Project: LOOP

Between all the competition, we tend to forget about the places that are right in front of us. Just a short distance from campus, rests a cozy Italian restaurant that will not leave you going hungry. Located at 616 S. Dearborn, Trattoria Caterina is a perfect place for a first date or if your just in the mood for some good ol’ Italian cooking.

After not wanting to wander too far in the dreary weather on April 12, my Dad and I decided to peek our heads into the small restaurant on Printers Row. It was only four o’clock, and we happened to be the only ones in the restaurant. On the inside, old black and white portraits left over from the previous owner hung on the “stone” wall. The tables were draped in pure white linen, and faint Italian music played in the background. Altogether, while the layout of the restaurant was small, it had an authentic feel.

Our waitress, a 32-year-old native born Greek, promptly greeted us at the door and gave us the dinner specials. I decided to start with one of their recommended appetizers, the eggplant rolls, that consisted of thinly sliced eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese, and smothered in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, which happened to be excellent. As often as possible, our waitress would stop by our table to chat about Greece, the restaurant, her family and of course, Chicago. For our main courses, I decided on the veal parmigiana, which was coated in marinara and mozzarella cheeses, and served with zita pasta. My Dad ordered a classic, chicken alfreado. Our dinners came with our choice of either soup or salad, and both of us couldn’t pass up the homemade meat ball soup: two large meatballs with chunks of potato, carrot and celery. Our main dishes came shortly after, and by that point, we were already getting full… (The portions were huge!) After talking to our waitress more about Greece and our experiences of New York City, she managed to coax us into trying their devouring tiramisu, covered in cocoa powder. We ended the meal with a hot cup of french vanilla cappuccino and Lipton tea.

To sum it up, our waitress said that 90 percent of their business is from carryouts. So, if you’re in the mood for a nice candlelight dinner, or if you just want some mouth-watering pizza, this is definitely the place to go. The service made the experience that much more enjoyable, and the food was worth every penny.
Info:

Trattoria Caterina
616 S. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60605

Location: Loop

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Fri 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Average cost: $25 per person

Phone: (312) 939-7606
Recommended: Yes
Pros: Food is excellent, and the service and atmosphere isn’t too bad either..
Cons: They don’t serve any type of liquor, but, if you want a bottle of wine, they’ll run down the street for you.

Tips: The portions are huge, so try splitting a meal if you’re not too hungry.
Also, students receive a 10% discount!