Mirabella Italian Cuisine & Bar

The Chef Carrying on Chicago’s Red Sauce Legacy Is Ecuadoran Immigrant Arturo Aucaquizhpi | Bon Appétit

"Opened at the end of 2016 by chef Arturo Aucaquizhpi, this northwest-side red-sauce spot channels old-school Italian-American steakhouse cooking—shrimp de Jonghe, roasted chicken smothered in bell peppers and pepperoncini, and crispy cottage fries served with steaks—while keeping prices far lower than downtown counterparts. Staffed largely by Ecuadoran immigrants and family members, the place offers a welcoming, blue-collar atmosphere rather than the crusty attitude found in some classic steakhouses; a tuxedoed front-of-house veteran greets guests in the small barroom to Sinatra and Buddy Holly. The kitchen leans on traditional tableside theater and comfort dishes (grilled calamari and a chicken alla-Joe–style entrée are crowd-pleasers), and the owner is deliberately growing the business slowly, planning modest updates and reviving performative tableside desserts." - ByMike Sula