Restaurant Review: Italian delights and adventures await at Tuscany on Taylor
On a recent Sunday night, craving delicious pasta and other Italian delights, several friends and I got together in Little Italy (on Chicago’s West Side) at Tuscany on Taylor, a stylish trattoria serving Italian wines and Tuscan-inspired seafood, pastas and wood-fired pizzas.
There were 13 of us to make happy, including four teenagers and my 96-year old mother. Somehow, in the midst of a bustling dinner service, the attentive waiters stayed long enough to listen to our needs and wants and provided excellent service, starting with a tableside preparation of crushed garlic and parmesan for the warm bread that accompanies every meal.
Our table started with Calamari Fritti, served with their house cocktail sauce and lemon garlic aioli. The calamari was delicious, devoid of the often rubbery texture that plagues most preparations. Two platters served our group well.
I continued with their pizze as a main course, choosing Prosciutto E Funghi straight out of their wood-burning oven. The mushrooms, prosciutto cotto, and fresh mozzarella blended well together in the wood burning oven, the salty prosciutto a revelation. The crust could have used one less minute in the oven to avoid getting burned.
My 18-year-old was enraptured with their Cedar Plank Scottish Salmon, seared and served with a delicate lemon and evoo sauce, along with cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, and green beans. They were enamored of their Roasted Potatoes, alive with rosemary, sage, garlic, and evoo. And I made quick work of their Sautéed Spinaci, enhanced with evoo and garlic.
Also not to be missed is house favorite Pollo Parmigiana, with house-made tomato sauce, fresh melted mozzarella and parmigiano. Nor my friend’s favorite, the Raviolini Pera, with roasted pear, parmigiano, toasted nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and mascarpone cream. The unusual combination somehow blended together for a delicious bite.
Substitutions are welcome, particularly for food allergies and other mitigating factors.
And as we always say, “Leave room for dessert!” Cannoli wraps cookie pastry around a creamy ricotta, mini chocolate chips, and pistachio. Limon Sorbet is served in a hollowed-out lemon, which enhances the flavor and the experience of the cool, tart sorbet.
We’re not the only ones who’ve enjoyed Tuscany on Taylor. One Google reviewer said:
“A delicious spot that welcomes you with some excellent Italian options. They bring crushed garlic and olive oil to the table immediately, and that kicks off the cuisine.
The antipasto options are good and the pasta choices are quite unique. They some wonderful flavor profiles along with some classic favorites. Solid prices and portion sizes. I really enjoyed my experience, thank you to the team.”
Tuscany on Taylor is located at 1014 W. Taylor Street. They are open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, 4pm-9pm, and Friday and Saturday, 4pm-10pm. They are closed Monday and Tuesday. For reservations: call 312.829.1990, or click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
