Conscious Choice: Hand Crafted at A Mano

January 2008 | Conscious Dining

Hand Crafted at A Mano

By Tanya Fritz

The unstoppable team behind Bin 36 has done it again. With their recently opened A Mano (meaning “by hand” in Italian), they’ve brought Italy to Chicago. Diners are transported to the hilltop towns of Tuscany, the coast of Amalfi and the pizzerias of Rome with every slice of the experience — from the menu to the décor, and the unforgettable wine list and service. The friendly wait staff is knowledgeable about the intricacies of the ingredients, the history of the dishes and each of the wine’s flavor profile. This knowledge and warmth pervades every restaurant the Bin 36 team establishes. The team not only respects the ingredients purchased and dishes those ingredients bring to life, but also the people that work with them. “We have a great team. Every member of this team brings the restaurant together and that is what makes the diner’s experience memorable,” explains Managing Partner, Dan Sachs.

My new husband and I had just returned from our honeymoon in Italy and we feared that by choosing to dine at an Italian restaurant so quickly upon our return, we would supplant the fading aromas and flavors of the countryside we had just left. Yet, we had faith that if we could find the authenticity of Italy anywhere in Chicago, it would be at a restaurant created by this group of Italiaphiles. Chef John Caputo has been recognized for his rigorous devotion to his Puglian culinary roots and has time and again proven that dedication through the flavors his menus offer. But I’ll be honest, as hopeful as I was, my faith wavered.

Upon entry, we walked to the bar and sat down on the wooden, farm-style bar stools and ordered a glass of Prosecco and a Negroni. Most often when I order a Negroni here, I get a strange look. When the waiter returns to say, “Um, what exactly is in that?” I smile and offer up the simple recipe for the Italian aperitif (gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, shaken and served up with a twist). At A Mano, the bartender instead returned my request with a warm, “Nice choice.” The tailored drink list offers various Italian whites, reds and sparkling wines as well as Italian beers, and a clever choice of a few Italian cocktails. Included on the list is the Averna Sour with sweet and sour, vodka and Averna, a dark digestif with a bitter taste named after the Roman mythological queen of the dead. If you like the taste of bitter cocktails, you’ll appreciate this rare find. The best part of the wine list, though, is the tiny choice of three handmade wines. Handmade wines are an exceptionally unusual find and clearly reinforce the team’s dedication to the superior quality of hand-crafted delights of the palette.

The menu offers daily hand made specials such as Braised Veal Shoulder in Tuscan Lentils, Mixed Grilled Sausage in creamy polenta and the dish we tried, Whole Sea Bass in a Salt Crust. The salt crust is a traditional way of steaming fish and actually lends no salt flavor; it simply acts as an insulator, similar to a terracotta pot. This method results in a delicate flavor and texture with aromatics such as lemon and parsley infused into the dish. The menu offers eight different types of courses. The traditional Antipasti, or before-the-meal course, offered five seasonal choices. We tried the Marinated Wild Mushrooms with Aged Sherry Vinegar and the salad of Celery Root, Apples, Walnuts & Parmigiano Reggiano, both of which offered deep earthy flavors which were brightened by their accompaniments. The Pumpkin Ravioli was truly unique. The delicate pasta was filled with generous pockets of sweet pumpkin and was balanced with muted herbs and a traditional brown butter sauce. As my husband noted, A Mano is one of the few restaurants in Chicago that gets ravioli right. It’s not about the pasta, but instead the focus of a ravioli dish should be the flavor and texture of the filling inside of the pasta envelope.

The gelato bar was also impressive, offering 18 creative flavors. We tried the olive oil, because I am keen to try olive oil on anything. Unfortunately, I think I found the one thing I don’t particularly want it in — gelato. It was an interesting attempt at bringing a staple of Italian cuisine into the dessert course and kudos to Chef Caputo for doing so, but we’ll pass next time. The caramel gelato was great and the traditionally smooth texture along with the richness of flavor made the overall selection the best gelato I’ve had since Italy.

A Mano brings a piece of Italy to Chicago with great service, food, wine and décor. It’s a must-try for any Italiaphile and yet another authentic and outstanding creation from this skilled team.

A Mano, 335 N. Dearborn St., Chicago; 312-629-3500; amanochicago.com.

Tanya Fritz is a professionally trained chef, oenophile, slow-food fanatic and yoga enthusiast.

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