Coco Pazzo Cafe

636 N. St. Clair
312-664-2777
Italian

Went here on a "business" lunch with a group of ten. It's a cute little place, and if you go in the spring/summer/early fall you can dine outside, but bring your sunglasses and a hat! This was my second dining adventure at Coco Pazzo Cafe and the service has been very consistent and attentive, but not over-bearing.

The first time I dined here, I had the chicken paillard. I'm not a huge fan of the chicken, but it was decent. They serve it with a nice side of greens with grapes and gorgonzola. I finished my meal with a beautiful panna cotta that was the high point of the meal. Today, I decided to try something new and went with the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms in a porcini/butter/garlic "broth". The pasta was wonderfully cooked, but as far as I could tell, the only mushrooms that I saw in my bowl were button mushrooms. I do love any kind of mushroom though, so I wasn't complaining. The sauce was very light, but could have used a little more garlic or a few more fresh herbs. All in all, it was good, but could have used a little bit of a kick to make my tastebuds say "wow!".

Is the place over-rated? Slightly. Are the prices right? Sure, but I can get more food for less somewhere else. I'd say the lunchtime entrees were between $10-$15. The portions are a good size, not too much, not too little. I definitely did not leave hungry. I would recommend the place if you are looking for a nice, relaxed Italian meal near Northwestern Hospital, but if they closed their doors tomorrow, I don't think I would say that I missed them.