Scott Harris continues his never-ending march of openings (The Purple Pig, Nella, the various Francescas, the newly-announced Davanti Enoteca) with Aldino’s (626 S. Racine Ave.), a rustico Italiano situation slated for a Thursday open in Little Italy. At the helm is erstwhile 312 Chicago chef Dean Zanella, who plans to up the ante on all those market-driven restaurants by incorporating an actual market into the place. (That, we presume, is what he was referring to when in November of 2008 he told the Trib that he’d be bringing “something that will be great for Chicago, something Chicago needs and currently doesn’t have.”)
The menu is full of classics — pappardelle bolognese, sirloin with arugula and charred lemon — but Zanella flexes his chops in dishes like gigante rigatoni with braised rabbit, black olives, and pecorino; a baked tuna stew spiked with tomatoes and cannelini beans; and an appetizer of beef tongue agrodolce. Our pals at TOC have the full menu; check it out here.
626 S. Racine Ave., nr. W. Harrison. 312-226-9300
