Fioretta Chicago steakhouse

Walking into Fioretta, the dark wood, banquettes and bar might lead you to believe you're walking into a traditional Italian-American steakhouse, but Fioretta is more than that. Says Lucas Stoioff of DineAmic Hospitality, “There are so many old-school Italian restaurants. There's here’s a wealth of history and nostalgia from this type of project, and we’ve created our own narrative and voice within that larger context.”

The quality of the meat is unimpeachable: 100% All Natural Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef -- humanely raised, no hormones or antibiotics -- grilled over white oak in a custom hearth, lightly finished with Wisconsin grass-fed butter. There's an outstanding bone-in ribeye and Kansas City strip, but for the romantic and carnivorous, there's the 44-ounce Bistecca Alla Fiorentina for two.

Who the heck orders chicken in a steakhouse? You should, if you want the best Chicken Vesuvio you're going to find in Chicago. The skin of this chicken is so crisp, it almost seems fried (it isn't), and the meat is so lush and flavorful you will want to keep eating and eating.

If you'd like a salad either before dinner or between courses, consider the Caesar salad, prepared table side, a delicious show with your dinner.

Being an ITALIAN-American steakhouse, there is a good quantity of pasta on the menu. There are faithfully and thoughtfully prepared classic dishes of pasta including ravioli, linguini with clams and 100-layer lasagna with house-made ricotta wild mushrooms and truffles.

Unlike many steakhouses in Chicago, Fioretta's menu is value priced: we had two appetizers, two entrees -- including a beautiful steak -- two glasses of wine each and dessert, and the bill came in around $250.