Alimentari Osteria Brings The Freshness Of The Italian Marketplace To The West Loop With Its Farm-to-table Italian Cuisine

Many Chicagoans were in love with the highly respected Italian restaurant, Pane Caldo, during its long run on Walton near Michigan Avenue. Now the same team, comprised of owner/proprietor Antoine Cedicci, his executive chef, Maurice Bonhomme and his chef de cuisine, Manuel Casa, have again joined forces to open a new restaurant, Alimentari Osteria, located in the West Loop at 621 W. Randolph in Chicago (312-382-8880; www.alimentariosteria.com). "Our goal was to create a casual and relaxing Italian restaurant that maintained the quality that our longtime Pane Caldo customers had come to expect," said Cedicci. "We wanted to offer them the kind of fresh-from-the-farm, homemade Italian food that one would joyfully prepare after visiting a local Italian marketplace. Hence, we named it Alimentari, which means 'marketplace' in Italian."

The result of their vision is Alimentari, a casual Italian osteria with a sleek contemporary attitude and a conversational vibe. It is a modern, farm-to-table Italian restaurant and gathering spot featuring casual Italian cuisine in which everything is prepared in-house from fresh, all-natural ingredients. The culinary finesse of Chefs Bonhomme and Casa is ever-present: the food is casual, yet the refinement and balance of flavors that were their calling card at Pane Caldo are still on display. Alimentari's food is a delightful coupling of tradition and modernity. While many dishes accede to today's penchant for lighter, healthier recipes, there are signature dishes, such as the perfectly prepared risotti and pastas, which are hearty enough to satisfy aficionados who seek out authentic Italian fare for its comforting robustness.

The contemporary interior design is intended to be easy-going and stylish in keeping with the hip, laid-back character of the neighborhood. The room features warm, light-toned woods with burgundy colored decorative accents. The sleek butcher-block teakwood tables are solid and the wooden studio chairs and stools are very comfortable. The large bar area is as appropriate for dining as it is for enjoying selections from the well-conceived, mainly Italian wine list. In the front, there is a cozy semi-private dining nook that is excellent for groups of 8-16 people.

The menu, which evolves with the seasons, uses only the freshest ingredients grown in gardens and local farms across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. The meals are entirely farm-raised and grass fed. All of the dishes have been designed to be shareable. The small, Neapolitan-style pizzas (pizzetti) are baked in a wood burning oven and are excellent starters. All pastas are made in-house daily; customers can choose gluten-free pastas and pizza if they desire. "We're bringing same Pane Caldo quality to Alimentari, in a beautiful setting that's perfect for the neighborhood," said Bonhomme. "Our food is primarily Italian but with some French influences. Our standards are very high, but our prices are very reasonable and the atmosphere is casual."

Alimentari is also attracting the after-work crowd with a special weekday wine tasting. Beginning at 5 p.m. at the bar, guests can enjoy a sampling of Alimentari's Italian wines ($15) paired with a selection of complimentary "benvenuti antipasti" and pizzetti.

Alimentari offers many pleasant surprises each day. In addition to the regular menu, Chefs Bonhomme and Casas showcase several daily specials. Their repertoire is extensive and the daily specials give the chefs the opportunity to showcase either traditional or modern interpretations of Italian dishes, depending on the available ingredients and their mood for the day.

For dinner, the journey begins with a varied selection of fresh antipasti. Many guests start their meal by sharing a Cu