Restaurant Review: West Town’s La Scarola serves up great Chicken Vesuvio and Chicago Celebrity-named specialties
“Let’s get one thing straight—Chicken Vesuvio is as Chicago as deep-dish pizza, the Cubs, or the Sears Tower.”
Barstool Sports, 2024
My inspiration for this week’s Restaurant Review comes from finding out that one of my favorite dishes, Chicken Vesuvio, has is roots in Chicago. My search led me to West Town’s La Scarola, a cozy, rustic, intimate dinner spot with framed photos covering the walls, serving classic Italian comfort food. They’re celebrating 25 years here in 2025.
Chicken Vesuvio history
Chicken Vesuvio’s Chicago roots are widely disputed. According to Xtreme Foodies, the Capitanini family, owners of Italian Village (aka, ‘The Village’) founded in 1927, say it was on their menu very early on. “The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink”, says an Italian cook inspired by the Mt. Vesuvius volcano, created the dish in Chicago after WWII. Another story has Nick Giannotti claiming his father, Vic, invented it in the 1960s. While its origin remains in dispute, some suggest the dish was popularized by the now-shuttered Vesuvio Restaurant in the 1930s.
What is clear is that the dish was called Chicken Vesuvio because the skillet smoked like an Italian volcano as it cooked. This delicious dish has crispy pan-fried chicken and potatoes, which are roasted in a white wine sauce, garlic, peas and white wine.
Why is it special at La Scarola?
La Scarola’s Chicken Vesuvio has been tagged as one of the best in the city, and I can see why, as it’s served traditionally, with vesuvio potatoes, wine and peas in garlic sauce. It bubbles. It steams. It’s fragrant with garlic sauce. Your taste buds will be fully involved in a mouth explosion of flavorful, crispy chicken, tender peas, and roasted Yukon Gold potatoes (my favorite because of their buttery flavor.) It’s available with a breast of chicken or ½ chicken. Either way, portions are huge, so be prepared to take some home!
Celebrity Dishes at La Scarola
A few Chicago celebrities have made their way to La Scarola…so much so that Chefs Alberto and Jorge Padilla have created dishes in their honor.
Take, for example, Bistecca alla Zorich, created for and named after former Chicago Bear turned lawyer Chris Zorich. A 10-ounce peppercorn filet mignon is pan-seared with herbs and garlic, and set over a bed of sliced potatoes, with garlic, shallots and arugula, then topped with sautéed mushrooms. Another celebrity dish is Pollo a la Man Cow, presumably named for former radio and television host Mancow Muller. This dish features a chicken breast sautéed with shallots, artichokes, black olives, asparagus, fresh garlic, hot giardiniera in tomato sauce, and baked with gorgonzola cheese.
Rigatoni Chiaverini, likely named after ABC7 sportscaster Ryan Chiaverini mall meatballs in creamy vodka sauce.Sharing honors is WGN sports anchor Pat Tomasulo, whose Gnocchi Tomasulohas roasted sausage, rapini or spinach, and sun-dried tomatos in roasted butter garlic sauce, tossed with gnocchi and light romano.
Other Italian delights
Pesce Lemon has Lake Superior white fish, baked with potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini in lemon butter sauce, while several reviewers had good things to say about their Penne alla Vodka, with a tasty combo of shrimp, mushrooms, asparagus, and arugula in creamy vodka sauce, tossed with penne pasta.Pollo Italiano pairs a chicken breast with garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, roasted sausage and escarole in lite wine sauce, topped with melted fresh mozzarella.
For those who want to combine the joy of Pasta and chicken, you can’t go wrong with Pasta Vesuvio, a mix of chicken strips, mushrooms, garlic and wine cooked in broth and set over linguini.
La Scarola is located at 721 W. Grand Avenue. They are open Tuesday-Friday, 5pm–11pm, Saturday from 4pm–11pm, and Sunday from 4pm–10pm. They are closed Monday. PLEASE NOTE: They accept dinner reservations by Phone Only. Call (312)-243-1740.
