For this Weekend Special, Chef Silvia drew inspiration from the agro-pastoral culture present on the island of Sardinia (if you’re looking on a map, it looks sort of like the football the boot of Italy just kicked). Sardinia’s culture was made richer thanks to the vast diversity of Mediterranean area, and Silvia is bringing those flavors to Merlo on Maple.

Roasted meats, breads, cheeses, game, fish and a collection of wild herbs will all be featured, and it’s precisely the type of food that sums up the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. And as UNESCO says, the diet is healthy not just because of its food, but the culture that surrounds it.

“The Mediterranean diet (from the Greek diaita, or way of life) encompasses more than just food. It promotes social interaction, since communal meals are the cornerstone of social customs and festive events.”

That sums it up, doesn’t it? At Merlo on Maple, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide the setting and food necessary for great communal meals and memorable events. This Weekend Special is a tip of the cap to these Italian traditions. With all that said, here’s the menu Silvia will prepare for our guests this weekend only. Reserve your table here.

Antipasti

Shaved sardinian mullet bottarga on oven-warmed carasau bread
Pane carasau passato al forno con bottarga di muggine

Pecorino sardo cheese with arbatus honey and lemon cream
Pecorino sardo cheese with arbatus honey and lemon cream

Grilled porcini mushroom
Porcini Grigliati

Pasta

Homemade semola spaghettini with fresh sea urchins on wild asparagus cream
Spaghettini ai ricci di mare e crema di asparagi selvatici

Culingiones spighetta with fresh tomato and basil sauce
Culingiones a spighetta, pomodoro e basilic

Meat

Naturally grown lamb, stewed with sardinian red wine cannonau, olives, and wild fennel
Agnello alle olive sarde

Dessert

Ricotta cream, honey and rum, coffee beans and nougat with myrtle
Creme di ricotta, miele e rum, chicchi di caffe e torrone al mirto

This very special menu is here for this weekend only! Click here to reserve your table and experience what makes Sardina’s food so unique.

The post The Best of the Mediterranean for this Weekend Special appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

Jesse,

Thank you for excellent service on Monday night. Everyone was talking about the dinner throughout the meeting yesterday and there was nothing but high compliments for the restaurant, food, service and overall experience. This is an annual meeting with our client and there were remarks that the evening at Merlo was the best one ever! Hopefully that means we will be back with this group and that my coworkers will bring other their clients to Merlo in the future. Thank you to you and the rest of the staff for a great experience (of course I didn’t expect anything less!).

Thank you also for the info on your novel, it does sound interesting and intriguing. I will definitely take a look and let you know once I’ve had the chance to read it. Good luck to you.

Thanks again and hope to see you again at Merlo.

Karen

Thanks to Karen for taking the time to write in! If you’re looking for a location to host an upcoming event, we’re ready to accomodate you whether it’s a corporate outing or a family celebration. Click here to submit your Private Event inquiry.

The post Customer praise for Jesse, Merlo on Maple Server appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

As inspiration for this weekend’s menu tasting, Silvia looked to Piedmont (a northwest region of Italy known for its wine production) and put together an incredible combination of flavors. Specifially, she drew inspiration from the hills of Langhe, famous for the wine, cheeses, and truffles it produces. Using authentic ingredients applied to old recipes, Silvia has recreated the tastes and feelings present in the best food one can find in Piedmont.

We present to you our very special 9-course menu! If you’re ready to dine with us, click here to reserve your table or call (312) 335-8200.

La Cucina Delle Langhe

Caparetto in antica salsa tonnata

Deboned lamb rack finely sliced and topped with old stile tuna capers and anchovy sauce

Asparagi bianchi in salsa al basilico

Steamed white asparagus with handmade basil mayonnaise

Carne cruda all ‘ abese porcini, tartufo e parmigiano

Hand-cut veal tartare, fresh porcini mushrooms, and summer black truffle and parmigiano reggiano

Tonno di coniglio marinato

Steamed rabbit marinated with garlic, sage, bay leaf, thyme, basil, rosemary, and extra virgin olive oil.

Tajarin con i porcini

Egg yolk tagliolini and fresh porcini mushrooms sautéed

Agnolotti del plin

Agnolotti filled with roasted pork loin, rabbit, veal, escarole and parmigiano reggiano

Raviolo ripieno con tuorlo d’uovo crudo, servito con fonduta e tartufo

Ravioli filled with ricotta, spinach and egg yolk, tossed with fondue and black truffles

Cap on rib eye con cappella di porcino e cipolla cotta al forno

Mishima ranch wagyu beef cap on sautéed rib eye, oven baked white onions, homemade salsiccia, fontina and taleggio

Tortino al gianduja con palla di cioccolato (pictured at top of page)

Gianduja cake and chocolate ball

Craving some old fashioned Italian wine, food, and conversation? We can’t wait to serve you! Reserve your table at Merlo on Maple online or call (312) 335-8200.

The post Menu Tasting Weekend Special: 9 Courses from Italy’s Piedmont Region appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

We’re celebrating mothers this weekend, so instead of a traditional weekend special, Merlo on Maple will feature some of the best comfort food Italy has to offer.

We will have a special tasting menu inspired by the typical cuisine from the south of Italy. It differs slightly from our typical Northern Italian cuisine, but it remains Italian, authentic, and delicious.

For the Mother’s Day tasting menu, Chef Silvia will offer 5 courses.

First Course: Fave Fresche, Pecorino Sardo e Cipollotti
Fresh fava beans, pecorino from Sardinio, and spring onions

Second Course: Fiori di Zucca in Pastella
Zucchini flowers, buffalo mozzarella, and anchovies in tempura

Third Course: Pasta Imbottita (pictured)
Pastry dough filled with homemade semola macaroni in a southern-style tomato sauce. What makes this one of the best comfort foods? Veal, buffalo mozzarella, pecorino sardo, parmigiano reggiano, sauteed eggplant and zucchini, and hard-boiled eggs are all added in and oven baked to perfection.

Fourth Course: Agnello in Fricassea
Leg of lamb braised with onions, shallots, and artichokes. Au gratin with a crust of mozzarella, pecorino, parsley, and eggs.

Fifth Course: Baba al Rum, Crema Pasticcera e Salsa di Lamponi
Rum baba in pastry cream, fresh raspberry, and raspberry sauce

The price for the entire Mother’s Day menu is set at $68. A lovely evening with the best comfort food Chicago has to offer is the ideal way to say thanks to Mom for everything she’s done.

Whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day or you just want to try this one-of-a-kind tasting menu, we’re ready to serve you. Reserve your table at Merlo on Maple.

Buon appetito!

The post Best of the best comfort food for our Mother’s Day Special appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

Guineafowl is a bird you may not know much about as its native continent is Africa. But over time it’s been domesticated in other places, so more and more people now know about its taste. The flavor of guineafowl lies somewhere between chicken and turkey, and when prepared correctly it’s like pheasant, only juicier.

The Mistress of the Inn

La Locandiera (The Mistress of the Inn) is a classic three-act play that was penned by Carlo Goldoni in 1753. A playwright who was beloved for his mixture of wit and honesty, Goldoni wrote some of Italy’s favorite plays. And of those, La Locandiera is often regarded as his masterpiece.

The play’s protagonist, a coquettish heroine, prepared special dishes and sauces for her guests. Among those dishes was the Veal and Guineafowl meal that will be this weekend’s special at Merlo on Maple. The recipe was a staple of the 1700s Venetian merchant class, and it’s alive and well today.

Our Weekend Special

Chef Silvia will prepare the dish exactly as it was originally intended, using veal and guineafowl roasted slowly with white wine and finished with fresh porcini mushrooms, roasted potatoes, and refined whith a delicate and flavorful pesto made of almonds and parsley.

Consider this your open invitation to make a reservation at Merlo on Maple to sample this Weekend Special or anything else from our authentic Italian menu.

Buon appetito!

The post Guineafowl and Veal with Pesto and Mushrooms: Weekend Special, May 3-5 appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

Chef Luisa Silvia found the recipe for Savonarola’s favorite dish that was prepared for him during a gala in his honor: Storione in Acqua Fervente con Capperi e Uvette (translated: Sturgeon with capers and raisins).

Silvia will interpret the recipe using her world-class experience, instinct, and sensitivity. The sturgeon is a fresh 21-pounder, and it will be accompanied by white asparagus that’s currently in season in the Veneto region. This dish is quite popular in Italy, and we’re excited to bring it to Chicago.

Pondering a visit to Merlo on Maple this weekend? We can’t wait to see you! Make your reservation here.

The post April 26-28 Weekend Special: Storione in Acqua Fervente con Capperi e Uvette appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

If you’re ready for a fabulous authentic Italian experience of your own, just reserve a table at Merlo on Maple.

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This menu dates all the way back to 1883, at which time it was prepared for the wedding between Prince Tommaso Savoia Genova and Isabelle di Bavaria in the castle of Nympfenburg.

Chef Silvia was especially impressed by one of the courses of this incredible dinner known by it’s original French name as “salmi de becasses au truffles.”

Seeing that Chef Silvia was lucky enough to import the extremely rare woodcock from England, she jumped at the opportunity to prepare this dish.

The procedure for making salmi can only be applied to the most succulent and flavorful of meats such as woodcock.

It is perfect for lovers of game meat as it is known for being nutritious and delicate at the same time.

In addition to fresh black truffles, Chef Silvia will prepare the recipe to include fresh porcini mushrooms which are currently in season.

Excited to try this weekend’s special? Click here to reserve your table.

Buon appetito!

The post April 19-21 Weekend Special: Beccacce in Salmi (Salmi of Woodcock) appeared first on Merlo on Maple Chicago.

It was penned by Johannes Michael Savonarola, the grandson of Girolamo Savonarola. Girolamo was a famous friar and philosopher who was burned at the stake at the end of the 15th century because of his liberal leanings.

But back to a more pleasant topic! The dish is prepared using duck from La Belle Farm of Sullivan County, New York. The duck is naturally lower in fat and grown slowly to produce a richer and tastier bird. It’s accompanied with celery, onions, carrots, and Valpolicella wine.

Ready to try this amazing dish? Click here to reserve your seat at Merlo on Maple.

Buon appetito!

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They were fortunate enough to be the guests of good friends of theirs that are part of a historical family of the region.

Seeing that the area is abundant with seafood, the hosts prepared an incredible pasta paired with crustaceans called “crostacei e scialatielli“.

(This pasta is also popular in the Basilicata and Calabria regions of Italy, however it is paired with a different sauce).

The pasta itself is handmade and shaped in the form of a smaller, thicker taglioline.

Chef Silvia will prepare the pasta by mixing durum flour with milk, pecorino, extra virgin olive oil and basil and then top the dish off with a delicious seafood-based sauce made from delicious and extremely rare gamberi rossi, langostine and scampi.

Ready to try this amazing dish? Click here to reserve your seat at Merlo on Maple.

Buon appetito!

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