In some countries, people don’t start dinner until 9 or 10 p.m., or even later.
I was thinking about this fact while taking a rideshare to the Logan Square restaurant Il Girasole Trattoria, riding an hour to get there from downtown (during rush hour and in the rain).
However, Il Girasole (“The Sunflower”) turned out to be a destination that was worth the trouble, from the attentive waitstaff to the delightful menu items my friend and I tried—despite the fact that the noise level of a full restaurant could make things “conversationally challenged,” and that the woman sitting at the bar next to our table had one of the unruliest “service dogs” I’ve ever seen.
But back to the positive points—namely, the restaurant’s food and drinks. Things started with a delicious concoction called Strawberry Fields, which contains citrus vodka, strawberry, basil, lemon and prosecco. However, if that doesn’t strike your fancy, other cocktail options include the Jungle Bird Riff (white rum, Aperitivo, mango and lime juice); the Espresso Martini; the Blood Orange Margarita and the Il Girasole Old Fashioned, among other items.
Before I discuss the food, I should point out that Il Girasole has people behind it with some impressive restaurant chops. Christian Hernandez (front of house) and Rodolfo Hernandez (executive chef) bring decades of experience working in acclaimed Italian restaurants to their venture: Coco Pazzo, Piccolo Sogno, Bice and Riccardo’s on Clark. (By the way, the Hernandez men are not related.)
That combined experience lends itself to the quality of the cuisine. Each dish we had was intensely satisfying, and they didn’t come more intense than the Penne All’ Arrabbiata—a peppery/spicy dish in which the pasta was served with tomato sauce, garlic and olive oil at just the right amount of heat. But, as good as that was, my favorite dish was probably the focaccio alla fugazzeta, in which pillowy-soft dough is topped with crescenza cheese, mozzarella, sausage and braised onions. And the bucatini carbonara was no slouch, either, as it was expertly prepared. The same could be said (or typed) for the dessert items—tiramisu and panna cotta (the latter with strawberries and caramel).
If there was one quibble about the food, it’s this: It’s one of the few Italian places I’ve visited in which there weren’t large servings. However, nothing is outrageously priced, either. (The breaded veal chop is probably the most expensive item, at $44, and that focaccio alla fugazzeta is only $14.)
Il Girasole is a cool place to hit—no matter what time you decide to visit. And the fact that the restaurant is across the street from the Regal City North theater complex means you can have an enjoyable meal before or after you watch the next blockbuster film. The fact that Il Girasole was busy on a night with inclement weather should tell you about the quality of cuisine there: People keep coming back, no matter what.
Partying with the “Queen of Christmas”
When you enter Virgin Hotels, there’s no mistaking where the Mariah Carey Black Irish Holiday Bar is.
As befitting the self-declared “Queen of Christmas,” the stairway leading to the second floor is exquisitely festooned with all sorts of holiday decorations. As some of you know, Carey is partnering with Virgin Hotels and Bucket Listers on a new holiday experience centered around Carey’s 1994 megahit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
The collaboration involves Carey’s Black Irish, an Irish cream brand launched in 2021 that honors her heritage. The 21-and-older pop-up will last through Sunday, Dec. 29,satisfying Lambs (Carey’s fans)—and maybe some non-Lambs, too.
The space is basically one giant Instagram opportunity, with lavish decorations, videos, photo booths (including one featuring a cut-out of Carey) and even a postcard-writing station that allows you to drop your item into a mailbox addressed to—you guessed it—the “Queen of Christmas.”
Festive cocktails will include the Signature Espresso Martini featuring Black Irish Irish Cream and a candy-cane rim. Savor a decadent martini flight that includes a white chocolate martini made with Black Irish White Chocolate Irish Cream and topped with cotton candy and glitter (really tasty if, understandably, a little sweet); a reposado tequila espresso martini with Black Irish Irish Cream garnished with a cinnamon stick; and a bourbon martini infused with Salted Caramel Black Irish Irish Cream topped with a chocolate-covered pretzel rim. Then, there’s the Cocoa Coffee spiked with Black Irish Irish Cream and topped with red and green glitter sprinkles as well as edible butterflies.
Bites, curated by the hotel’s team, include a cheese board, salmon sliders, turkey flatbread, carrot-cake creme brûlée and other items.
Bucket Listers Senior Project Manager Keely O’Neal told me, “We got the chance to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You.’” She added that when it came to the decorations, “We wanted to keep an air of fantasy. The inspiration came from the video, where you feel like you stepped into Christmas. And, of course, we want to keep it holiday-focused, so there’s tasteful decor that lends itself to the ambiance.”
Oh, and to answer a question some may have, there’s a lot more played than “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” When I first walked in, the Carey hit “Someday” was playing; in addition, there are other hits of hers as well as tunes by other artists, including Mary J. Blige. Honestly, I enjoyed myself—and I plan on returning.
Tickets start at $20 each (and include a complimentary Black Irish welcome cocktail; purchase passes here.
Note: SAVOR visits are pre-arranged, unless otherwise indicated.
Note: No reproduction of this column is permitted under any circumstances without the express prior written permission of the columnist.