Briciola Review - Noble Square - Chicago - The Infatuation

"We’ve got a love - not so much love relationship going with Briciola, and it comes down to a few factors. Love - ambience, patio, service, old Italian man owns/runs the joint, BYOB, sometimes the food. Not So Much Love - sometimes the food. You’ll notice that the number of factors heavily sways in the positive direction, but that only goes so far when quality food isn't a guarantee. Let’s start with the positive. Briciola is Perfect For life in general. It’s simple, traditional Italian food that’s served in a relaxing and enjoyable space. In the winter, you’ll be comfortable cozying up indoors with a plate of pasta and bottle(s) of wine you brought along. In the summer, you’d be crazy not to linger over the same pasta and wine on Briciola’s patio. Between the strung white lights, cobblestone ground, plants, and statues on the patio, it’s one of the most quaint places to have an outdoor summer meal. It's safe to say we like the patio as much as Lil TerRio likes to Oooooooh Kill 'Em. The food, however, has proven to be hit or miss. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s decent, and on occasion it's been bad. Our advice is stick to appetizers and pastas, while generally avoiding the meats. We’ve been to Briciola a number of times, and nothing has ever been bad to the point it holds us back from going again. But you have to have the right expectations going in, which is half the battle for any meal. Briciola will never be the best Italian food you ever eat, but it can be good, and you can’t ignore the other positive factors mentioned above. The patio and BYOB policy alone are worth continuously giving it a chance. Food Rundown Di Polipo Octopus carpaccio with arugula, hearts of palm, and olive oil and lemon dressing. Good in theory, but we don’t love the octopus itself. Di Barbabietole If you want a carpaccio-type appetizer, go with this thinly sliced and roasted beets dish with arugula and fried goat cheese pieces. Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese Tagliatelle pasta in a Bolognese meat sauce. Simple, yet tasty. Pappardelle Montenapo Our favorite pasta on the menu. Pappardelle in a pink tomato sauce with some mozzarella and basil. Like we said, keep it simple. La Milanese Della Briciola Pan fried pork chop topped with fresh tomatoes, arugula, and shaved parmesan. It’s a giant hunk of breaded pork chop, except it’s kind of plain. Doesn’t do it for us. Rollata Di Pollo Alla Fiorentina Oven baked chicken stuffed with prosciutto, fontina, and spinach, plus a mushroom sauce. We like it more than the pork chop, but still err on the side of pasta." - Sam Faye