Chicago - May 16, 2006

Rolling in the Dough

Frasca Opens

Decisions, decisions.

There are the no-brainers (Would you like ice cream with that?), the challenging (Bootleg or cigarette?), and the downright impossible (Um, where ever should we eat?).

Frasca, which opened yesterday in Lakeview, can help with the last one. Part pizzeria (with an eight-foot wood-fired oven) and part wine bar (this is the same team that’s responsible for Dunlays and D.O.C.), it’s got you covered.

The menu has something for every mood, from oven-roasted dishes (calamari, Roman-style crepes), shareable plates (cauliflower au gratin, slow-cooked Tuscan beans), and the aforementioned pizza. Or get a little taste of a lot by creating your own antipasto plate from the selection of bruschettas, cured meats, and cheeses.

The bustling corner spot has roomy burnt-orange leather booths and wood archways. Flower boxes in the windows up the charm ante.

Of course, you might have a hard time deciding how to end the evening. Carrot cake tiramisu or chocolate pistachio panacotta?

But that’s easy. Get both.

Frasca, 3358 North Paulina Street, at Lincoln Avenue (773-248-5222 or frascapizzeria.com).

  Cozy, Romantic