Restaurant: La Scarola in Chicago
La Scarola
721 West Grand
Chicago, IL
Don’t let the outside fool you. There’s plenty of room inside what looks like a cozy storefront. But, the dining rooms (plural) do fill up each night.
The walls are filled with interesting photos. The majority of them showcase the famous faces that have come through these doors over the restaurant’s long history. On this particular night, I sat next to Dolly Parton and Matt Damon.
On the right, you can see my eggplant parmigiana. It comes with a side of pasta (the shells).
I’ve never had eggplant parmigiana like this. Usually, it’s breaded and harder. Here, the eggplant slices had the texture of a stewed vegetable. With it topped with loads of melted cheese and sauce, it had a pleasing chewiness to it.
The side was not very good. The overcooked shells had that mushy pasta feel. The sauce, however, was still very tasty.
Truthfully, by the time the entree arrived, my house salad and the table bread already filled me up. The house salad was of a good size. It was fresh and crisp. The roasted red peppers added a nice touch. The dressing does come on the salad, but I don’t think it is overdone. For my Italian meals, I like a hearty and vinegary dressing.
What really sets this place apart is the service. There are a lot of people in white and black walking around. Service is fast. You don’t have to wait to order, for a drink refill, or to get your check. I like that.
Overall, I wasn’t blown away by the food, but it is a nice atmosphere with a lot of range on the menu. I’d like to go back. Even with this disturbing menu typo.
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