The scene: In my mind, Enoteca Roma was always a summer place. I can’t help it — the romantic back patio casts a spell on me. There, on steamy nights, I’ve fallen in love over and over again with the sweet and surprising pear ravioli.
Though I’ve stopped for coffee at Letizia’s Natural Bakery (2144 W. Division St. 773-342-1011), the next-door spot run by Enoteca Roma owner Fabio Sorano’s mom, I’ve never been to the little Italian eatery when there’s snow on the ground. The hearty brunch, which launched just before the holidays, was all the excuse needed to shake things up.
Enoteca Roma’s indoor space was a revelation, both tinier and cozier than I’d imagined. The bar occupies nearly half of the dining room, leaving space for just a few tables along one wall. Sorano says the place bustles on weekend evenings, when overflow spills into the adjoining Letizia’s, so brunch might be your best chance to linger over a cup of coffee — preferably one spiked with a bit of liqueur — before venturing back out into the cold.
The cuisine: Alas, there’s no pear ravioli at brunch. But Enoteca Roma compensates with the Val Badia ($9), creamy polenta topped with shaved parmesan and a rather precious arrangement of sausage, eggs and a roasted cherry tomato.
“It’s supposed to look like a smiling face,” our server explained when she set the bowl in front of us. Cute, except the split sausage had curled into more of a scowl. Oh well. Presentation’s not really the point with a rustic dish like this — what matters are the basics: polenta (creamy and rich), Italian sausage (garlicky, if a bit greasy) and eggs (cooked as ordered: over easy and plenty runny).
Other options include breakfast sandwiches, omelets and hot cakes with toppings such as chocolate and hazelnuts or orange butter and berry coulis ($7.95). The lunch menu, with a wide selection of panini and pizza, also is available until 4 p.m.
The bar is in full swing too, offering cocktails and coffee with Italian flair. Skip your usual Americano and tip into a caffe corretto (literally, “corrected coffee”). Though typically served after dinner in Italy, Sorano thought the slightly boozy drinks — think Chambord-spiked raspberry mochas and lattes with Frangelico — would fit right in at an American brunch. Wonder if I could make the same case for that pear ravioli?
THE JUICER: WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE YOU GO
Culture club
The juice
Enoteca Roma
2144 W. Division St.
773-342-1011
2.5 (out of 4) eggs
Loved it: Giovanni Malone ($9), a prosecco and grapefruit juice cocktail
Hated it: CNN blaring on the TV while we ate
Brunch time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Cost: About $25 per person with cocktail, $15 without
Wait: None
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kpratt@tribune.com
