Pasta has been a staple in Italian dining forever, and given the immense Italian diaspora in communities across the country, has made its way onto many American menus. But with an uptick in gluten, dairy, and egg allergies—not to mention a recent focus on healthier eating—restaurants are rethinking the noodle. Chicago restaurants have heeded the call for alternatives, iterating on Italian comfort foods and enlivening menus with pasta alternatives. Subbing in vegetables for noodles; using other Italian grains like farro or polenta; and re-crafting typically rich sauces are just a few ways this alternative pasta trend is playing out. Here’s how this creativity is piquing our appetites:
Photo via Coco Pazzo
Coco Pazzo Cafe {212 East Ohio Street; 312.664.0212}
Coco Pazzo Cafe is one of Chicago’s classic Italian restaurants. The 25-year-old mainstay is known for its classic interpretations of Italian dishes, but it also makes sure to listen to the evolving needs of their customers. Their Tagliolini Zucchine is one of those dishes; thin noodles made from zucchini are tossed with tomato, onion, garlic, capers, olives, basil, and chiles, then tossed with a heap of imported buffalo mozzarella and finished with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Photo via The Polenta Bar
The Polenta Bar {1002 West Lake Street; 312.265.0207}
Polenta has always been a popular alternative to pasta in northern Italy. This West Loop restaurant takes the age-old cornmeal dish and modernizes it for a busy Chicago crowd. Naturally gluten-free, the polenta here is topped with various sauces like fonduta—slow-roasted Tallegio cheese—or a classic tomato-basil sauce. They also have plenty of meatier options, like sausage, organic chicken, and even octopus. The polenta is made in-house with machines imported from Brescia, Italy. And like much of Italian cooking, the recipe is simple: water, rock salt, organic Italian yellow polenta, and extra virgin olive oil. The machine manages to churn out polenta fast enough for the restaurant to serve it on demand. Oh—and all of the dishes are topped with seasonal vegetables.
Photo via Siena Tavern
Siena Tavern {51 West Kinzie Street; 312.595.1322}
At the hands of DineAmic Partner and Chef Fabio Viviani, Siena Tavern has become an Italian destination, blending the rusticity of the Old World—including myriad Italian classics like from-scratch, Neapolitan-style pizzas and house made pastas—with subtle New World design. A keen standout on the menu, however, is the Farro Risotto—a riff on the traditional made with rock shrimp, charred cherry tomato, braised leek, fava beans, and chile flake. For those with a weakness
for risotto but a craving for a more nutritious grain, this farro fixture is a must.
Photo via Macello Chicago
Macello Ristorante {1235 West Lake Street; 312.850.9870}
Macello has been serving up cuisine from the southern Italian region of Pugliese for over a decade, with most of the menu showcasing wood-fired pizzas, pastas, and heartier entrees. They do feature two dishes made with farro, however—an ancient grain commonplace in the Mediterranean for years, now gaining steam in the United States for its high protein and fiber content. Macello offers two applications of the barley-like grain; both start off with farro sauteed with carrots, celery, onions, and chicken stock. The Farro Porcini adds in the richness of porcini mushrooms while the Farro Adriatico is full of seafood like shrimp, mussels, and scallops.
Photo via Beatrix
Beatrix {multiple locations}
Beatrix is all about interesting and healthy takes on familiar cuisine at their two locations (with a third, new location opening in the West Loop). Seasonally, they feature various takes on pasta—with a twist. One such offer is the Zucchini Pappardelle, made with super thin zucchini noodles that are tossed with garlic, olive oil, basil, and chile flakes before they are stewed in tomato sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella. In the winter, they focus on a heartier version with spaghetti squash that they well in the center and fill with a hearty, rich pot roast ragù. They also offer up an Eggplant Lasagna where the eggplant takes the place of the noodles.
By Samantha Lande
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