The gnocchi was probably the most disappointing. The pizza was just average, with very little basil but a pretty good crust. Coupled with the long finger-like pasta it didn’t look particularly appetizing but the flavor was rich and creamy. The cavatelli was tossed with a very mechanical bull for sale orange tomato-vodka cream sauce. The cavatelli I was unfamiliar with and it is something they make fresh in the kitchen that looks and tastes like long gnocchi fingers. Upon recommendation we ordered an Arugala salad to share, margarita pizza, gnocchi in a pomodoro sauce and cavatelli. The menu was small and uninspired to me – there was nothing new that popped out at me but nothing particularly standard either. Our bartender then became our waiter and luckily he did have an opinion on the food. Fortunately the place was not smokey at all. I was surprised to read by the front door that this was a restaurant that still allowed smoking. The atmosphere was very casual and comfortable. The restaurant has two long booth-style sitting areas, one by the bar and one in the main dining area. I ordered a Chianti and after a couple of sips we moved over to our table. A bartender that doesn’t drink wine? I might not think anything of it in a bar but at a restaurant? OK. I asked the bartender what he would recommend and he inflatable water slide commented that he didn’t drink wine so he couldn’t recommend anything. We started at the bar and ordered glasses of wine. It was about 8:30PM when we walked in and the place was pretty empty. I met a couple of girlfriends out for dinner and drinks Saturday night at Aldente Cafe and Lounge.

Aldente chicago