Can’t Miss Dining at Filini Bar and Restaurant in Chicago

I scooped up a fork full of the delicious looking ravioli on my plate at Filini and took a bite.

The restaurant is, like the rest of the hotel, a lovely and open space with a modern yet comfortable design.

We were seated immediately in a booth overlooking the street where we watched as people strolled by our window a story below us. We ordered water and our waiter immediately brought us an ice cold little glass bottle of water and a glass. Why does every restaurant not do this? It was wonderful to just refill our glasses with the refreshingly cold water.

We didn’t order drinks but could have as they have an extensive bar menu. They also offer monthly, complimentary cocktail classes which look like they would be a lot of fun. The classes are limited to 15 participants who learn all about the “art of mixology” at the Blu Bar in the restaurant. The cocktail demonstrations are conducted by Principal Bartender Roger Bailey and are inspired by the season and the holidays of each month. After the demonstration, guests prepare the chosen cocktails which will include such diverse offerings as a “Maximilian Affair”, a “Blue Cooler”, or a “Wacucumber”. Contact Filini for more information and to sign up for classes.

Everything on the restaurant menu looked and sounded absolutely wonderful as our helpful waiter described them to us but we finally made our choices and then just enjoyed the delectable smells wafting from the kitchen. They also have a completely new menu for spring which looks equally delicious. I had ordered a Caesar salad and, not reading the menu closely enough, I didn’t realize it came with grilled chicken on top and would have been sufficient for a meal all by itself. It was honestly one of the best Caesar salads I have ever eaten and I am a connoisseur of the Caesar salad. Some have dressing that is just a bit too sour but this one was perfection. Plenty of cheese and the chicken was delicious as well.

I had a hard time deciding between all the succulent-sounding Italian dishes on the menu but finally settled on the Ravioli. It was quite evocatively described as “Ricotta and spinach stuffed ravioli with tomato sauce”, but they should have added that it was going to melt in your mouth with deliciousness and you would dream about this ravioli for a very, very long time.

After we had consumed our entrees with much moaning and groaning (quietly of course) we faced the quandary of all travel writers who are writing about food and have quite effectively consumed so much delicious food that they don’t actually need dessert in any form.

Not at all.

But, like the true brave and hardy adventurers that we are who know you are consumed with curiosity about the desserts anyplace we eat – this is my story and I’m sticking to it – we did indeed order dessert. I don’t normally write about what Tom orders unless I manage to snag a sample or it’s something extraordinary and also because he gets a little impatient with taking photos of food when he is ready to eat it. However, he did mention that the tiramisu he had for dessert was the best he has ever eaten.

And my dessert was equally superlative. I love a dessert with several small items which I can sample and this one was perfect. “Selezione Di Gelati: Gianduia,with coffee, chocolate chip or rum raisin gelato” When I indicated a preference for anything chocolate, this is what our waiter recommended. Gianduia are chocolates shaped like an upturned boat  made with a mixture of cocoa and hazelnut paste.

And they are wonderful.

I am not a coffee fan at all but coffee gelato was perfect with the ball of chocolate decadence.

Every single item we ate was wonderful and obviously prepared with care and attention to every, single detail.

I would like to have the entire meal again.

At this very moment.

If you are in Chicago anytime soon, stop by Filini. You will not be disappointed, I promise.

Full disclosure: Filini provided us with our meal,  but as always, I will share my honest opinion about any travel experiences I have.