A Hidden Gem in the Gold Coast

You know that neighborhood restaurant you pop into and wish you'd discovered earlier? That's Eduardo's Enoteca. The Gold Coast Italian restaurant is actually a concept from the same folks behind Edwardo's Natural Pizza--but you'd never know it. The cozy restaurant is warm and intimate, and serves a nice selection of handmade pizzas and pastas, as well as antipasti.

The BF and I stopped by on a chilly weeknight and grabbed a table in the window. We started off with a bottle of Sangiovese, after sampling a few wines we thought we might like.

Rosso Di Altesino Sangiovese

Nothing goes better with wine than cheese! Eduardo's offers a selection of cheeses and salumi allowing you to mix and match to create your perfect charcuterie board. We picked the asiago fresco and burrata cheese, as well as the spicy hot casalingo. You really can't go wrong with any combination. The meats and cheese were accompanied by homemade jam, fruit, olives, and buttery bread. I'm not a huge olive fan but the BF raved about them.

Artisanal Cheese & Charcuterie Board

Our server (who was super friendly and I may or may have secretly wanted to hang out with her--I know, I'm a creeper) recommended the wild mushroom crostini, so we had to try it out. Crostinis are served two per order which was perfect for us to share. These were topped with wild mushrooms, garlic, caramelized onions, ricotta, and toppled with a drizzle of white truffle oil. There's nothing like that rich combo of wild mushrooms and truffle. We were big fans of these guys and they were loaded to the brim with toppings.

Wild Mushroom Crostini

Next we tried one of Eduardo's homemade pastas (we skipped over the whole greens/salads business....gotta stick strictly to carbs). There are six varieties to choose from including tagliatelle with an eight-hour bolognese, black ink linguini, and wheat pappardelle. We went with the sagebutter gnocchi because...butter. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. The bowl of gnocchi was topped with an over easy egg, crispy pancetta, and parmigiano. While I liked the gnocchi itself, I wasn't a fan of the combo of flavors and the brown butter kinda just pooled at the bottom of the bowl.

Sagebutter Gnocchi

While Edwardo's is known for its stuffed pizza, the pizza at Eduardo's is thin, Neopolitan style. There are quite a few pizza options to choose from (no surprise) including a potato gorgonzola, prosciutto arugula, and a sausage, peppers, and onions combo. As lovers of all things spicy, the BF and I went with the appropriately-named, Diavola. This pie was topped with parmigiano, mozzarella, basil, white truffle oil, and that same spicy hot casalingo from our charcuterie board. The pizza was yummy...not too thick, light and crispy, and loaded with toppings. We nearly polished all of the pizza, if it wasn't for our previous carb-heavy courses and our intentions of ordering dessert.

Diavola Pizza

Last but not least, we (changed into stretchy pants and) ordered the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake. In addition to its regular menu, Eduardo's also offers a limited seasonal menu with a selection of appetizers, entrees, pizzas, and desserts, including the pumpkin cheesecake. Our server told us this cheesecake was the reason she works there. We practically licked the plate clean--my only complaint, it was nearly frozen. I asked if they made the cheesecake in house and apparently they get them from a supplier that provides desserts for their other establishments. In any case, it was still worth ordering.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance at Eduardo's Enoteca. I've probably walked past it a million times without realizing the quaint restaurant inside. I'd recommend Eduardo's for a date night dinner or dinner with a small group of friends. The staff was super knowledgeable and friendly and made our experience a positive one. While I probably wouldn't order all of the same items again, I did enjoy the food overall, and appreciated the wide variety of options.

Note: my meal at Eduardo's Enoteca was complimentary; however, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Eduardo's Enoteca
www.eduardosenoteca.com
1212 N. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312.337.4490