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.