Main Dining Room ad Tre Dita, Chicago
Photo by Eric Wolfinger
There will always be a discussion – or perhaps an argument – about how an Italian-themed restaurant in America differs from one in Italy. Typically, a purist, no matter how much they enjoy the local Italian restaurant, will go on about how it’s not as good as the ones they’ve dined at in Italy. Well, if we’re trying to compare mele con mele (apples with apples), it’s really a useless proposition to compare an Italian restaurant with a ristorante in Italy, at least as far as as food goes; you can’t repeat the experience, due to a number of things, especially regarding the ingredients; the tomatoes are different, as are the seafood and meat offerings, so why compare, at least as far as food is concerned?
Having been to Italy more than 85 times, and dined in everything from humble trattorie and osterie to Michelin three-star establishments, I’m always looking for a combination of quality along with honestly from an Italian restaurant in America. I know that the branzino or various pastas here will not compare to the best I’ve enjoyed in Italy; what I’m concerned with is how good the food is. The chef’s creativity also counts for a lot to my thinking, and then there are other factors, such as service and atmosphere.
To that end, Tre Dita, receives very high marks in almost every category. Located about as far east as possible in Chicago’s downtown, Tre Dita offers wonderful views of both Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. That’s lovely, but the design and comfort of the main dining room are what make Tre Dita one of the most beautiful restaurants – Italian or otherwise – in Chicago. The dark wood floor, high ceilings and subtle lighting in the main dining room combine to offer a classic dining experience.
Schiacciata Bianca, Tre Dita, Chicago
Photo by Allison Gallese
As I mentioned before, it’s all about the food, and there are two examples of focaccia here that are an excellent way to start your meal. The Schiacciata Bianca, with rosemary, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil is tantalizing and exquisite with a delicate texture – and best of all, it’s delicious! After tasting this, you might be tempted to order a second one, just as an accompaniment to the rest of your meal.
Tre Dita in Italian, by the way, is translated as “three fingers,” which is the approximate thickness of the classic Tuscan steak known as Bistecca Fiorentina. There are six different steak selections, including this example as well as an Australian Waygu; all are perfectly cooked and well-priced, but you may find yourself more in love with other menu selections. This includes several small plate options, such as Fiori di Zucca (squash blossoms), Polpette di Brasato (braised beef short rib meatballs) and Gnocchi Friti, with Parimgiano Reggiano, pecorino and black pepper. One item that stood out for me was the Misticanza del Campo, one of three salads. This was unlike any salad I had experienced in the past, one that featured marigold flowers, which were tender; combined with olive oil, there was an appealing bitterness along with a touch of sweetness that made this salad stand out.
Misticanza dek Campo Insalate, Tre Dita
Photo by Garrett Sweet
As far as the pastas and other dishes, the Linguine al Limone was so delicate with just the right amount of lemon character, while the Tagliatelle Al Ragu, with pecorino cheese and fennel, was elegantly presented and refined. Other pasta selections include Pici Cacio e Pepe, Spaghetti alle Vongole and a hearty Papardelle al Cinghiale (wild boar).
Ippoglosso alla Brace (halibut), Tre Dita, Chicago
Photo by Garrett Sweet
For the main courses, the halibut – identified as Ippoglosso alla Brace (brace in Italy refers to cooking over an open flame), which was a meaty, extremely flavorful fish with heirloom spinach, golden raisins and lemon that was an explosion of flavors, and as delicious as piece of halibut steak as I’ve tasted in along time. Of course, branzino is offered – this version is served with artichokes, fennel and , onions and peas – while grilled sturgeon with tomato sauce rounds out the seafood selection for main courses.
No other type of restaurant typically sells as much wine as an Italian restaurant, and with good reason, considering both the variety of Italian wines, as well as the food-friendly character of so many white and red wines from that country. Thus, you would expect a serious wine program at Tre Dita, given the quality and selection of dishes; well, serious may not be the proper word to describe this list. Wine director Kat Hawkins has assembled one of the best Italian wine lists, not only in Chicago, but perhaps the United States.
I’m not really sure where to start with this list, so consider the half-bottle selections, which include three examples of Barolo and two versions of Brunello di Montalcino; you will often find magnums or larger formats of these wines, so this is a nice touch for those looking for these iconic reds without spending a great deal of money.
Hawkins has included wines from just about everywhere in Italy, not just from Tuscany, Piedmont and Sicily, but also Abruzzo, Marche, Campania, Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige and in reality, every region in the country. That’s impressive, but so is the selection of white wines from Piedmont and especially Tuscany – when’s the latest time you saw a list with more than 30 whites from Piedmont and Tuscany (there are six offerings of Arneis and five different Timorasso from Piedmont, with seven different examples of Vernaccia di San Gimignano from Tuscany). You’ll discover older whites from Campania, Friuli and Sicily, all fairly priced, and of course, dozens of famous and not-so-famous reds from the width and breadth of Italy. It was nice to see not only the most celebrated producers represented on the list, but also ones that deliver consistent quality and should be better known, such as Canalicchio di Sopra and Sesta di Sopra from Montalcino, along with Poderi Oddero and Trediberri from Barolo.
It’s one thing to have a working knowledge of Italian wines, along with the capital behind you to be able to put together such a list, but without someone who can guide diners through this exhaustive list, this assortment would be nothing more than window dressing. Hawkins is as knowledgeable as any restaurant wine director as I’ve met; not only that, but she’s also very personable, and doesn’t talk down to customers. I asked her to bring a red that would surprise me, and she didn’t disappoint, opening a bottle of Uva Rara from Frecciarosa, a underappreciated winery from the Lombardy region. Uva Rara is the grape – it literally means “rare grape” – and this was a wonderful wine, medium-full, with moderate tannins, and delicate spice; it is extremely elegant and would work with most of the pastas and meat selections on the menu.
So there you have it – a beautiful dining room, an excellent selection of classic Italian dishes, an outstanding wine list, and attentive, professional service combine to make Tre Dita one of the finest restaurants in Chicago. Complimenti to Chef Evan Funke and everyone involved. And for a restaurant open less than two years – bravo!
Tre Dita
401 E. Wacker Drive / St. Regis Hotel, Chicago
Dining and Cooking