Il Carciofo brings a taste of Rome to the Fulton Market neighborhood of Chicago. This new restaurant opened December 12, 2024 by the acclaimed chef behind the famous Croatian-Italian Chicago restaurant, Rose Mary. Il Carciofo's menu stays true to mastering the timeless Roman dishes rather than adding a modern flair to them, which I really appreciated. The rustic interior gave the restaurant a cozy ambiance especially during the start of a snowy Chicago winter. I enjoyed almost everything we ordered, and was very excited to try this new restaurant!
Suppli Pesto: This appetizer was excellent and is very similar to a classic Sicilian dish I have grown up eating, Arancini, a stuffed rice ball. Suppli is a classic Roman street food similar to Arancini. We loved this and splitting one order among four people was the perfect amount.
Rigatoni Alla Carbonara: This was my second favorite pasta we ordered. Absolutely delicious, cooked perfectly (al dente), and exemplary of the restaurant's commitment to focus on mastering the classic Roman dishes.
Prosciutto di Parma: I love prosciutto, and it’s one of my go-to choices for a light appetizer. The bread served alongside the prosciutto and mozzarella was delicious, but I couldn’t tell if the saltiness came from the bread or the prosciutto itself. Either way, the combination was a bit overwhelming, because it was a very salty bite that was a little too much for my taste.
Filetti Di Baccala: The Filetti Di Baccala is a lightly breaded and fried salt cod dish, another classic Roman dish. The name is fitting, as the fish leans toward the saltier side of the spectrum. I liked the lightly breaded batter on it to make it an easy, crispy bight, especially with a little lemon squeeze on top. The prep of this dish was great, but I found this to be a little too salty overall for my taste.
Tagliatelle: The Tagliatelle was my favorite pasta dish we ordered. The oxtail was cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful. I thought this was a light, but sneaky filling pasta, too. I would definitely order this again.
Manzo Aprugineo: This dry-aged, bone-in New York strip was absolutely incredible. The subtle hint of honey elevated the rich flavor of the steak, which I think added a perfect touch of sweetness. It might be my favorite dish of everything we ordered.
Mezze Rigatoni Alla Amatriciana: Unfortunately, this Amatriciana pasta fell short for me and was my least favorite. I personally thought it lacked the balanced flavors that the other pasta dishes had.
Gianduja Gelato and Lemon Sorbetto: Wow. I truly believe this is some of the best gelato and sorbetto I've ever had. The Gianduja Gelato is a hazelenut gelato that had a great rich, creamy texture. The Lemon Sorbetto was definitely made for true lemon lovers, because it was very tart but refreshing after consuming a lot of pasta. A perfect way to end the meal and I'd come back here just for some dessert.
