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Mirabella (in the former Mirabell space)

Mirabella (in the former Mirabell space)
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  • Post #61 - December 31st, 2017, 12:14 am
    Post #61 - December 31st, 2017, 12:14 am Post #61 - December 31st, 2017, 12:14 am
    stevez wrote:We're going to Mirabella for an early New Years Eve dinner. I really like the place. After reading about your dinner, I'm looking forward to it even more. Thanks for the forespice. Happy New Year.

    Right back 'atcha. I know the service can be a little frenetic there during peak times, so I'll be curious to hear how it goes.

    G Wiv wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:and the peas were taut.

    And just under the wire for 2017 Ronnie_Suburban delivers the culinary descriptor of the year! Well done my friend, well done indeed.

    Hehe - I callz 'em like I seez 'em!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #62 - January 1st, 2018, 10:13 am
    Post #62 - January 1st, 2018, 10:13 am Post #62 - January 1st, 2018, 10:13 am
    ronnie_suburban wrote:
    stevez wrote:We're going to Mirabella for an early New Years Eve dinner. I really like the place. After reading about your dinner, I'm looking forward to it even more. Thanks for the forespice. Happy New Year.

    Right back 'atcha. I know the service can be a little frenetic there during peak times, so I'll be curious to hear how it goes.


    Mirabella was the perfect choice for us on NYE. Our plan was to eat early (6:30 reservations), then head home to celebrate. Service was good, despite the restaurant being full by 7:15 or so.

    We started off with shrimp DeJonghe as an appetizer (sorry, no picture). It was a pretty good version, though it could have used more breadcrumbs to thicken the sauce.

    I've been to Mirabella probably 6 - 7 times and have always ordered a rib eye steak, but this time I decided to switch thing up a little bit and went with veal parmesan. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.

    veal_parm.jpg Mirabella Veal Parmesan


    The Chow Poodle went with Chicken Vesuvio, partially on Ronnie's recommendation, and she was more than happy with her choice, declaring it one of the best versions in the city. Personally, I would describe the peas as nubile. Nice and taught, with a few cute dimples...but I digress.

    vesuvio.jpg Mirabella Chicken Vesuvio


    Mirabella really delivered for NYE.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #63 - January 1st, 2018, 1:07 pm
    Post #63 - January 1st, 2018, 1:07 pm Post #63 - January 1st, 2018, 1:07 pm
    Both those dishes look traditional and wonderful. Definitely on my radar. How's parking there, Steve?
  • Post #64 - January 1st, 2018, 4:04 pm
    Post #64 - January 1st, 2018, 4:04 pm Post #64 - January 1st, 2018, 4:04 pm
    jnm123 wrote:Both those dishes look traditional and wonderful. Definitely on my radar. How's parking there, Steve?


    Plenty of free parking across the street in the K-mart parking lot.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #65 - January 1st, 2018, 8:27 pm
    Post #65 - January 1st, 2018, 8:27 pm Post #65 - January 1st, 2018, 8:27 pm
    stevez wrote:
    jnm123 wrote:Both those dishes look traditional and wonderful. Definitely on my radar. How's parking there, Steve?


    Plenty of free parking across the street in the K-mart parking lot.

    Also, the street to the east of Mirabella, Bernard, runs one-way north and is a non-permit zone. St. Louis, which is west of the restaurant and runs one-way south, requires a zone permit.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #66 - January 2nd, 2018, 8:59 am
    Post #66 - January 2nd, 2018, 8:59 am Post #66 - January 2nd, 2018, 8:59 am
    stevez wrote:Personally, I would describe the peas as nubile. Nice and taught, with a few cute dimples...but I digress.


    Roy Moore peas, as it were.
  • Post #67 - January 13th, 2018, 10:42 pm
    Post #67 - January 13th, 2018, 10:42 pm Post #67 - January 13th, 2018, 10:42 pm
    Just returned from a very enjoyable party of nine family dinner at Mirabella.

    Backstory from the maitre d' is that the former owner of German-based Mirabell is friends with the current Mirabella owner, therefore somewhat humorously, some of the Germanic visual influences remain. But the fare is all Chicago-style southern Italian, somewhat in the Gene & Georgetti's/Oakley Ave. vein. Actually, Mirabella reminds me--in atmosphere & cuisine--of a few of the 'goombah' joints I used to frequent in the Elmwood Park/Melrose Park/River Forest area back in the day. In a good way, of course.
    IMG_1715.jpg Mirabella, formerly Mirabell


    Pics not the best, but soldiering on...openers were grilled calamari and mussels marinara, the former in a light gravy redolent of garlic with a little heat, nice rendition indeed.
    IMG_1716.jpg Grilled Calamari
    IMG_1717.jpg Mussels Marinara


    Then, to the parade of entrees.
    IMG_1722.jpg Black Tagliolini Diavolo with Shrimp & Scallops

    IMG_1726.jpg Grilled Salmon with Asparagus, Tomato & Olives in a light Basil/Olive Oil Sauce

    IMG_1734.jpg Filet Mignon, medium rare


    The chicken Vesuvio demands special mention as a litmus test of mine, 'nubile peas' notwithstanding. This was a fine version, doing the best balance between being dry as opposed to too oily, and not too garlicky. I liked this a lot.
    IMG_1730.jpg Mirabella's Chicken Vesuvio

    IMG_1732.jpg


    Finally, a really nice tiramisu that I reportedly inhaled so my dining cohorts couldn't try any.


    All in all, not earth-changing but right off the Kennedy at Addison, free parking across the street at K-Mart, reasonable prices and as good a value as you'll get in the city. I'll be back, for sure. As Gary says, count me a fan!
    IMG_1735.jpg Tiramisu
  • Post #68 - January 17th, 2018, 5:25 pm
    Post #68 - January 17th, 2018, 5:25 pm Post #68 - January 17th, 2018, 5:25 pm
    jnm123 wrote:All in all, not earth-changing but right off the Kennedy at Addison, free parking across the street at K-Mart, reasonable prices and as good a value as you'll get in the city. I'll be back, for sure. As Gary says, count me a fan!

    Since it's in the same general "neck of the woods" as Sabatino's, and seems to have (judging from the pix) similar offerings, how would you rate it compared to that? Better, worse, tie?
    Pithy quote here.
  • Post #69 - January 17th, 2018, 5:57 pm
    Post #69 - January 17th, 2018, 5:57 pm Post #69 - January 17th, 2018, 5:57 pm
    riddlemay wrote:
    jnm123 wrote:All in all, not earth-changing but right off the Kennedy at Addison, free parking across the street at K-Mart, reasonable prices and as good a value as you'll get in the city. I'll be back, for sure. As Gary says, count me a fan!

    Since it's in the same general "neck of the woods" as Sabatino's, and seems to have (judging from the pix) similar offerings, how would you rate it compared to that? Better, worse, tie?


    Completely different. Although both places share a few dishes on their menus, Sabatino's is an old school Italian restaurant, Mirabella is more of a steakhouse with some Italian dishes on the menu. Different vibes, too.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #70 - January 18th, 2018, 4:37 am
    Post #70 - January 18th, 2018, 4:37 am Post #70 - January 18th, 2018, 4:37 am
    Mirabella runs circles around Sabatino's, which IMO has been resting on its laurels for the last several years. It's certainly much better value for money when you consider that their price points aren't that far apart.

    All in all, I'm thankful Mirabella decided not to follow certain folks' advice to pack it in before they had even opened. :roll:
    Last edited by Drover on January 19th, 2018, 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #71 - January 18th, 2018, 6:49 am
    Post #71 - January 18th, 2018, 6:49 am Post #71 - January 18th, 2018, 6:49 am
    riddlemay wrote:
    jnm123 wrote:All in all, not earth-changing but right off the Kennedy at Addison, free parking across the street at K-Mart, reasonable prices and as good a value as you'll get in the city. I'll be back, for sure. As Gary says, count me a fan!

    Since it's in the same general "neck of the woods" as Sabatino's, and seems to have (judging from the pix) similar offerings, how would you rate it compared to that? Better, worse, tie?


    Yeah, I'll go along with Steve's assessment. Apples & oranges, Italian-style. Haven't been to Sabatino in a few years and looking at their menu there are similarities like the inclusion of soup or salad with entrees. But Mirabella is less demographically geriatric, more families and clientele indicative of the neighborhood.

    The above pic of the filet was my buddy's entree, which he deemed as very good, cooked to perfection. He was for many years a 'yuge' fan of the filet at (RIP) Monastero's--in fact it was the only beef he'd consume. And while he wouldn't say completely that Mirabella is a worthy replacement, I think he may come around to a certain extent after the mourning period is over.

    Just last night, I found a doggie bag in the fridge--it was the remnants of my wife's Rigatoni Country-Style, which was with pork fennel sausage and sweet peas (again wit' da peas!) in a tomato-cream sauce that reminded me of Luciano's Fusilli at Bruna's on Oakley Ave. Great stuff.

    Still not a huge fan of the German/Italian motif, and from reading the rest of the thread here I may not wholly believe that 'friends' thing between the former and current owner that the maitre d' explained to me upthread. But the quality of the fare can't be denied, and my whole group was happy, satiated and eager to return in the near future.
  • Post #72 - January 18th, 2018, 12:35 pm
    Post #72 - January 18th, 2018, 12:35 pm Post #72 - January 18th, 2018, 12:35 pm
    jnm123 wrote:... and sweet peas (again wit' da peas!)

    Ha ha ha!
    "Your swimming suit matches your eyes, you hold your nose before diving, loving you has made me bananas!"
  • Post #73 - January 18th, 2018, 12:44 pm
    Post #73 - January 18th, 2018, 12:44 pm Post #73 - January 18th, 2018, 12:44 pm
    jnm123 wrote:. . . Still not a huge fan of the German/Italian motif, and from reading the rest of the thread here I may not wholly believe that 'friends' thing between the former and current owner that the maitre d' explained to me upthread. But the quality of the fare can't be denied, and my whole group was happy, satiated and eager to return in the near future.
    I would guess there is at least some truth in the maitre d's story. Jeff and Arturo got pretty tight during the ownership transition, and technically Jeff is still a partner until Arturo can secure a loan to buy him out outright.

    It's probably closer to the truth that Arturo thought the premises would suffice as is and didn't want to invest a lot more money in converting it to something more conspicuously Italian, or at least less conspicuously German. But given that he chose to honor the previous establishment by basically keeping its name, the story about keeping part of the previous decor intact seems plausible to me.
  • Post #74 - January 18th, 2018, 11:32 pm
    Post #74 - January 18th, 2018, 11:32 pm Post #74 - January 18th, 2018, 11:32 pm
    Drover wrote:All in all, I'm thankful Mirabella decided not to follow certain folks' advice to pack it in before they had even opened. :roll:

    As I recall, the controversy was only around whether Mirabella was a good name for the place, not whether the place was a good idea. In any case, the name doesn't seem to have hurt them none.
    Pithy quote here.
  • Post #75 - March 10th, 2018, 11:48 am
    Post #75 - March 10th, 2018, 11:48 am Post #75 - March 10th, 2018, 11:48 am
    I was "this close" to nominating Mirabella for a GNR (and I'd likely still support a nomination made by someone else) but a recent experience there was sub-par and has me pumping the brakes just a bit. It was probably just a bad night but a couple of main courses were cooked poorly and I fear there are consistency issues here. Appetizers and sides were great, as was one of the steaks we ordered. However, a second steak was cooked way beyond how it was ordered and the Chicken Vesuvio, about which I'd raved upthread, was overcooked, while the potatoes on the plate were undercooked.

    I'm going to continue my bi-monthly visits because there's a lot to love here, especially the service which is remarkably friendly. But when I think about how a lot of people use the GNR list, I'd be concerned about adding Mirabella at this point in time.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #76 - March 10th, 2018, 12:08 pm
    Post #76 - March 10th, 2018, 12:08 pm Post #76 - March 10th, 2018, 12:08 pm
    Sorry to hear that, Ronnie. I'm scheduled to go there tomorrow night. I'll report back.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #77 - March 10th, 2018, 1:58 pm
    Post #77 - March 10th, 2018, 1:58 pm Post #77 - March 10th, 2018, 1:58 pm
    Steve, if you're up for it, try that grilled calamari appetizer (horribly pictured above) in what's almost a diavolo gravy. Really interesting, almost Sicilian, haven't had anything similar since the (long-closed) Sicily Restaurant on Harlem south of Diversey. Now that was a hangout for 'da boys'...
  • Post #78 - March 12th, 2018, 10:20 am
    Post #78 - March 12th, 2018, 10:20 am Post #78 - March 12th, 2018, 10:20 am
    ronnie_suburban wrote:However, a second steak was cooked way beyond how it was ordered and the Chicken Vesuvio, about which I'd raved upthread, was overcooked, while the potatoes on the plate were undercooked.
    =R=


    Did you mention this to the waitstaff, if so, how did they/kitchen respond?
  • Post #79 - March 12th, 2018, 10:52 am
    Post #79 - March 12th, 2018, 10:52 am Post #79 - March 12th, 2018, 10:52 am
    dudefella wrote:
    ronnie_suburban wrote:However, a second steak was cooked way beyond how it was ordered and the Chicken Vesuvio, about which I'd raved upthread, was overcooked, while the potatoes on the plate were undercooked.
    =R=


    Did you mention this to the waitstaff, if so, how did they/kitchen respond?

    We did not and based on my previous experiences, I'm guessing they would have been entirely accommodating. But it was decided that asking for entrees to be re-fired would have thrown our timeline completely out of sync.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #80 - March 12th, 2018, 12:55 pm
    Post #80 - March 12th, 2018, 12:55 pm Post #80 - March 12th, 2018, 12:55 pm
    stevez wrote:Sorry to hear that, Ronnie. I'm scheduled to go there tomorrow night. I'll report back.


    So last night's visit was as good as ever. I didn't feel like having a steak, so I went with pasta instead, more specifically, Rigatoni Country Style (Pork fennel sausage, sweet peas, in a tomato cream sauce, romano cheese), which was cooked perfectly al dente with a great tasting sauce featuring some really good crumbled sausage. The rest of my party had salmon vesuvio, which was a revelation, and a nice change of pace from chicken, whitefish Greek style and chicken piccata. Everything was cooked just right, including the vesuvio potatoes in the salmon dish, and the service was excellent, as usual. No downhill alert here at all.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #81 - March 12th, 2018, 4:09 pm
    Post #81 - March 12th, 2018, 4:09 pm Post #81 - March 12th, 2018, 4:09 pm
    stevez wrote:Everything was cooked just right, including the vesuvio potatoes in the salmon dish, and the service was excellent, as usual. No downhill alert here at all.

    I've been 4 -5 times since my initial visit and agree with Steve Z, no downhill alert, R_S's anomaly experience notwithstanding. I've switched between bone-in rib-eye and whitefish Vesuvio, a non menu item they are happy to make, with delicious results. My positive initial impression stands.

    Marabella, Count me a Fan!
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #82 - March 12th, 2018, 6:25 pm
    Post #82 - March 12th, 2018, 6:25 pm Post #82 - March 12th, 2018, 6:25 pm
    Steve, Gary . . . so glad your recent experiences seem to indicate that my most recent one was an outlier.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #83 - May 8th, 2018, 12:51 pm
    Post #83 - May 8th, 2018, 12:51 pm Post #83 - May 8th, 2018, 12:51 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:Steve, Gary . . . so glad your recent experiences seem to indicate that my most recent one was an outlier.

    =R=

    Very happy to report that dinner last Saturday at Mirabella was as outstanding as ever. We met some friends there and our group of 7 was completely pleased. The crew was throwing down and there wasn't a mis-step in the whole meal. Everything from apps to entrees was great. It seems my recent less-than-stellar outing there was nothing more than a blip. This is a relief, as I've come to rely on this place and plan to continue visit regularly, and recommend it to friends.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #84 - March 27th, 2019, 4:41 pm
    Post #84 - March 27th, 2019, 4:41 pm Post #84 - March 27th, 2019, 4:41 pm
    Sorry indeed to hear about Ronnie's unfortunate experience, which I'm sure was just a blip as he described it.

    If I may add one more data point, I was there with family on March 8th and Mirabella was firing on all cylinders. My son's strip steak was the high point (I was allowed to taste one small piece). I had the osso bucco special which was quite good, though if I had to do it over, I'd opt for the steak.
    Where there’s smoke, there may be salmon.
  • Post #85 - April 6th, 2019, 9:28 pm
    Post #85 - April 6th, 2019, 9:28 pm Post #85 - April 6th, 2019, 9:28 pm
    We celebrated a milestone birthday here tonight and unfortunately overall it was not the experience I was hoping for. Ambiance and service were good. Food was very inconsistent. Grilled calamari starter was the best dish we had. Perfectly cooked, delicious sauce. House salads were soaked in a highly acidic house Italian dressing. Wished we had paid to upgrade to a wedge or other a la carte salad. I had the Shrimp de Jonghe. Ok flavor, but overcooked shrimp. As it was an occasion, I didn’t want to fuss. When it was time to clear and I was asked if I wanted them to go I declined and let the server know they were overcooked. No acknowledgement of the comment was made. My husband’s pasta was fine as was an order of grilled asparagus. We ordered cappuccinos and a complimentary piece of cake was served for the occasion. We appreciated the gesture but the cake had clearly been recently thawed out and was not particularly good. Overall, a “meh” for us.
  • Post #86 - May 2nd, 2019, 8:26 pm
  • Post #87 - July 15th, 2019, 3:31 pm
    Post #87 - July 15th, 2019, 3:31 pm Post #87 - July 15th, 2019, 3:31 pm
    Went over the weekend. I thought the food was very good. The service could have been a little sharper (reciting the written specials list verbatim), but my water glass was never empty.

    The most exciting thing to see was they had Cherries Jubilee and Banana Foster listed in the specials. they also had a peach flaming dessert, but we only opted for the one's listed. With a little help from a chair and tall bartender, the smoke detector was temporarily disabled. I have never seen these made and was impressed by the maitre'd's skills. Not only was it a show, it was delicious. I believe he's the old front man at Sabatino's (I think there was at least 2-3 other Sabatino's refugees on staff). I'm still dreaming about the caramelized bits of the Banana's Foster. Excellent ending to a good meal in a comfortable space.
    Flambe.jpg
  • Post #88 - July 15th, 2019, 3:57 pm
    Post #88 - July 15th, 2019, 3:57 pm Post #88 - July 15th, 2019, 3:57 pm
    jacketpotato wrote:The most exciting thing to see was they had Cherries Jubilee and Banana Foster listed in the specials. they also had a peach flaming dessert, but we only opted for the one's listed.

    Love it, very cool! I think it's especially exciting news because I got the feeling that, until now, their desserts weren't made in house. To go from that to all the way to tableside is a terrific development. Thanks, for the heads up!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #89 - September 10th, 2019, 9:48 pm
    Post #89 - September 10th, 2019, 9:48 pm Post #89 - September 10th, 2019, 9:48 pm
    jacketpotato wrote:The most exciting thing to see was they had Cherries Jubilee and Banana Foster listed in the specials. they also had a peach flaming dessert, but we only opted for the one's listed.

    We saw a few of these being served -- and they looked and smelled great -- but we were just too full to try either of them after our dinner here last week. Even though I've experienced occasional ups and downs here in the past (mostly ups), it was nothing but blue skies at this dinner, which was quite possibly the best one I've ever had at Mirabella.

    Sausage & Peppers, Grilled Calamari, Broccoli Salad, Minestrone, Meatballs, Mostaccioli with Meat Sauce, Chicken Vesuvio and Ribeye were all stellar. All six of us were seriously pleased and sated. We sat at the table, long after we were full, picking away at the deliciousness in front of us while we re-lived the meal. This is comfort-food heaven and they really seem to be hitting their stride.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #90 - November 22nd, 2019, 4:41 pm
    Post #90 - November 22nd, 2019, 4:41 pm Post #90 - November 22nd, 2019, 4:41 pm
    Last night after a meeting downtown I stopped at Mirabella for a solo dinner. They were delivering nicely as always.

    I had the strip steak. At $34.95 for the dinner I doubt it's top of the line prime, but it was good. One of the things I like about Mirabella is that they prepare steaks right. I ordered medium rare and it came with a good char on the outside and lots of pink inside, just the way I like it.

    As the price includes soup or salad, potato, and a veggie accompaniment (broccoli last night) it's a good value.
    Where there’s smoke, there may be salmon.

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