"My entire upbringing is based in Italian-American food," says chef Tony Quartaro. "My grandma is a major inspiration for me, and there are pictures of me when I was 8 years old making gnocchi with my dad." Quartaro is poised to bring that traditional Italian family cooking — with a few twists — to Chicago's dining scene when Formento's opens in January.

From the team behind The Bristol and Balena, Formento's is inspired by Italian red-sauce joints of the 1950s and 1960s — think saltimbocca ($33), chicken Vesuvio ($58, serves two) and a killer classic relish tray made using modern techniques and the highest quality ingredients ($14).

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Source: http://splash.suntimes.com