Pane Caldo: User Reviews

Pane Caldo is not a cheap date, by any means, but it was a seductive one tonight. The room is comfortably elegant, the service attentive & polished, and the food was very good, indeed. A palm heart, asparagus & fennel salad in truffle oil was above reproach: perfectly balanced, impeccably fresh. Pasta with rabbit ragu also had superb flavor and texture. My entrée, potato-crusted pike in a mild lemongrass (and peanut, maybe?) sauce was delectable, my companion’s dorado was a notch less flashy, but still very nice. For dessert, profiteroles were done as nicely as I can recall, with perfect pastry and a lovely trio presentation. Cappuccino was the best I’ve ever had, robust yet creamy smooth. All the food was nicely plated (though the primi and secondi plates could have been warmer). Yes, the food is pricey, the wine pricier -- but to me, it was worth every penny for a special treat!

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I've lived in the Gold Coast for many years but had yet to find this hidden gem until my sister went there for a business dinner. I took my husband, we sat in the window and I felt like the whole staff was bending over backwards to ensure we had everything we needed for a perfect, romantic evening. I started out with the ceviche, which was incredibly fresh and delicious, then went on to the lobster risotto-possibly the best risotto I've had in the city. My husband had the Osso Bucco and couldn't have been more pleased. Finishing the evening with a lovely opera cake and espressos made the whole experience just perfect.

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I will start off by saying I have no problem throwing down a lot of money for exceptional food and great service. However, I tried Pane Caldo for the first time recently and was "greeted" by the most impolite and stuck up hostess. We were 5 minutes late for our reservation (I know, our fault but generally there is a 15 min. flexibility) and eventhough she was going to seat us (the restaurant had maybe 4 tables sat), she made it a point to tell us that they already "cancelled our reservations but whatever". Excuse me? So that set the tone for our dinner in which my friend felt completely uncomfortable due to her unfriendliness and very quiet room. The food? Nothing special. I've been to many restaurants and I'll always return to a place with great service and "alright" food, but give me attitude and I promise not only will I never go back but I'll make sure to tell everyone I know to do the same.

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I found this hidden gem in the Zagat's guide to the best 1000 Italian restaurants in the country and I must say I was not disappointed. I had a wonderful lobster risotto, complimented by just the right wine, paired for me by the Sommelier, Richard. My husband had the Baked veal shank osso bucco and we shared the ceviche and oyster appetizers. Everything was perfectly prepared and extremely fresh. I will definitely be returning soon.

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My wife and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary at Pane Caldo. Although the service was good, the food was mediocre at best and quite expensive. We started with the Pane Caldo Salad which was fine and Napoleon artichoke appetizer which was no more than a mediocre caprese salad. We couldn't even see the artichoke, much less taste it and the tomatoes were ice cold and completely unsavory, which could have been due to the refrigeration. For entrees, my wife ordered the cappelini pasta with truffles and I ordered the seared sea bass. The pasta was soaked in oil and had very little flavor...we expected the flavor to be mild but not flavorless. The fish appeared to be fried and not seared. Portions were small for the price. Dessert was better, but not great, we ordered the chocolate trio. Overall, we were extremely disappointed. I was surprised that they have been in business for so long but it appears that most of their business is from out of town tourists and conventions...we should have know better, but the place looks charming from the outside. Save yourself from a mediocre yet very expensive dinner...you could get the same at the Olive Garden. There are so many better Italian restaurants in Chicago

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The service at Pane Caldo was extremely attentive, but not intrusive. The waiters were courteous and offered good recommendations. The food was also good and very reasonably priced considering the area. We had the wild mushroom pizza- delicious. They also have the best olive tapenade spread I have ever had. Their wine selection is also vast and a crowd pleaser. I'll definitely go back to Pane Caldo. This is a great place for a romantic dinner.

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I have rarely written reviews, but we had such an enjoyable meal at Pane Caldo I felt compelled to support them and write a review. The server was extremely thoughtful and attentive. I am a difficult diner, and yet they accommodated me without hesitation (vegetarian and dairy-allergic.) They even offered an entree with half capellini and half risotto prepared without butter and they were both fantastic. A previous reviewer described the truffle cappellini as nothing special, and i beg to differ - it was absolutely outstanding. The ambience of the restraurant is very European and comfortable, and the rest of my party enjoyed their food as well. i was very impressed and will be returning.

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I am a big fan of Pane Caldo... I dine with my friends at least once a month. After having frequented the restaurant for years now, I have grown to know the staff and am familiar with the high quality, fresh ingredients they use. I know the tuna is A++ which is considered better than sushi-grade tuna... you won't find tuna this buttery within your average maki roll, it is way too expensive for that. The combination of flavors and the wine pairings with each meal always make the experience more enjoyable. I have never had a disappointing meal at Pane Caldo. I am very happy to say it is truly one of my favorite restaurants in town.

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I had a great meal with friends at Pane Caldo. We started off with glasses of wine at the bar that the bartender picked for us (and chose very well!). We didn't have to order another glass for the rest of the evening- they brought us a different glass of wine with each course without us even asking (which I didn't object to, especially since I think we were undercharged for it.). The service was great. The food was just OK for the prices. I enjoyed the amuse bouche (duck confit flan) more than the food I actually ordered. It is a nice place to have a relaxed dinner with friends, but the food is probably not worth the high prices.

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My wife and I ate at Pane Caldo last November to celebrate the birth of our daughter. We had a great experience as the result of an awesome server. It was an expensive meal, but we didn't seem to care. We decided to go back this weekend, and unfortunately we were disappointed this time. The server isn't there any more, and it really is an expensive restaurant. That's okay if the food is unbelievable and the service is impeccable. The service was decent, though a bit rushed since we were already eating entrees within 40 minutes of being seated. Tables nearby complained that they had very poor, unattentive service.

The prices are really high for what you get. $23 for a tuna appetizer that's no different than any sushi restaurant. $39 for a pasta capellini with truffle oil.... its wasn't anything special.

The wine list is impressive in the selection and quality of the wines, but there is a bigger than expected mark up on what would otherwise be affordable wines. You can't really find anything decent for under $100 a bottle. We chose a 2001 Barolo that was fortunately very good, but it cost us $145.

So dinner for two (including two glasses of white wine while we waited at the bar to be seated) was $450 including tip. Ouch. For that kind of money I would expect to be blown away on all levels, but we weren't. We won't be back.

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