Oh Sono Mio!
By John DiGilio in Food on Dec 6, 2011 7:00PM
One of the great things about eating in Chicago is that no matter how many of the same kind of restaurant open, there is always room for one more. This is especially true when it comes to pizza. In this mozzarella-mad city, it is not unusual to find two or three pizza joints within a two-block radius and to find all of them busy. While great for pizza lovers, this over-saturation makes it all the more difficult for a pie tosser to stand out. They have to do something different and they have to do it really well. Sono Wood Fired knows how to set itself apart from the rest.
Nestled in the busy North/Clybourn shopping corridor, Sono serves up some seriously tasty and artistic wood fired pizzas. Handcrafted from fresh and sometimes unusual ingredients (arugula or potatoes anyone?), they are a welcome departure from the standard pies. Each pizza is thin crust and big enough to serve two. They are cooked in a gorgeous wood oven imported directly from the Italian motherland. Truly authentic taste, after all, requires a truly authentic approach. For a real treat, we recommend you sit at the open pizza bar where you can watch Sono’s pizza artisans craft those tantalizing pies. The menu also features a mouthwatering selection of bruschette, salads, and pastas. And do not miss the wine list.
We stopped in on a fairly busy weeknight to sample the storied fare. Sono’s pizzas come in two styles, red and white. Each runs between $13 and $15. The choices of meat and vegetable toppings was almost overwhelming. We ordered up a pie they called the “Sardinia”. It was a savory white pizza featuring layers of fontina, potatoes, rosemary, and the delicate flavor of white truffle oil. With its crispy, thin crust, it was magnificent. We also had to try some of the bruschette. We chose the cipollini with its caramelized onion jam, Humboldt fog cheese, and lavender honey. Talk about a taste explosion! A few glasses of excellent Sangiovese were all we needed to complete our meal.
The taste and artistry of our meal at Sono Wood Fired impressed us from start to finish. It was more than just a great pizza, it was an experience. The cozy, warm interior coupled with a comforting meal made this restaurant the perfect oasis amidst the holiday shopping chaos that had enveloped the area. If you are looking for something fun and romantic, not to mention something more than your standard pizza joint, go grab a seat in Sono. Your taste buds will sing.
Sono Wood Fired is located at 1582 N. Clybourn.