May 22, 1996
The Best Italian Food I've Ever Had
by Edward Janik
If you were to walk by 3953 N. Broadway, you might not even notice Anna Maria's. It looks like a hole in the wall, with blinds in the windows, a nondescript storefront and no outside decoration... but when you walk in, you see a cozy classic Italian restaurant with brick and wallpaper walls, framed artistic photos of Italy, a Pavarotti poster, a full bar, a generous nonsmoking room, a smoking room and Italian opera playing quietly throughout.
Enter waitress stage left. She was witty, friendly and helpful ... and the menu was very impressive. We ordered appetizers ... from the menu, bruscetta ... from the list of specials, eggplant Napolitana. My wife is an eggplant connoisseur ... and she was in heaven from the first bite ... as was I. The bruscetta wasn't the usual tomato and basil mix served cold on bread... it was topped with mozarella, baked to a golden color and incredibly delicious. The waitress uncorked the bottle of wine our friends brought, though you can also get wine or whatever right there ... they have a full bar.
Next came the main course. Our friend, David, had ordered a vegetarian pasta roll ... I'd tasted something similar at Mia Francesca's, pasta, spinach, riccotta in a pink tomato creme sauce ... he
insisted we each sample it ... it was exquisite.
I ordered the veal parmigianna ... the veal was butter-soft, I never had to use anything other than my fork to cut into it. The sauce was tasty but not overly spicy (we ate at 9pm and I didn't even need my customary antacid before retiring ... much to my amazement). It was served with a side of linguini with more wonderful tomato sauce.
My wife, predictably, ordered the eggplant parmagianna. She is a very sophisticated diner, familiar with all the trendy Italian places on the north side ... she pronounced the food fresher than at Mia's ... and without any wait for a table! (The place was full, but there was no line.) Pamela (David's wife) ordered a pasta with mushrooms ... she seemed to thoroughly enjoy this ... being a mushroom hater, I will take her word.
Finally came dessert. We ordered a large cut of something I don't know the name of ... it was like Tira Misu with white and regular chocolate. I ordered a capuccino. Both were perfect. The capuccino had chocolate sprinkled on the perfect foam.
The entire bill for the 4 of us (including the corking fee for the bottle of wine David brought) was just $70.00 plus tip.
We were all wearing t-shirts ... I was in jeans, David and my wife wore shorts and Pam wore a skirt ... bottom line, casual dress is fine, but the food and atmotphere is classical Italian.
I doubt you'd ever find this place if you didn't know it existed... it appears to be a well kept secret. Surely its outward appearance gives no clue of what's inside.
Forget Mia's, forget Bella Vista, forget Vincy's ... check this place out!
As for this evening... I have another gourmet Italian treat in store...my wife made her chicken cacciatore. Damn, I'm a lucky guy... :)
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Chicago Sun-Times, Friday, January 12, 1996
Quality Remains in Style at Anna Maria
By Earnest Tucker
Six years after opening in Now Town, a few things have changed in the ham ey Anna Maria Pasteria. An autographed poster of Luciano Pavarotti now hangs near the doorway among framed photographs of Italy. About two yews ago a second room was added to expand the tiny six-table Italian trattoria into a more roomy spot seating about 50. And a pizzeria that had operated a half-block south until a few weeks ago will be added in an adjoining space within the next month.
But those are changes in scope, not style. That much was clear on a recent evening when my wife and I parked in this as yet ungentrified neighborhood and walked in to see Maria Spinelli. Maria (the second half of the name) makes the wonderful deserts daily and most nights greets -the guests. Her sister, chef-owner Anna Picciolini, works in the kitchen.
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Not having been Awe for more than a yew I wanted to reassure myself that the food hadn't changed. So it was right into the Caprese Wad, a fine serving of beefstake tomatoes topped with oil, boa sun-dried tomatoes and (yum!) fresh mozzarella. Once a steal for about $3, it is still a fair value at $5.50.
Having sworn off fried foods, we next sampled the grilled calamari. What's not to like with these tender pieces of squid garnished with roasted poppers, lemon and spices? Again, worthy thought not cheap at $7.50.
Savy eater that she is, my wife knew that while eggplant parmigiana is not always on the menu. it can sometimes be found as a special request. And so it was, one order waiting for her. Nicely breaded slices of the vegetable plus a fine sauce make it unbeatable at $9.95 with salad. I chose the rotolo and was fascinated by the roll of tricolored pastas and the mix of red and white sauces.
My only complaint was that thin homemade pasta special left my plate too quickly. Past experience has taught us that the chicken or veal Marsala would be a worthy main course.
We nursed a white wine from a modest, affordable selection that included $12.50 bottles of house wine to a $25 Italian Chianti. Three is $3 corkage fee if you bring your own.
For desert, there is tirami su, which is getting tired in many Italian places but here is still fluffy with mascarpone cheese, a dusting of chocolate and ladyfingers. Other deserts change daily'
Sure, there are bigger restaurants, and plenty thay an fender But for my lire, Anna Maria's still is one tasty bargain. And with the resumption of that pizzeria, this is going to be one nice slice of Little Italy in New Town.
3953 N. Broadway, Chicago, Il 60613
Phone: (312) 929-6363.
Hours: Monday-Tuesday 5-10 p.m.;Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 5-10:30 pm.; Friday-Saturday, 5-11:30pn P.M.
Prices: appetizers, $4.50-$7.50: entrees. $7.50-$14.25.
Ambience: bistro. casual.
Credit cards: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa.
Reservations: Accepted for six or more. Sundays through Thursdays.
Smoking policy: One room smoking, one non-smoking.
Parking: Street parking (can be scarce).
Wheelchair accessible: Yes.
Good for kids? Fine
Recommended dishes: grilled calamari, Caprese salad, eggplant parmigiana, veal and chicken marsala, rotolo aurora.
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Inside Lincoln Park, Wednesday, December 13, 1989
Eatery Beat Openings
By Kathleen Furor
Traditional Italian dishes that are as the menu says, "prepared with love" by sisters Anna Picciolini and Maria Pasteria, 3953 N. Broadway. Menu offerings at this cozy storefront cafe include a generous Caprese Salad of fresh mozzarella, fresh and sundried tomatoes and basil for $3.95; the full-flavored Polla alla Anna, a sauteed chicken breast topped with white wine and mushroom sauce and served with soup or salad with a side of fettuccini for $6.95; and Tiramisu, a rich yet light custard and espresso dessert, for $2.25. Recent pasta specials included an out-of-this world spinach fettucine with scallons and salmon in a light cream sauce for $8. The pasteria does not have a liquor license so bring your own wine for a meal that pleases both plate and pocket book. Phone 929-6363.
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Anna Maria Pasteria Review
by Pat Bruno
Caprese salad, garden salad, primavera salad and fish salad are the opening choices at Anna Maria Pasteria, though it would be gliding the garlic to suggest that a meal at Anna Maria should proceed by the regular restaurant rules.
Pasta dishes, priced no higher that $8.80, include tortellini (meat-or cheese filled), fettucini Alfredo, linguini with pesto, stuffed shells, lasagna, and spaghetti with Bolognese or marinara sauce. All the pasta, with the exception of the spaghetti, is made on the premises.
Secondi is served with chicken and veal only, comes with soup or salad and aide of pasta and is priced no higher than $8.95.
There are some sandwiches; frittata of the day, meatballs, submarine and peppers and egg.
Desserts include tirami su, torte, afogliatalla and cannoli, and they were all homemade.
I went to the eggplant parmigiana for a starter during one visit, and it was a good choice. This eggplant dish was made with a light hand. The slices of eggplant were firm and free of oil. The tomato sauce, flavored with grated cheese and herbs, was light yet lively. And it was a lot of good eating for only $4.95.
The caprese salad has been making the rounds of the Italian eating places lately. Anna Maria's version was bold and beautiful. Four hefty slices of rip tomatoes were crowned with four big chuncks of mellow-tasting homemade mozzarella. Each tomato then got a slice of sun-dried tomato and fresh basil leaves. A light gloss of high quality olive oil completed the tasty picture.
One day the frittata (omelet) sandwich of the day was broccoli, and it was wonderful. Laid into a soft-crusted Italian roll was a thick. broccoli-laden omelet of delicious consequence.
The pasta dishes were delicious. The meat-filled ravioli one day were outstanding. This was the best $6.25 I've spent in a long time.
Not too far behind that tasty number was the lasagna-light, easygoing, the ricotta cheese not done is from the heat, the pasta a pleasure to the tooth. The $4.98 price a steal. It was a good one.
Veal limone was nothing more that two collops of tender veal in a light lemon sauce, but in its simplicity lay its goodness.
The same was true of the pollo alla Anna. A chicken breast of good proportions got merely a light gloss with a thin and delicate white sauce. That was it, and i work out just fine.
More robust was the veal parmigiana, but there was no fooling around with the veal, which was high-quality. Cheese and a light red sauce (Anna Maria served a light and refreshingly non-complex red sauce) completed the parmigiana part. It was a nice dish for only $8.95.
Anna Maria served tirami su on my viaita. This Mascarpone did not take a back seat to whipped cream in this number. From the cocoa-powder-clad top on through to the soft crust, this was a lush and luxurious, flavor-packed and taste-balanced tirami su that was so good my tooth department, either. Each of those chocolate wonders should have had "high price" written all over them, but they were both less that $2.
You may bring your own wine. Espresso is as good as you'll find around town at any price, but here it is a respectable and acceptable $1.25, and cappuccino is only .25 more.
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