Osteria Langhe

My friend and I came here for restaurant week and it was the best decision ever! The staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The food made me close my eyes and nearly whimper. I’m never so happy as I am when the chefs have obvious pride in their craft. I had the scallops with bitter greens and croquettes, the steak, and panna cotta. The panna cotta to rival all other panna cottas. You will not be disappointed.

By some small miracle, I was able to snag a last-​minute Sunday night restaurant week reservation here. To get the full CRW experience, my fiancé and I each ordered a different appetizer, entrée, and dessert so that we could try each other’s dishes. This was a smart choice, because everything was absolutely worth trying. I’m still thinking about the duck and mushroom ravioli I ate for my first course. (I don’t know if those are a regular menu fixture, but if not, they should be.) The plin are something special too– the La Tur cheese is really unlike most other cheeses I’ve ever eaten (and I’ve eaten a lot of cheese). Another stand out for the evening was the dessert course. I had the Negroni-​inspired panna cotta, which was refreshing and potentially buzz-​inducing.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the service. The owner, Aldo, was at the restaurant Sunday night, and, in addition to explaining the details of the dishes when we asked, he took care of wiping our tables between meals, and brought us our coats at the end of the night (even helping me into mine). You can tell the passion that he has for the restaurant, and you can practically taste the attention and care that the staff has for this project in the food.

I am in AWE of how amazing this restaurant is. I went here for restaurant week and I’ve always assumed you don’t get the FULL experience of a restaurant because they’ll skimp in certain areas. Either they’re even more amazing which is mind-​blowing or they’re a great, solid restaurant and deserve any hype. It made it’s way to top 5 restaurant in Chicago for yours truly.
Food:
— plin — this is a very popular appetizer. basically pillows of pasta with a subtle cheesy flavor. i thought these were pretty good but I think I would’ve preferred something like ravioli with more stuffing.
— bone marrow with braised tripe and tongue. say what?! i’ve been growing somewhat tired of the usual bone marrow dish at all the other New American /​Italian establishments in Chicago… but this was amazing. so asian and latin people aren’t the only ones that eat these weird but delicious parts?! also, this is definitely meant to be shared amongst 2 people. my gluttonous ass made sure to clean up the entire plate though. i would order this every time i come back
— braised short ribs — so incredibly tender! oh my gosh! i think this is the best short rib i’ve had. it was the perfect about of protein, a generous portion of sauce on top so that it is neither swimming in too much sauce but you’re not wishing they gave you a side of it as well. it came with some carrots and potato pieces which complemented the meat without taking away any decadence.
— panna cotta — so whipped and creamy texture at the same time. it was a very nice ending to a rather heavy meal.
Service:
— wonderful! they were attentive without being pushy or too intrusive.
— they did NOT give me any hassle for showing up with only half the party
— we were there for a good 2 hours and everything went smoothly. we also never felt like we were being rushed nor ignored.
— you can make reservations on opentable.
Ambiance:
— it was a medium sized restaurant with most tables lined up against the wall. it kind of felt like it would make a nice coffee shop during the daytime.
— casual with flattering dim lighting. you could dress up or down!

Went here for my 26^th birthday dinner, and I was not disappointed.
I will preface this by saying that I had one of the best dishes of my life here. I had their risotto special, which had tomatoes, seared scallops, goat cheese, and some type of garlic/​jalapeño aioli. It was out of this freaking world.
We ordered the plin due to the raving reviews. Although I have to admit that it is rather simplistic, it grew on me after every bite. We also got the vitello tonnato which was pretty tasty– we were fighting over the crispy egg on top.
We paired our dinner with some great red wine, and finished the night with the crème brûlée. It was all very, very tasty, but I could not stop raving about my risotto dish.
The only downside, aside from the restaurant being a little cramped, was that it took nearly 15 minutes for our server to even address us after we sat down. It was a busy Wednesday night (as it always seems to be), but again, it is small enough that a new table is rather noticeable. Our server was great for the remainder of the night, but that put me in a little bit of a «meh» mood at the get-​go.
However, a man (who I assumed was the owner) greeted us at the front door, took our coats, and thanked us when we left. He was very, very nice, and those little gestures went a long way for me.
It is on the pricier side, so this will most likely remain a «special occasion» place for us. We may stop in for the Tuesday prix fixe menu at some point.

Best Italian in Chicago I think.
Plin was unlike any pasta I’ve had – fantastic.
Great, interesting cocktails.
Extensive wine list concentrating on wine from Langhe (Nebbiolo-​centric) which is very reasonably priced for extremely high quality wines. I paid $ 68 for a 2011 Produtorri del Barbaresco which I’m quite confident would cost $ 120 downtown/​River North.
Wild boars chops, holy hell, amazing dish.
Affogato, panne cotta for dessert, great ending to a wonderful meal, I will be back many times and really can’t think of a better high-​end value anywhere in Chicago.

I went as a group of three at 7 pm on December 11^th and put in our name. They said it would be an hour and a half wait but they would call us when our table was ready. I called after the alloted time and they said it would just be a little longer. They never called. They had two people working the host stand for a restaurant that seats about 20. If you want people in the neighborhood to frequent your restaurant, get your act together!

Cozy litte spot along Logan Square’s restaurant row on Armitage. Small, Italian-​inspired plates great for sharing. Dimly lit ambiance enables a romantic vibe as does the low volume background tunes. The wait staff was very personable and the service impeccable. Not to mention, I was easily able make a reservation for two on Open Table a mere 20 mins prior — on a Friday night I might add. That being said, it was a full house upon arrival, so perhaps I just lucked out.
My fiancé & I opted for the lobster salad special, vitello tonnato, tagliatelli, and market price risotto with white truffle shavings at $ 16/​gram. The owner actually came out with a digitial scale to conduct the weight differential exercise upon shaving the raw piece of truffle. Each plate was truly delicious, albeit pricy in my opinion.
Two glases of the house red wine, two cocktails and meal with tip — my bill was a rather steep $ 250. Next time I plan to forgo the truffle option for this reason.
Nevertheless, living right around the corner, I’ll surely be back as the cold weather sets in…

Had a great Saturday night dinner with some friends here last week. It’s a great find in Logan and will definitely keep me coming back for more.
We started with a bottle of wine. The owner/​manager of the restaurant, Aldo, walked us through the wine list and gave some great suggestions. There were multiple bottles of wine priced in the $ 30 and $ 40 range which is definitely fair for sharing a bottle with a friend when you know you will both end up with 2…2.5…3 glasses of wine throughout a long nice dinner.
We decided to get 3 appetizers and 3 entrees and share everything. Our appetizers: Capesante (scallops…incredible), Coniglio (rabbit and pancetta puff rolls… wouldn’t recommend… but I don’t like rabbit… EW), and Plin (ravioli, thyme, parm, butter… pretty much wanted to take a whole bucketload of this heavenly goodness home with me). The appetizers were all small.
For entrees we got Tajarin (house made noodles with ragu… YUM), Pollo (chicken breast, pancetta, tomatoes… good…but just chicken.) and risotto (incredible). I would recommend all but the rabbit and the chicken. Go get the Plin. Just go get it now.
Looking back I wish we would have gotten 2 – 3 appetizers to share and then each gotten our own entrée. Portions were pretty small but everything was wonderful. Atmosphere is so great and romantic. Price is okay. I wouldn’t say it was too expensive but I didn’t feel like we were really getting a great deal either. When my husband and I were waiting for our friends we were offered water and drinks while we waited. Seems like a great local place and I will happily continue to support it for special occasions!

I wanted to like this place more based on the reviews, but the food just didn’t back it up. I can only go off of what I ordered, so I’ll just be reviewing those.
— Vitello Tonnato — not actually that bad, but they severely oversalted the arugula salad. I get that it should be eaten with the meat/​tuna, but it was just too much even with the meat to try and balance the salt. «C»
— Agnello — Lamb tortelloni was actually quite good with the butternut squash sauce + candied pistachios. The pistachios weren’t my thing, but no complaints as that is more of a preferential thing. «A»
— Caspesante — Scallops and pork belly. The best dish that we had. Both were perfectly cooked and the sauce was particularly delicious. «A+»
— Crespella — truly the most disappointing of the night. Found the cheese sauce to be a bit nauseating and the dish felt like something I might throw together with a bunch of leftovers. Mushrooms and peas are a nice touch, but the taste and texture was not appealing and we couldn’t quite finish the dish. «F»
The best thing was the service and ambiance. Really quaint place and the staff was attentive. New dishes/​silverware for every dish that came to the table. Probably if we’d ordered different things I would have left happier, but just couldn’t based on what we ordered. Especially the veggie crêpe.

Disappointed as I was really excited to go here.
Hostess/​Manager at the door outright rude. Unapologetic for 20 min delay of table.
Kitchen was out of a couple dishes. Server was trying to up sell way too hard.
Portions are not fit for the prices charged and food doesn’t have any excitement. I’ve been to the Piedmont and know what dishes I loved and remember. These don’t come close.
Further on the server: I ordered wine for our table, a glass for each person based on their taste, and he tried to talk me out of a selection made for a dining companion. She told him to put in what I ordered. He tried talking her out of it.
She enjoyed it very much. Not sure why he was trying to talk her out of it.
Won’t be back, and sad, because really wanted it to be great as I love good Piedmontese dishes from when I spent time there.
Too bad.

OUTSTANDING
Osteria Langhe is hands-​off one of the best Italian restaurants in town. The low-​key atmosphere and relatively affordable prices hide a true gem: fresh ingredients, perfectly executed dishes, and an interesting menu with more traditional Italian delicacies as well as some more liberal creation of the chef.
We started off with the Vitello Tonnato and the Plin. The former blended very well together the crispy egg, the velvety tuna aioli, and the poached meat. The plin were just fantastic — smooth and creamy, but with a kick of tasty cheese. The best part of the meal however were the sublime Tajarin Tartufo Nero. The Coniglio had a tough job after the truffle pasta, but it stood up to the challenge.
Service was also very good. Fantastic place, absolutely recommended!

Really different Italian food. I loved that it focuses on one specific area (one that ive never heard of!)
The service was definitely spotty. Would not be going for the service, but it is small and the atmosphere is nice/​relaxed with outside seating as well.
Antipasti
— lamb and fig ravioli: Loved this. Really different flavors
— truffle pasta: my absolute favorite. paper thin spaghetti. just perfect. real truffles on top (not just the fake oil). We added the sunny side egg. Great touch
–cheese raviloli: Really good. JUst like buttered noodles, but probably the least «special» even though they are know for it because of the simpleness
— mussels and frites:
. Perfect. Amazing sauce. Ask for break
*** all pasta are handmade which makes ALL the difference!!!*
Secondi:
– halibut: good, but i thought the others were better. everyone at my table loved though.
– meat ragu: also really good, but i thought some of the other pastas stood out more
–duck: this was my favorite entrée hands down. If you got all the components in one bite it was an explosion in your mouth of deliciousness.

This place shines bright in a neighborhood already saturated with great food. The combination of the most thoughtful, quality ingredients paired together in artfully simple ways is the truest indication of a chef who really knows Italian culture at its core. The Italian staff with their charming accents is all the reaffirmation I need.
We try to order different things each time, but the Plin makes the cut every time. Other favorites include the Crespella (vegetarian crepes), the cauliflower appetizer, and the halibut.
And don’t miss out on half price cocktail Mondays!

Words cannot adequately describe the delicious plin at Osteria Langhe. I was in heaven eating this dish and I am not even a ravioli fan. Absolutely do not miss!
We also enjoyed the pomodoro appetizer and the duck entrée. The latter is extremely rich, so keep that in mind when ordering. For dessert we shared the stimolazione, a tobacco and marsala cheesecake served with a shot of bourbon espresso liquer. We had to order because it was so unique and we were totally wowed. Great end to a great meal!
Service was solid and our wine was amazing (the Albe barolo). My only critique would be that they don’t serve Prosecco, only sparkling Chardonnay, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. Oh, and the breadsticks are pretty blah. Otherwise, thumbs up all around.

This is one of those places I so want to give a 5 star but certain things lacked so it would be more like a 4.5. The services was outstanding… so nice and accommodating which really makes me love this place and its intimate, romantic setting. Parking is also easy and free… gotta love Logan square for dat! The food menu and wine list are super interesting offering lots of things to try… defiantly ask your server for advice on both as there are a lot of uncommon wines and ingredients which may leave you a little lost. The pacing of the food had hugely LONNGG gaps between courses which left things lingering to the point when the entrees arrived I was ready to go. This may have been in part our fault as we asked things not to come too rushed as we each ordered 3 courses but I just didn’t want them to all come at once which sometimes happens when you order small plates. The vegetarian crêpe was the one menu item that really stood out as a winner all other items we tried were very fresh and tastee but nothing overly impressive. With that said the positives all out way the constructive criticism and I could very well see myself adjusting this review to a 5 after my next visit. GREAT SPOT!

Ventured to Logan Square to check this place out the other wknd. It was great! The plin was by far my favorite dish and I’d also highly recommend the cauliflower. The owner stopped by our table a few times to answer questions about the menu and share his favorites. He was really welcoming and passionate and that showed in every aspect of the restaurant.
Can’t wait to go back!

This place is a gem! We came here for our monthly dinner club, and had the best time. The staff was SO accommodating and gave us some great recommendations. We started off with one of the best red wines Ive had in a while. It was very earthy and spicy and delicious! Great wine recommendation. There were 7 of us so we started with 4 starters and we each ordered our own dinner and this was plenty of food. We ordered the following:
Vitello Tonnato — absolutely delicious!!! Must order
Polipo BLT — Nice pieces of octopus with pork belly. VERY good — one of my faves
Brussel Sprouts — they were good, but they’re everywhere. I like the uniqueness with the olives, though.
Plin — TO. DIE. FOR. These little pillows of heaven were amazing. I could have eaten 3 dishes!
For my main I had the scallops and they were very good! Nice crust on them and buttery on the inside. I love lentils and it paired nicely with the scallops.
I would HIGHLY recommend checking this place out. Its a small, intimate spot that would be perfect for a girls night out — like we did — or even the perfect spot to bring a date. I will definitely be bringing my boyfriend back here to check it out!

So I’ve now been here twice… once with the boyfriend and once with the parents.
The Food:
First time we started with the Plin, Tajarin & Carne Cruda. Both of us loved all three. The plin is their signature dish — it’s basically like cheese ravioli’s — what’s not to like? Not sure it’s MIND-​BLOWING but they’re addicting and tasty! Carne Cruda is their steak tartare — not the best I have ever had but was also enjoyable. The Tajarin was recco’d by the waitress — pretty basic angel hair pasta with some mild seasonings. I enjoyed it but I’m a sucker for white carbs & garlic.
Second time we went with the Vitello Tonnato, Plin & Gamberini. We asked the server between the Vitello Tonnato & the Carne Cruda — and he said FOR SURE Vitello Tonnato, so since I had the CC before, we went with the VT — big disappointment. This was literally deli meat on a plate with a soft boiled egg which unfortunately didn’t add much to the dish. I love raw meat and I love eggs and this was a miss. Don’t listen to your server — go with the carne cruda! My parents weren’t wild about the plin but they did like the Gamberini — fried shrimp served with garbanzo beans. This to me was something that you’d see duplicated at any restaurant with fried shrimp. While tasty, it felt out of place.
For the main dishes, the first time we went with the rabbit and the lamb. The rabbit was the favorite but the lamb was surprisingly inside pasta! The lamb was also really yummy. You could really taste the olives which I love. The pasta was light if you can imagine that in a white pasta, but I think that’s a sign of high quality? Maybe? The rabbit was also a waitress recommendation. It’s wrapped in pork belly which acts like bacon & it’s incredibly juicy and crisp. Would order this again in any situation.
With the rents — we added to the rabbit/​lamb and went with the steak. The steak was disappointing though i’m not sure what we were expecting. it was 5 tiny small bites and white it was well seasoned it did not feel like the highest quality meat. I hate to say it but almost resembled hamburger meat (in flavor not in looks). My dad who is a meat and potatoes type guy, and struggles when my mom and I make him share everything was not overly thrilled with this one, though he did like the rabbit. Comments around the lamb this time were around how garlicky it was… I didn’t remember it quite so garlicky the first time around though it wasn’t a turn off for me.
The ambiance:
This place is cute. It is a gem on Armitage street — twinkle lights all around. Across the street from the tasty freeze :) Would love to try outdoor dining in the summer.
The first time I went it was just my boyfriend and I and we were at a small two top table along the wall. The table next to us was SO LOUD and because they were so close to us, there was really nothing we could do about it. We weren’t about to ask to be moved considering it was a busy Friday night but overall the restaurant is loud. This was also an issue with my parents who are 65+… I would recommend to all servers everywhere, if you are waiting on a table with older folks, PROJECT YOUR VOICE. No one can hear you and then it just gets awkward when you have to keep repeating yourself…
Service:
The owner came to our table on my second visit. He told my mom, dad and me all about where the inspiration for the restaurant came from — the little region in Italy that borders France and was invaded by the Austrians — hence why there’s more champagne on the menu than prosecco. He called this region, Piemonte, the birthplace of Italy. Really nice guy and I like it when owners roam their restaurants to say hello to the guests. Extra star here :)
Waitress on the first visit was nicer than the guy we had with my parents… again back to being loud enough… major issue for the older folk. Plus steering us away from the carne crude was also a ding.

I’m a fan of this quaint neighborhood restaurant. We’ve already visited a few times over the period of the handful of months it’s been open and it’s nice to see that it’s been consistent in quality and service since opening.
From the hand-​rolled olive breadsticks to the generous pours of wine (great selection of Italian wines btw), you can feel the love that goes into this restaurant.
I feel like the prices are reasonable. Though the supersized majority might be irked by the smaller portion sizes, these are probably portion sizes we should be eating.
I really enjoyed the rock shrimp appetizer and the panna cotta dessert. There was also a seafood stew type dish that I enjoyed but didn’t see on the menu this last visit, but it seems the menu’s changed a little bit each time we visit.
Street parking has always been easy to find in this area (but then again we tend to eat early, like senior-​discount early).
Tuesdays are $ 30 3-​course prix fixe days, and you get to pick from the entire menu (minus the risotto) so it’s a fantastic deal.
Pro Tip: If none of the desserts strike your fancy, Tastee Freez is right across the street. Just saying.

Osteria Langhe serves Italian cuisine that is more customary in the Piemonte region. One may say that there is a such thing as too many Italian restaurants. However, there is never a bad thing when it comes to discovering more to Italian dining than pasta and pizza.
Polipo. Insalata. Seafood risotto. Soft shell crab. Panna cotta.
The dish of grilled octopus, heirloom tomatoes, basil, capers, saffron oil, and grilled bread was a fantastic starter. The octopus did not have a rubbery texture to it. The tenderness of it made cutting into it feel almost like slicing through very tender chicken. Although the salad of tomatoes and mini greens came without much of a vinaigrette, there was enough to accompany the salad while letting the octopus have the stage as the star.
The insalata was a salad of spicy mixed greens, kohlrabi, green peas, parmesan, and croutons of fried veal brains. The «sweetbread» croutons were like fried cotton candy — if you can imagine that.
The risotto comes as a different variety per day and I was fortunate that I got the seafood version that had plump scallop and shrimp. A very, very creamy base to it, the risotto is reminiscent of French cooking. This dish, however, was Italian cooking at its finest.
The plate of soft shell crab and insalata russa is one that everyone should try, especially those who think that they know where the best Italian food is served. The soft shell crab had an egg batter that made it very light and there was so much meat in the crab that each bite was an explosion. The insalata russa, which is a combination of potato salad and tuna salad, an ideal choice for this dish and a great introduction to something authentically Italian that is not served in America-​side Italian eateries.
Nothing spectacular like a tiramisu, tartufo, biscotti, or cannoli, but creamy and outstanding for a wrap-​up, the panna cotta served with mixed berries is an idyllic dessert finale. Along with that came a small glass of Amaro liqueur. Having a dessert like this prepared at the restaurant means it comes without artificial ingredients. All you get is greatness in taste.
The introduction to Piemonte cuisine was absolutely luscious and a draw for what will be a constant return. The service is out of this world, from the owner who is fully engaging in conversation the way restaurant owners are in Italy to servers who can offer tempting recommendations to the bar service that mixes liquid satisfaction without any disappointment. Osteria Langhe has a «Make yourself at home» feel to it and regular customers will attest that another Italian restaurant on the Logan Square landscape is a dream come true.