What To Eat

What To Eat at Forza Restaurante, Open Now

A chance meeting in Chicago between Italian chef Mario Giuseppe Mentesana and a vacationing Australian named Paul Ieraci led to Lincoln Park’s new Italian restaurant and wine bar in the former The Spread space, Forza. Ieraci liked what he heard and decided to back Mentesana, who had worked at Florence’s highly rated Acqua al Due and Cavolo Nero before coming to Chicago to attend Loyola. The result is now a chic, “Audrey Hepburn-glamorous” straight-out-of-Italy restaurant and bar serving classical southern Italian food and housemade pastas from Mentesana’s family recipes. Alongside Mentesana’s food is an extensive Italian-focused bar program under mixologist Tony Selna (formerly of Mastro’s in Beverly Hills and Chicago), and a champagne lounge will open soon next door. The restaurant and bar are open now; here’s what’s on the menu.

Antipasti

Cozze Scoppiate 10
Ocean fresh mussels exploded in a spicy garlic Calabrese tomato sauce

Truffle Fries 7
Parmesan truffle fries with an Italian white truffle aioli dipping sauce

Arancine alla Siciliana 8
Sicilian saffron rice balls with a melted fontina cheese center

Panzerottini Romani 7
Variety of Roman style pizza pockets

Pane con aglio fonduta 6
Crispy parmesan garlic bread dressed with a Gorgonzola cheese fondue

Truffle Mac n Cheese 8
Bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese with 6 cheeses accented with Italian white truffle oil

Polpette Campofelicese 9
Sicilian meatballs braised in a luscious San Marzano tomato sauce

Polenta sopra il marmo 9
Mascarpone polenta hand poured table side on a slab of marble topped with
Chef’s sauce of the day

Kobe Sliders 10
Japanese Kobe beef sliders accompanied with Merkt cheddar cheese, baby arugula,
roma tomatoes and Italian white truffle aioli

Pasta


Rigatoni Ballanti 9
Al dente rigatoni pasta dressed with a San Marzano tomato sauce

Farfalle Arrabiate 9
Al dente bow tie pasta dressed in a spicy San Marzano tomato sauce with
Zio Gino’s homemade sweet Italian sausage topped with sweet ricotta

Penne alla Vodka 9
Al dente penne pasta dressed in a creamy tomato based vodka sauce

Bucatini alla Carbonara 11
Traditional preparation with Italian pancetta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, black pepper topped with an organic duck egg

Ravioli tartufati con burro e salvia 10
Homemade ricotta filled ravioli dressed with a brown butter sage sauce and
a drizzle of Italian white truffle oil

Salads

Cesare 8
Classic caesar with romaine topped by a homemade anchovy dressing

Rucola 8
Baby arugula topped with organic pears and crispy Italian pancetta dressed in a
lemon oil vinaigrette finished with shaved Grana Padana cheese

Pizza

Margherita DOC 9
The most famous original pizza
San Marzano tomatoes - Fresh Mozzarella - Italian Basil

Salsiccia e Cipolle 9
Zio Gino’s homemade sweet Italian sausage and caramelized vidalia onions

Campagna di Campofelice 10
Seasonal wild Italian mushrooms, baby artichokes, shaved fontina cheese topped with
an organic duck egg and a drizzle of white truffle oil

Crudo con rucola 9
Fresh mozzarella and prosciutto de Parma ham topped with baby arugula

Fuoco Calabrisella 9
Spicy calabrese sopressata salami with shaved Parmesan and fresh mozzarella

Nonno Peppino 10
White pizza topped with Sicilian Recca anchovies, aged Sicilian Caciocavallo cheese,
caramelized sweet onions, rosemary and finished with Frantoia Sicilian olive oil


Forza Restaurante, 2476 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-248-7888.

What To Eat at Forza Restaurante, Open Now