"Everyone knows about Monteverde - it’s one of Chicago’s best Italian restaurants. That means everyone’s too distracted by it to think about heading to Formento’s, another great neighborhood Italian spot that can stop the two-hour-long “I don’t care, just pick something” conversation before it starts. This place has very good housemade pasta, a nice piece of fish, and a truly excellent chocolate cake. Think of settling on this place as agreeing to go on a date set up by your aunt." - adrian kane