Review: Mado

By Anthony Todd in Food on May 29, 2008 5:00PM

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to stop by Mado, a new Wicker Park dining spot. Just off the main Milwaukee Street business district, Mado is tucked away in a cute little spot with exposed brick, chalkboards on the walls and pretty, understated décor. We’d heard a lot of good things, and went in with high expectations.

Mado focuses on local products and wood-grilled meats. Their antipasti selection includes a variety of vegetables, seafood selections and bruschettas – we tried the Canellini Bean bruschetta with rosemary oil, which was unexpectedly delicious. The section of the appetizer list that really shines is the meats section, with a variety of charcuterie (some homemade, some not) for $4/selection or $16 for a platter of 5. When we were there the options included a lamb pate and some raw Guanciale on toasts, which was salty and delicious.

Of the main courses, we can whole-heartedly recommend any chicken dish the kitchen chooses to propose – their rotisserie chicken (with arugula and grilled ramps the nigh we were there) was so good that we were fighting over the last piece. The mixed grill (which included lamb and a Merguez sausage) was dry and a bit tasteless, so avoid it unless they’ve dramatically changed the available meats. Deserts included a chocolate-apricot tart and a GIANT plate of shortbread cookies that melted away in your mouth – a boring-seeming menu item that we would absolutely order again.

Mado is located at 1647 N Milwaukee Ave. As of our visit, the restaurant was BYOB – call ahead to check or bring a bottle of wine. Reservations are recommended, especially later in the evening on weekends.