Chicagoans will attest that there is no shortage of delicious Italian food in the Windy City. On every corner and from every price point, there’s always an option for handmade pastas (shoutout to the "pasta queen of Chicago" for winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef) or grandma’s bolognaise recipe. And yet, if you haven’t dined at Antoine Cedicci’s Trattoria Ultimo, you’re missing out on an experience that’s unique even to Chicago’s Italian-filled scene.

In a haze of wine and laughter, I spent a warm spring evening eating my way through 21 dishes at Trattoria Ultimo. Yes, you read that right, 21. I was expecting two or three. Heck, I don't even think the official menu has more than 12 dishes or so on any given day, but Chef Antoine Cedicci is both highly generous and deeply enthusiastic.