Cibo Matto

I give it three stars only because I cannot give it a 1 and a 5.
Some of the dishes, like the pasta bolognese. were 5 star excellent. I opted for two appetizers instead of an entrée and found one (grilled octapus) to be pretty good — not great — and the other (a trio of sashimi type cuts of seasfood) to be disappointing.
Service was sketchy. In an upscale restaurant one should never have to seek out a server, but we did more than once.
Also, the pre-​dinner drink menu — well there wasn’t a menu — left us interrogating the server about scotches and he was unable to provide any useful information. I even offered to go to the bar and pick something out but was told the bar was «in the kitchen».
Summary: they have some allstars in their line up but they are surrounded by minor leaguers, in my opinion. Too bad.

Overpriced and underwhelming. They couldn’t even get a basic salad right. The ravioli was like a heart attack on a plate — literally drenched in butter and cheese and not flavorful. I can’t even remember what the desert tasted like — and I usually like desert.
Not memorable at all.

Not worth the wait! Yes, we had a large party of about 8. Yes, it was a random weeknight. And, yes, we just walked in and didn’t make reservations. But, really??? How does it take 1 ¹⁄₁₂ hours to make pasta?
The worst part, the pasta wasn’t worth the wait. I had the Tagliatelle Carbonara, which is supposed to be their signature dish. It was just alright.
The only saving grace was we got a free bottle of wine with the coupon we received upon check-​in to The Wit Hotel.
Service didn’t help the situation either. It wasn’t horrible, but neither was it attentive as it should be with more than half the restaurant empty.

I am reluctant to give cibo matto a five-​star review, just because I want to keep this place to myself before it blows up and is impossible to get a table at!
Chef Evan has put together a menu full of complex flavors and textures, with fantastic visually appealing food. Linh and the rest of the staff maintain a venue which is accommodating, with service that is tailored to exceed every expectation. Even our server, Amy, was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and guided us expertly through an amazing experience.
We started off the evening at the Perfect Pairs event, which is held every other Wednesday. We had about 6 different tastings (with plentiful refills) of this week’s featured wines from France. Alongside these are the food tastings by Chef Evan and their pastry chef. Besides the cheese plate at the beginning of the event, the lobster bite and the bite of pork belly blew me away. The chocolate cigar at the end with raspberry was so good that my boyfriend, who usually hates raspberry, ate the whole thing before I even got a chance to taste mine! In fact, these bites of food were so appetizing that we asked Linh to get us a table to stay for dinner.
I’m so glad we did! We started with the mussels, which were a moderate portion. Actually, perfect because there were no closed mussels (a pet peeve of mine), and the sauce was light yet made with pancetta. This is a shining example of how pig and seafood marry so well. Next, the perfectly pan-​roasted (and big!) scallops, crisp outside with cooked-​just-​right middle, were paired with pancetta and pearl onion, along with a citrus sauce.
Instead of entrees, we opted for a couple sides. First is the truffled lobster. The dish is covered in breadcrumbs and baked, so your first experience is the heat, and the crunch your spoon makes with the topping. Once you spoon it in to your plate, the truffle aroma hits your nose and the red of the lobster, paired with the green pasta and the white cheese is delight for your eyes. Need I mention how delicious it tastes?
But really what sets cibo matto from your run of the mill restaurant is the care and attention that the people bring. We were blown away by the pork belly tasting from the Perfect Pairs event, but there wasn’t a pork belly entrée. Instead, there was a side dish that had pork belly as one of the ingredients. We asked Amy, our server, if it was possible for Chef Evan to put together a pork belly dish or just bring out the pork belly components of the side dish — and it was done! Chef Evan created a dish for us from the pork belly, with morels and pickled carrots, alongside some fresh beans. That was absolutely delightful and beyond anything we could have expected.
Finally, we concluded with the semolina cake topped with fresh berries and paired with their own hazelnut and crème fraîche gelato, a dessert that is sweet but also has enough savory to counter balance it.
I highly recommend cibo matto to anyone who wants to have a delightful meal. Chef Evan’s menu is a must-​try, and the service is impeccable. The ambiance? You must experience it for yourself. From the unique ceiling mural to the wall texture and lighting elements, this restaurant is an experience that everyone needs to try at least once!

Beautiful atmosphere, friendly service and good food. The décor was really beautiful and modern. The food was good, but not great.

(I had a business dinner here this week. This is what I emailed to a friend the next day. He said I should say exactly this on Unilocal!So, here you go.)
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Tasty. Pricey (but free for me so who cares?) I had the pan roasted striped bass with mascarpone, english pea risotto, and morels. The bass was great, risotto is always fabulous and the morels were A. MAZING. And I can’t be positive but they might have been responsible for me having sex dreams all night.
Waiter? More morels, please.
Their tiramisu was not my favorite. But, you know, tiramisu is a personal thing. I like mine w/​more of a coffee edge. Also, more liquor.
The place is trendy but not snobby — I didn’t feel like I was going to get kicked out for not having straight hair or a tan.
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To this I’d like to add that the service was attentive without being obnoxious, the wine was excellent, and their ladies’ room, which I visited several times due to many glasses of the excellent wine, was clean and private and lovely, once I understood the set-​up. There’s a sink in each bathroom that you may not notice right away (or at all if you’ve been drinking). It felt like I was in someone’s swanky condo. And don’t get me wrong — the tiramisu was good, just not the best I’ve had.

The restaurant is completely under the radar in Chicago’s dining scene.
Cibo Matto possesses one of Chicago’s best Contemporary Italian menus.
Almost every dish on the menu sounds devilishly good.
I had the grilled octopus and the carbonara pasta.
The carbonara pasta is sex on a plate! If you’re ever craving egg yolk, cheese, and pasta, then this is your dish.
The prices are very reasonable. I recommend sharing some starters and ordering pasta dishes which are the standouts here.
Head to the Wit Rooftop Bar for some people watching and an after dinner cocktail.
I’ll definitely come back and try the other pasta dishes.

A new chef and that seems to have improved the restaurant. Waiter serving this time was extremely nice and helpful. Food was great and not as salty like last time. The arancini rice ball and mussels were great apps. Only disappointment is that they changed the pasta type in the carbonara bucatini. They now use a flat grainy noodle and it doesn’t have that same bite like the tubed spaghetti pasta that is more commonly used.
They treated us very well and they also got us a table up top at the roof bar with no hassle.

I did not enjoy this place at all and I don’t say that about many restaurants. We didn’t expect amazing food, just something edible that we could enjoy. What we got was way overpriced «Italian fusion» food. If you are trying to open an Italian restaurant, please don’t make it Italian Fusion, it just doesn’t work. Pasta with broccoli couldn’t be so bad right? WRONG, I took one bite and almost gagged, it was that horrible. My husband had the fish and said it was bad too. My waitress came by and saw that I didn’t touch it so she was kind enough to take it off our bill, however that still didn’t make me want to come back again.
Great atmosphere, friendly staff but horrible food. Go here for a drink if you really want to check out the scene but save your money on dinner and go elsewhere. I’d be happier with a Potbelly sandwich for dinner.

To get to Cibo Matto, you used to be able to enter through the separate street entrance, which would take you into State & Lake, and then up a flight of stairs to Cibo Matto. Now those stairs have been roped off. Someone from State&Lake would have to lead you out into the hotel lobby, and then you could either take the stairs or elevator to Cibo Matto. If only I could picture this little adventure as an Amazing Race challenge, and there is jackpot waiting at the end. But… no.
Arancini, pork belly, porcini purée, white truffle honey. Nicely fried rice ball. There was no filing, but gooey stringy cheese made up for that. 2 little slices of nicely crisped pork belly. The porcini purée was so so. The honey maybe was there to contrast the saltiness? I get that it’s gussying up a snack food. But not sure I get how it all comes together.
Beets, burrata, prosciutto. Interesting play between wedges of roasted beets, and thin and crackly beet chips. Nice creamy burrata. A good salad overall.
Squid ink linguine, squid, red peppers, artichoke, cherry tomato. The pasta was bland, and also on the dry side. Our waitress was quick to offer olive oil. The dish just fell flat.
Carbonara with chitarra, pancetta, egg yolk, romano. The carbonara was retained on the menu, but now with a few twists: house-​made chitarra, house-​cured pancetta, and a different kind of romano. A successful dish. The fresh pasta was excellent. The dish arrived in a cloud of shredded romano, and 2 egg yolks. A touch more pepper would have made it better. But a very rich dish indeed.
Service was good. Our waitress was attentive. After finding out that we’re return customers, she really delved into explaining what’s new on the menu since the chef change. We were at a 2-​top by the window. The bucket chairs had armrests as high as the table. It made it very awkward to position your arms.
Why 2 stars? I would have rated 2.5 stars, but I’m holding back. Cibo Matto has to contend with being a ‘hotel restaurant’. Yet what they are doing to set them apart didn’t work for me. Italian food is simple and straightforward. But it seems Cibo Matto is dressing it up to make it look posh, and justify the price point. It’s a swanky restaurant at a swanky hotel. So get dressed up, have a good time, drop a bundle of dough. Food is just ok, but that’s not what you came here for.

Throughly enjoyed my experience here on a Friday night during Restaurant Week! There was a bit of a wait [even though we had reservations] but I thought it was well worth it. I ended up not ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu and following my gut/​as well as the server’s suggestions.
Arancini was the way to go if you are a fan of pork belly and especially if you love risotto. The presentation was great and the taste was even better! My main course was the Carbonara and if you are an egg fan like me, you won’t be disappointed. The dish has 2 eggs on top of it that you break open and it becomes part of the sauce for the dish… delicious!
I do admit, we had to look up what Cibo Matto meant after someone had asked us what it meant. «Food Madness» in Italian, and it makes total sense. The food was very playful and whimsical and the server that we had was great with explaining everything. Definitely have to come back next time I am in town.

Beautiful place, great food…
Cotton candy-​compliments of the chef at the end of your meal. Nice touch!

One star, one word: AWFUL.
After having a wonderful meal at Cibo Matto shortly after it opened, I was psyched to see that they were participating in Restaurant Week.
Our entire experience was horrendous. First of all, if you are participating in RW, I would like to SEE A RW MENU WHEN WE ARE SEATED. At the very least, I’d like for the server not to roll her eyes when we request a RW menu. That’s the whole point of why we are there!
Not that it mattered. The RW menu was so boring and uninspired (not available online for previewing) that we ended up ordering off the regular menu anyway. We ordered the spicy mussels to share, and my husband had the full size carbonara and I ordered the caprese and a half order of the squid ink pasta with artichokes. We also ordered a bottle of Montepulciano.
When our wine finally arrived about 20 minutes after we ordered it, it was ice cold. Who wants to drink cold red wine on a February night? Not this girl. The waitress shrugged and told us it was «supposed to be cold.» Right. OK. The busboy also managed to spill water on us every single time he refilled our glasses.
The mussels were not spicy at all. The were, however, extremely salty, and they came with one measly piece of grilled bread for dipping. (There was only about a tablespoon worth of broth to dip anyway). My husband’s carbonara — the very same carbonara that previously invoked rave reviews and a bit of drooling — was undercooked, dry, and the pancetta tasted old. My pasta was similarly undercooked and dry, and it didn’t have much flavor. The tomatoes in my caprese were pale and mealy (partially my fault for ordering a tomato salad in February).
All in all, it was a really bad experience. I was disappointed because I had previously had a really excellent meal there. I really built it up for my husband, and it didn’t deliver. Definitely will not be back.

Incredibly disappointing. This place is trying so hard to be «it» and it’s missing the mark.
1. The hostess should not bring you to your table with your coats still draped over her arm while juggling menus, then carry those coats through the restaurant to the coat check.
2. For these prices, I expect my chair to be pulled out.
3. We had two appetizers, both were barely lukewarm. The butterflied shrimp was highly recommended by our waiter, but was the blandest shrimp I’ve ever had. The arancini was very good, but not warm enough.
4. It took forever and a day for our entrees to arrive. The very young manager came over to thank us for our patience and explain that things were back on track and we’d be served soon, but his assumption that we’d be placated by his appearance at our table didn’t make up for the fact that we had to wait forever.
5. My braciole was a disaster of flavors and an odor a bit like dog food.
6. My husbands spaghetti and meatballs was absolutely piled high with parmesan cheese — something that should always be offered table-​side. The meatball was generous, but the portion of spaghetti was about the same size, i.e., too small.
7. Don’t mess with tiramisu. It’s a work of art in it’s most traditional form, and the molded tube of cakey-​fudgey stuff that they served up wasn’t worth the attempt at creativity.
8. The coffee was OK.
9. Totally overpriced for what it was.
10. After dinner we went to the bar down stairs for a drink and decided that next time we’ll have a bit to eat there. The waitstaff was much more attentive.

I can’t even tell you how refreshing it is to have great service and great food together, wrapped up in one night at one restaurant.
Having been to Cibo Matto only twice before, once for a private work event and the other, a great Unilocal event, I felt as if I received special treatment just because it is that great of a place.
I’m sad I did not get our server’s name because he was excellent. He seemed to be somewhat of a psychic (no, not Ms. Cleo creepy psychic), but knowing exactly what we wanted and were expecting. He exceeded my expectations. He suggested a wine not on the menu that was very good. Of course, I can’t remember it, damn!
We started with the octopus ink spaghetti which was excellent and not too heavy. A perfect amount to share. For the main course we ordered the short ribs and the whitefish, both very well prepared. I was really impressed with the finishings and overall taste of both dishes, not too pretentious. The side of corn accompanied our dishes and it too was great, and a nice healthy portion, too.
The feel of the restaurant is very nice, and not too stuffy. Water was plentiful, service was great, and I would suggest it to any of my friends or tourists looking for something south of the river.

I walk inside from the outside entrance next to the Wit and… I have no idea where I’m going. I know there are two restaurants in the same spot, and I don’t know if I’m at the right one. Instead, I’m stuck waiting for someone — anyone — to help me out for a good five minutes. Finally, someone notices me and the crowd of 10 or so that has grown behind me and notifies me that yes — I’m at the wrong place. I need to go upstairs. Would it kill them to put a small sign somewhere?
After a while and my friends and I are all arrived, we’re told the drink specials… and we can’t hear the guy. Later the food specials — and we still can’t hear the guy. I don’t expect anyone to be yelling in a place like this, but at least check to see if everyone can hear?
So the service was kind of blah. The food, however was pretty good. I got the Razza — bone-​in skate, which was really tender and had a surprisingly robust flavor for fish with minimal sauce, if any. The portions were the smallest out of any I had seen from any Italian restaurant in my life. Guess I’m too used to the gigantic servings at places like Rosebud. The shot glasses of soup were a nice touch, though… but I didn’t see any place on the menu to order a full bowl of it.
I liked the food and décor, and I can see it as being a nice date place. And maybe I’ll have a better experience now that I know where to go and how to order — but shouldn’t it be easy to figure all that out your first time to a place?

You know, let me just say that this was not on my list. (you know, the list I asked my fellow Unilocalers to help me come up with for my first visit to Chicago. And I’d narrowed it down to a few places depending on price and location to me.)
So how the hell did I end up in CiboMatto?!
I have no darn idea. Ugh. I guess it was bc a coworker asked a random person on the street where to go, and it was right there and I was starving, and POOF. I spent the amount I’d allotted for the whole trip in one meal sitting.
We started off with:
Scallops with Celery Root and Truffle… How dare you call this dish scallops… it was more like SCALLOP… you know, singular, as in only ONE. Butternut squash ravioli (caramelli) comes with 6, and are the size of my ring finger. The Saffron calamari rissoto was really good, and I’m not really a fan of calamari… but this calamari wasn’t too chewy or fish-​y tasting. Polenta and brussle sprouts are good too.
Our «main» dish was the Coda di Rospo — monkfish with lobster and musrooms. Skimpy ass main dish if you ask me. And totally stingy with the mushroom truffles. Boo.
We finished off with this raspberry apple tarte with blue cheese, and oh my that was quite delightful, but did not make up for the teeny plates, and big prices.
Although the food was good, I wish I’d just forked over a little more and eaten at Moto!

Sunday, August 16^th.
It looks like it’s going to storm.
I checked the weather on-​line earlier in the day to make sure that my birthday dinner scheduled at 8:30pm in the most beautiful patio in town won’t «fall in water” — as we say in French to mean «cancel».
How appropriate.
The weather dudes said: «Leave your jacket and your umbrella at home»
Never trust them.
Around 3:30pm we received a phone call from Piccolo Sogno to inform us that we had to stop dreaming right there and now.
They were not opening the patio.
It started to pour.
Just on queue.
Panic.
10 minutes of «oh my God, what am I going to do» later — I decide to climb the sleek stairs from the Wit lobby to Cibo Matto. Since we were already there, I figured it would be an easy option.
Arriving in the empty restaurant getting ready for the night, I ask to see the menu, take in the gorgeous space from the corner of my eye, find myself drooling over the menu and request a table for 11 that same night.
They are delighted to have us, they are slow.
That was a wonderful choice.
The décor is simply incredibly elegant with Asian undertones and a unique fresco ceiling, yet warm and inviting…
Clue: dried sausages are hanging from a lighted wall and it took all my self-​control not to grab them and run away!
But as beautiful as the setting is — it’s the food which won me over…
The crispy sweetbreads I ordered as an appetizer were just perfect. The slices of fried lemon and the huckleberries gave the dish a wonderful balance that is not easy to find. Big points.
The octopus I tried was probably the best I have ever eaten… crispy polenta, celery, pearl onions and salsa verde — the combination may sound weird but it worked and made wonders for my taste buds.
But what I keep thinking about is my pasta dish… my scrumptious, delicious, mouth-​watering spaghetti alla chitarra. Despite the name — no guitar involved just yummy lumps of crab, cherry tomatoes, chili peppers and squid-​ink spaghetti… happiness on a plate.
I almost regretted ordering the appetizer portion. Which was still big enough to satisfy me as well as most of my guests.
No dessert from the house for us that night since we had a delicious home-​made chocolate cake to celebrate but I can’t wait to go back to have a look at the menu, and get some of that charcuterie that is still calling my name!!!

Cibo Matto means crazy food in Italian (or so I am told) and you’d be crazy not to check this place out. The food is fabulous, the service top notch and the ambiance warm and inviting.
There are two ways to get into this place. The stairs that you find inside the State and Lake restaurant. Or if you are wearing shoes that are not slippery stair friendly– just walk into the Wit and take the elevator up to the second floor. On this approach you get to walk through what they call the «library» but it’s books with composite photo covers and bright fuchsia pillows on the chairs make it unlike any library I’ve ever seen!
Back to the restaurant. We started with a couple of drinks in the bar area. Nice. Comfy chairs to cluster about, metal (?) strings serving as curtains, servers who were on their game. A great start.
We were then seated in the back of the large room. I almost wished there were only 4 of us instead of 5 as the cream colored «booths”(too simple a word for the lush seats that compose the center of the room) called to me and the people sitting in them looked so chic and cool!
Our server, Phil, was great– taking time to explain the menu– talk to us about what would be a good way to taste all we wanted to taste and just being patient with our lively (and sometimes loud) group.
We started with a range of the appetizers– heirloom tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, grilled octopus, and an arugula salad with shaved Parmesan. All delicious.
Our pasta course was comprised of three of their pastas– the raviolis with peas and ricotta, the corzetti with pasta coins and corn and mushrooms and the winner of them all the Bucatini with big chunks of bacon and served with a duck egg. While we went with the smaller plates of the first two– they made us an entrée sized portion of the Bucatini which was gone in a flash. I would go back just for that!
As for entrees (like we needed them after all this food– can you say leftovers?) I had the braised short rib with ricotta creamed spinach– absolutely fabulous!
As the night went on– we also decided that desserts were in order. We had the mini donut holes with dipping sauce and the plate of cookies. Both of these were just okay. .. .but really nothing to shout about.
As for cost– this is not a cheap date but definitely worth the money when you are ready to splurge. Dinner for 5 of us including a couple bottles of wine and all courses came in just under $ 600.
Right now there is free valet parking (yes– I said FREE) if you get your ticket validated at the restaurant. Always a nice bonus. And don’t forget to check out the glass enclosed 4000 bottle wine tower. Impressive!
What is it about The WIT where everything they seem to be doing is right? So far– I’ve loved the Roof and now Cibo Matto. Next up to try is State and Lake. Could this be the trifecta?

I am often hesitant to try out brand new restaurants. I like to wait a few months so they can go through their typical new restaurant mistakes. However, when Rob L. sent me the text, «Cibo Matto, 8/​1,» I couldn’t resist! Done!
My one complaint about the restaurant is the flight of stairs one has to take to get up there. It’s not the most pleasant when wearing gorgeous five-​inch sling backs… and even harder when you’re coming down after two glasses of bubbly!
Ok… now that that’s out of the way, I loved everything else. We had an early dinner at 6:30, and the restaurant was pretty empty. The dining room is gorgeous. Although it is Italian, the décor has a slight Japanese influence — lots of colorful tree branches, flowers and butterflies. The space is sleek and modern with rustic accents. I loved the gorgeous fresco ceiling — it gives the restaurant a very light and airy feel. I’m not one for modern design, but I really enjoyed this space.
The wine list is quite extensive, and our server seemed quite knowledgeable and made recommendations. We started with the Crudo di Hamachi and the Mozzarella di Bufala. The Hamachi was rich in texture, flavorful and fresh. It was served in a pool of olive oil, watercress pesto and pine nuts. It was delicious.
The Mozzerella was a simple appetizer, but very well done. It was served with a generous portion of salty proscuitto, summer melon and mint. The serving size was enough for two, but I think Rob might disagree.
On to the main course– I had the braised short ribs. Those who know me know that I practically have my PhD in Beefology, and am super picky. And Cibo Matto did it perfectly. The cut was perfectly marbled, slooowwly cooked and fell part with the touch of the fork. Combined with the ricotta creamed spinach, it was absolutely delicious. Portion size was quite nice too. I had a bite of Rob’s creamy polenta, and is was fantastic.
So the best part of dinner was dessert. I wasn’t going to indulge, but the Hazelnut Mocha Torte was calling my name. No… it was screaming my name. Sitting in a pool of Tuaca Sabayon (a sweet milky sauce) and accented with droplets of dark chocolate glaze (the server brought Rob an extra spoon full of it later), it was rich, but not too heavy. I especially loved it because it was not too sweet!
Our server was lovely. She was friendly, knowledgeable and fun. Zero pretentiousness, which is always appreciated.
I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu… or I might just have the cake for dinner ;)