PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
Fans of the recently closed Dear on Hyde Park square have something to rejoice about: Turns out the closing earlier this year was simply a rebrand. Happily, the space hasn’t changed much. It still has the vaulted ceilings as well as the actual bank vault turned private dining room (this was a bank before Teller’s, Dear, and Al-Posto). The front door has been painted bright blue, and lemon trees grow out of the top of the two-story wine rack. Neon hands touch above the entrance to the vault in a contemporary nod to Italy’s famed Sistine Chapel. But that’s it. You won’t hear Sinatra or see countless black-and-white photos of Rome or Little Italy. The food is transportive enough.
Owner Austin Heidt brought in Giovanni Ranieri to open Al-Posto, an upscale southern Italian spot that reflects the same commitment to quality ingredients and delicate preparation that made Dear such a gem. That starts at the beginning of the menu, with the salads. The selection is small but mighty with a focus on scratch-made ingredients and expert composition. Take the sourdough focaccia found in the panzanella, a bright, clean salad of red and yellow tomatoes, shallots, and a tangy basil vinaigrette. The bread—baked in-house—soaks up the vinaigrette, yet miraculously retains its crunch. And the Misto House Salad contrasts sweet balsamic dressing with slightly bitter shave fennel and a heap of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, all served over a bed of lettuce grown at Batavia’s Roothouse Aquaponics.
Appetizers include classic sharables like marinated olives (prepared with orange zest, rosemary, and Calabrian chile), baretta with grilled focaccia, and coppa: a cured pork served with preserved peppers and almonds. The meatballs, served with ragu and basil, are listed as contorni, a dish meant to be served alongside the second course, but made a perfect appetizer.
Al-Posto’s pasta can be ordered as an entrée or a first course. Either way, it’s not to be missed. I especially recommend the Cacio e Pepe, a seemingly simple dish comprised of bucatini (similar to spaghetti, but thicker), black pepper, and a sharp pecorino Toscano. When done right, this classic Roman pasta, which translates to “cheese and pepper,” showcases a restaurant’s mastery of the fundamentals. And Al-Posto knocks it out of the colosseum; the bucatini had just the right chew and were enhanced, but not eclipsed, by the pepper and pecorino.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
The Gnocchi alla Marcella didn’t dazzle quite as much as the Cacio e Pepe, but it was still a solid choice. The thick dumplings were perfectly pillowy, but the accompanying sweet peas distracted from their flavor and the dish could have used a touch more vodka sauce. Still, it made me eager to explore more of Al-Posto’s pastas.
Before I go any further, I have to commend Al-Posto’s excellent wine program. In addition to being co-owner, Heidt is also Al-Posto’s wine director. The focused wine menu is heavy on wines from Italy and the U.S., and emphasizes pairings. In fact, you’ll find wine suggestions listed below many of the dishes, a move that I would love to see on more local menus.
On my first visit, I ordered a Tuscan vermentino to accompany my grilled branzino entrée. The oaky, fruity white wine brought out the best flavors of the buttery fish. And Al-Posto’s branzino might well be the best fish I’ve had all year. The soft filet, with its delicately crisp skin, had a surprisingly smoky, nutty flavor that was underscored by toasted almonds. A squeeze of lemon juice and some parsley gremolata (a bright green condiment made of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest), added the fresh, lemony flavors one expects to accompany a good branzino.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
Another seafood entrée, the blackened salmon on a bed of couscous, is probably one of the least Italian dishes on Al-Posto’s menu (along with the cheeseburger). Not that I’m suggesting they take it off: The summery dish with its hint of mint was one of the highlights. Same with the plump, de-tailed poached shrimp used in the fiery Garlic Shrimp Diavolo.
I didn’t intend to skip Al-Posto’s more landlocked entrées, but when a restaurant handles seafood this well, it’s hard to resist. It shouldn’t be a shock that quality seafood plays such a big role in Executive Chef Tyler Stemmer’s southern Italian menu. Southern Italy’s sun-drenched waters offer the most bountiful seafood in that flavor-rich nation.
I also neglected to order Al-Posto’s most spectacular dish: the Linguini Alla Flora. When it’s ordered for two (or more), the server brings out a massive wheel of Parmigiano, which they proceed to delicately shave, light on fire and toss into a pot of linguini, tableside. It was a head-turning performance and the perfect way to perfume an Italian dining room. I’ll definitely be getting it when I return, though for the servers’ sakes, I can only hope every table doesn’t follow suit.
Since you’re probably wondering, “Al-Posto” roughly translates to “at the spot.” Located in the middle of Hyde Park Square, this eatery seems poised to become the culinary focal point of the neighborhood. Judging from the interactions I observed between staff and diners, it seems like Al-Posto has already cultivated a coterie of neighborhood regulars. If I lived in Hyde Park, I could see myself joining their ranks. I just might anyway.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
Al-Posto Italian Ristorante
2710 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-2710, al-posto.com
Hours
Dinner Tues–Thurs 5–9 p.m., Fri & Sat 5–10 p.m.
Prices
$7 (Patate Frite)–$84 (Bistecca alla Fiorentina)
Credit Cards
All major
The Takeaway
Refined southern Italian classics in the former Dear space.
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