Piccolo
Ah, the Italians. They have given us so many wonderful things: pizza, cheese, wine, pasta, coffee, biscotti, tiramisu, cannoli' it's amazing the entire country of Italy isn't busting out of their pantaloni. Their secret, of course, is that they keep their portions small or, as they say, piccolo.
Piccolo is a new Ukrainian Village corner restaurant (within a block of Willow, A.Vision, and Dodo) serving up perfectly-sized portions of paninis and gelato. A green window graphic invites patrons inside to find exposed brick, whitewashed tin ceilings, and a rotating lineup of local art. And while the eatery is named 'small,' the selection of delicious dishes is far from it. Two coolers provide a remarkable collection of gelato and sorbet, as well as savory sandwich ingredients.
Chef Eddie Navar (from Hot Chocolate and Carnivale) has put together a great menu for this cute, little quick stop. Look for paninis with soprassata, arugula, and sliced fontina; house-cured beef with arugula, pickled onion, and parmesan; and sliced roast turkey breast with brie and seasonal preserve. All sandwiches come with either chips or a small salad and will run you about $6-$8 each. You'd be a bit of a fool though to miss out on the gelato though. You can go with something traditional like chocolate, pistachio, or coffee, but there are some incredible flavor combinations available: lemon basil, honey lavender, and choco-cayenne, for example.
After visiting Piccolo, you will agree that good things can come in small packages.
Piccolo ($): 859 N Damen Ave; 773-772-3355
Sun ' Thurs: 11:00 a.m. ' 9:00 p.m.
Fri ' Sat: 11:00 a.m. ' 11:00 p.m.
Street parking difficult; 15-30 minute standing zones nearby
Public trans: Bus # 50, 66
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December 4th, 2007 at 1:19 am
I stopped by here for gelato the last time I was in the area. I think I had mango, or maybe passion fruit, and it was delicious! Next time I’ll try one of the less traditional flavors.