense of humor and affection for the Second City do not end with the naming of his cocktails and decor. His wood fired pizzas assume monikers such as, Not Mushroom for Improvement, The Gold Coaster, and The South Sider. Topped with salami, whipped ricotta, onion, fresh garlic, and tomato sauce, The South Sider is a red sauce pizza that sticks with a palette of classic flavors and fresh ingredients. Not Mushroom for Improvement isn’t your typical mushroom pizza. It’s a feast for the foodie’s eyes with its gooey over easy egg that adorns the top of it.

Chef Tony’s love and understanding of Italian flavors are best reflected in his flawlessly executed Black Iron Chicken Vesuvio. He doesn’t try to reinvent this classic dish, he simply prepares it with the excellence you would expect from a Michelin-star rated chef and restaurateur such as himself. The dish came out in a cast iron pan with a side of hot jus, which our server poured over the chicken upon bringing it to our table. We squeezed the grilled lemon over the chicken and potatoes, which gave the whole entrée a fresh, citrusy finish with every bite. Every element of the dish was perfectly seasoned. The chicken was fork tender and its crispy skin was full of rich aromatic flavors produced by the fresh herbs and flavorful Parmesan. The potatoes were a lovely crispy golden brown and they provided the perfect textural contrast to the succulent chicken and sweet peas. The Chicken Vesuvio is superb and was our favorite entrée of the evening.

We decided to finish off our evening with some sweets. We sampled one of the Boozy Floats that Bar Toma has to offer. We opted for the Southern Mudslide, which is comprised of Kahlua, Bailey’s, and George Dickle whiskey and house made soft serve vanilla ice cream. This is not a drink you want to mess around with. It packs a boozy punch and unlike so many restaurants you really get your money’s worth in terms of alcohol. The combination of spirits all blended nicely with the creamy vanilla ice cream. The homemade soft serve is delicious and has a thick consistency; almost like a gourmet Frosty. Though straws are provided you’ll definitely want a spoon to help scoop out the goodness of this dessert.

We couldn’t have been happier with our final food choice of the evening: The S’mores Pizza. Along with the Chicken Vesuvio, the S’mores pizza was the real standout of the evening. This dish is the literal realization of every kid’s culinary dream. A crispy cinnamon and sugar crust offered a surprising saltiness, allowing you to achieve that perfect sweet and salty dessert bliss. Creamy Nutella took the place of marinara and marshmallows made up the “cheese.” These marshmallows are toasted with a mini blowtorch leaving them lightly browned with a perfect gooey inside comparable only to a campfire-toasted marshmallow. The whole pizza was topped with drizzles of warm chocolate. This dish was a real stunner and it paired perfectly with the ice-cold glasses of milk our waiter brought us. Warning: you’ll want some extra napkins for this gooey delight.

Bar Toma’s expansive menu keeps its flavors simple and fresh. Chef Tony has made Michelin-level cuisine accessible to the masses. It’s the kind of restaurant that could easily become your new after work or date night go-to spot. We felt quite at home and ate very well at this Top Chef Master’s laid-back Italian eatery.