Mario Maggi opened Bice here some 25 years ago, when its brand of northern Italian cuisine was the new thing on the scene. He went on to restaurants all around the world— from Seoul to San Francisco. But now, like his successor at Bice, Riccardo Michi (who has Riccardo Trattoria), he seems to just want to settle down in Chicago and have a nice neighborhood place. He’s taking over the former Jam space at 937 N. Damen, painting the inside with the same orange sponge-paint wash that Bice helped make ubiquitous back in the 80s, and he hopes to start dishing up easy to like northern Italian cuisine again on April 5. La Bricola will have about 60 seats inside year-round, but best of all is the shady patio next door, one of the best little pocket gardens in the city. It will be BYO when it opens. [Eater]
