A few months ago, I detailed a wonderful new Spanish steakhouse in Chicago named Asador Bastian. The team responsible for that restaurant has recently opened Mano a Mano, an inviting new Italian dining room in the Logan Square neighborhood on Chicago’s northwest side, and while it’s never easy to write a review after only one visit, especially when a restaurant has only been open six weeks, you’re probably not going to write that you’ve discovered the finest restaurant in town, especially when we’re dealing with a restaurant city as star-studded as Chicago. But I am happy to report that Mano a Mano is off to a very fine start.

As you can see from the photo above, the interior is handsome; the bench seats are roomy and very comfortable, and the lighting is purposely not overly bright. For me, it was a bit too dark, but that’s personal opinion. I think most diners I saw that night were fine with the ambience.