Most of the French restaurants in Yorkville are closed Sunday, so my family decided to give Ciao Wine Bar a try. The restaurant is huge with two large main floors; main level was further split into ground level with a few banquettes and small tables, with more seating on the upper level. The atmosphere was open and urban with wood tables and ample natural lighting during lunch hour.
Bread to start was soft and warm, served with oil, vinegar and olives. Best part of the meal imo!
Beef carpaccio - my favorite, served with fresh arugula
Mom’s order - Seafood risotto - generous portions of shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari, but the risotto itself lacked flavor and texture was not as chewy as I thought risotto is supposed to be
My order - Spaghetti Carbonara. I wanted to try this for a long time. The sauce was creamy and rich, balanced with the saltiness of the pancetta, but overall I felt this dish was on the plain side. The spaghetti had no taste/didn’t absorb the sauce that much.
Linguine with grilled chicken in pesto sauce - Dad said this was bland.
Linguine in White Wine Sauce with Clams - My sister said this was bland as well.
Overall, entree portions were large but bland, making this restaurant experience “average”. Not a big pasta fan so I can’t really compare or think of an exceptional Italian restaurant but I was expecting the food to be a bit tastier for a restaurant in Yorkville. 1 Appetizer + 4 entrees came to a total of $88 before tip.
