Ya gotta love a place that puts this on the front of their menu: “Simple and ever changing . . . We keep the menu small . . . the ingredients fresh . . . and your belly happy!”
This tiny, year-old Wicker Park cafe cooks up simple pastas and pizzas that rate with the best trendy white-tablecloth versions, but at prices that never float above $10. Just the kind of eating experience that Cheap Eaters love! You might not get a staff of four hovering over you, or a quiet table for a romantic tryst, but you do get plenty of energetic vibes bouncing from the kitchen (you are sitting right next to it) and friendly, casual service from waiters who do their best to be accommodating. The nine-table room is bright and cheerful with apricot walls (check out the painted flames dancing on the wall of the restroom).
The thin-crust 9-inch pizzas ($6) cook in an antique gas oven until crackling crisp. Extra toppings are 80 cents each. We loved a delicious smoky thick-cut bacon and mushroom combo on one visit. The Margherita version ($7) is loaded with very good mozzarella, but only a minimum of basil or ripe tomatoes. Best to wait until summer on this one. Pizzas make a nice starter for four. Or pile on more toppings and turn the pizza into a satisfying entree.
Another good starter, the grilled calamari ($6), is marinated and served with a light but flavorful tomato sauce. It’s tasty, but we took pity on the four small squid swimming in a flood of sauce.
The Caesar salad ($6, enough for 2 or 3 to share), defines freshness. It is crisp, garlicky and nicely seasoned with anchovies and lots of grated Parmesan cheese. Other salads include mixed greens ($5), Caprese ($5) and dinner salad ($3). The house dressing is balsamic Dijon mustard.
Beyond pizza, the pastas are the only other entrees offered, but you won’t complain. All are generously portioned, fresh tasting and cooked to just the right tenderness.
The ravioli changes daily. A special one evening mixed portobello-stuffed ravioli ($9.50) with a tangy marinara sauce. The plump mounds of dough hid the earthy, pleasing aroma and flavor of the mushrooms inside until attacked with a fork. The richness of the ravioli met the acidity of the sauce in a nice balancing act.
Rigatoni vodka ($9) also uses a pleasing tomato sauce, but this one is augmented with cream and portobello mushrooms and just enough vodka to give a tang. Delicious. The Pomodoro ($9) mixes angel hair pasta with diced tomatoes, spinach and fresh Romano cheese, then is crowned with tasty, grilled asparagus spears for a light and simple dish.
But our favorite is the penne pesto ($10). Its creamy pesto sauce has just the right note of freshness from the basil and pine nuts. Go for the grilled chicken breast option rather than the portobello mushroom. The moist, well-seasoned chicken is sliced and placed on top of the mound of penne.
Pasta Diavalo ($7) combines angel hair with a thick, slightly spicy tomato sauce that clings well to the slender pasta. When we asked for the buffalo meatball ($3) on the side, the waiter regretfully said they were out. But he offered to add Italian sausage to the pasta instead. The sausage was great.
For dessert, go for the tiramisu ($5.50), a rum-soaked version with decent layers of coffee-flavored mascarpone and chocolate. The warm chocolate-walnut calzone ($5) sounds better than it is. The filling of melted chocolate and nuts is gooey and delicious, but the pizza dough surrounding it is bland and adds nothing to the dessert.
Delivery is available in the neighborhood for a $2 charge, and the carryout/delivery menu includes 14- and 16-inch pizzas.
Pasta Diavalo has no liquor license, but you can bring your own wine or beer. Sodas are $1.50. Espresso ($1.50) and cappuccino ($2.50) are made with the delicious coffee beans from Torrefazione, and make a delightful finale for a meal that’s molto buono.
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Pasta Diavalo
(3 forks)
1448 N. Milwaukee Ave.
773-394-1812
Fax: 773-394-1809
Hours: 5-10:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 5-11 p.m. Fri.; noon-11 p.m. Sat.; 4:30-10 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: M, V
Noise level:
Conversation-friendly Wheelchair accessible
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
