Nando Milano Trattoria – Fine Italian Cuisine and Wine is waiting in Wicker Park

By Christina Ruiz

Nando Milano Trattoria is an authentic little piece of Italy in Chicago’s bustling Wicker Park. In the small, warm space, dark wood and exposed brick prevail. Wine bottles are stacked decoratively on the walls, and a cozy bar in the back of the room beckons. On a weekday night, the restaurant is full, the servers are chatty and many of the guests appear to be regulars. For warmer days, an enticing outdoor patio welcomes al fresco diners.

Nando’s extensive menu boasts of various fresh pastas, which are all made in-house by Executive Chef Alessio Vullo and his team—making it quite difficult to choose a meal.  After making sure that we weren’t picky eaters, our server Sevan excitedly took over the curation of our meal.  Sevan offered us the warmest and most attentive service we’ve ever received at a restaurant, making sure that our glasses were never empty and that our food was more than meeting our standards.  When we sat down to what was about to become a two-and-a-half-hour meal, Sevan suggested we start with a couple of cocktails.  For my partner, he brought out a Negroni—one part Gin, one part Vermouth Rosso and one part Campari. For me, he served up a Dirty Martini, which I ordered after Sevan boasted of mixing the best dirty martinis in the area (he does).

As we finished sipping on our cocktails, Sevan brought out a bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a medium-bodied red, which was quickly followed by some Antipasti.  The first appetizer that Chef Vullo prepared for us was E Calamari Alla Siciliana: Grilled Octopus and Calamari, served over a mound of Couscous and a Mint Zucchini Caponata in a sweet, tangy Sauce.  The sweetness of the couscous provided a nice contrast to the char on the perfectly-cooked, tender octopus. The second was a trio of Rice Saffron Balls, called Tris di Arancini di Riso.  Each crispy shell was filled with a different creamy center:  Bolognese Ragout Sauce and Smoked Mozzarella, Mascarpone and Spinach, and Butter and Prosciutto.  All were rich and savory combinations.

For the second course, Chef Vullo presented two of his house made pastas, the first of which was the Gnocchi Della Nonna—heavenly little pillows filled with Gorgonzola and floating in a sweet and slightly nutty Aurora Sauce. However, the highlight of the meal was the Ravioli di Argosta e Granchio- hand made Crab and Lobster Ravioli in a creamy Lobster Sauce.  I would order this dish again if only to eat the tender, buttery Scallops that sat alongside the ravioli.  As we finished our pastas, Sevan offered us each a shot of Llimoncello to, as he put it, “help with digestion” (but really, just as an excuse to drink more).

To introduce our final course, we were served a shot of Nando’s housemade Rhubarb Cello, a fragrant and tangy kick into dessert mode.  The Profiteroles alla Gianduia e Crema were delightfully light and sweet, but the standout was definitely the Torta di Ricotta. The generous slice of Ricotta Cheesecake was topped by a thin layer of Fruit Gelee.  The crumbly Biscotto Crust offered a pleasant contrast against the velvety texture of the cheesecake.

Nando Milano Trattoria is located at 2114 W. Division St. in Wicker Park, and it opens for dinner at 5 p.m. every day but Sunday, when it opens at 4 p.m. Reservations are available via phone or OpenTable.

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