Sapori Trattoria
2701 N. Halsted

The Basics
Where you’ll find it: 2701 N. Halsted in Lincoln Park at the corner of Halsted and Shubert. (773) 832-9999. www.saporitrattoria.com

When it’s open: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays; 4 p.m.-midnight Saturdays, 3 p.m.-10 p.m. Sundays.

Reservations: Accepted and recommended on weekends.

What you’ve heard: When someone tells me a restaurant is “chef-driven,” I instantly think two things. The food will be interesting and delicious, and I’m going to need to take out a loan to pay for it. So I was a little excited/concerned when I heard Sapori described this way. But luckily for all of us, Tony (the owner and chef) has figured out a way to make his chef-driven menu reasonably priced. ... In past, I had driven by Sapori many times, but had never eaten there. One day a friend mentioned stuffed lobster ravioli. Need I say more?

Visual Aids
First impressions: Cute sidewalk dining (this is where we ended up sitting). ... Very warm and inviting décor inside. ... The sidewalk dining had trees lined up with white lights, which always produces the best ambiance. ... The inside of the restaurant was very “inviting,” and the open windows/doors allow people inside to get the best of both worlds. The inside initially appears small, but it’s actually pretty spacious and also very comfortable. ... There’s a completely other dining room in the back. The restaurant is larger than you think. ... I would describe it as contemporary with a serious Italian vibe.

The atmosphere: Small groups of people ranging from dates, groups of women, older couples, and some families with older children. ... The vibe was upscale and relatively subdued, but certainly not pretentious. ... A good, solid place to have dinner and some good wine. You can hold a conversation with your friends without any loud music. It’s cozy, and expect a good mix of clientele.

The Experience
At your service: Service overall was good. A bit slow, but I felt well taken care of. ... Two of us split a simple house salad, and the waiter split it into two portions for us (always appreciated), and both portions were very large. ... Service was very good; our server was pleasant and accommodating. Yes, a little slow, but that may just be inline with the true Italian experience — nothing is rushed, just enjoyed. The conversation, wine and bread could have held me over for hours.

Get your drink on: We shared a bottle of Chianti that all of us really enjoyed. The selection of wine is long, and it’s varied in type and price nicely. ... What was really fantastic was that the selected wines had very accurate, detailed descriptions. When you are paying restaurant prices for wines, it is nice to know what you are getting so that you can pick the right bottle for your group.

Menu variety and prices: Good variety of pastas, including (surprisingly) a year-round offering of butternut squash-stuffed ravioli with a reduction sauce. I am used to seeing this only in the fall, but I guess if it’s this good, you keep it around all year. The pastas varied from about $10-19 each. ... Also a nice array of entrées, including several fish selections ranging from $15-24 each. Beef, pork and lamb also make the menu, as well as enticing desserts.

Description of what you did decide on: For a salad, you can’t beat the Caprese — a staple on most Chicago Italian restaurant menus, but Sapori’s is one of the best I have ever had — a tower of fresh cut tomatoes and mozzarella. ... Two of us started off with the ensalta mista. It was very good — a mix of greens, cherry tomatoes and balsamic dressing. I don’t like a ton of fluff in my salad, so this hit the spot, and the dressing was definitely a bonus, as it was very tasty. ... Lobster-stuffed ravioli. Delicious! Six or seven huge stuffed raviolis arrived on a massive plate with a delightful tomato cream sauce garnished with chopped zucchini. Very rich, but the flavors are so well balanced that it is hard not to order this every time. I’m happy to report they heated up quite nicely the next day for lunch as well. ... The lobster ravioli was good. I would have to give it three stars on a scale of four. Although I didn’t finish the entire entrée, I thought the portion should have been a little bigger, both for the stomach and price ($17.95). Maybe the sauce took away from some of the lobster taste? I’m still trying to figure it out. The sauce was a little too sweet for me, but knowing that I’m eating lobster stuffed in ravioli, I’d consider ordering it again. ... Gnocchi al bravao — this pasta dish was delicious, and the portion will leave you eating another round of gnocchi for lunch the next day. The gnocchi, a potato-based pasta, was infused with a basil pesto sauce, appealing to both the eyes and stomach! Also pretty rich, but definitely filling and worth trying! ... For dessert, we opted for the bread pudding. Being the “silly friend,” I opted to pass on bread pudding because it sounded … well … disgusting. Granted, this is coming from someone who doesn’t like apple pie. Surprisingly, it was very good! Friends described it like French toast, and it came out warm and ready to eat. It tasted like a sweet version of French toast without the syrup.

Something that caught your eye: Someone from the next table over ordered the lasagna. Although I wanted to ask her for a taste, I refrained. However, this thing looked awesome and was literally the biggest piece of lasagna I have ever seen. You know those places that advertise “burritos as big as your head?” Well, that could be the description of this lasagna, although I am not holding my breath that this will be on the menu anytime soon. Not sure it is exactly the image Tony is going for. ... I’m a sucker for outdoor seating with a good layout. I loved the sidewalk lined with trees filled with white lights. ... I had passed Sapori before, and the view (both with the windows all open) and the outdoor seating has always caught my eye.

What you’ll tell your friends: Really great food and atmosphere. Great for dates or for a large group. They do a great pre-fix, family-style menu for any event. ... Great value for the quality. ... Atmopshere was fantastic, food was good, as was the wine. ... Truly a great place to venture out to for a good dinner with some friends. You can’t go wrong, and the menu is pretty accommodating for everyone, with salads, meats, fish and pasta dishes. A true Italian venue with class!

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