Location:212 E Ohio
Cost: Probably around $35 per person
If you’re a resident or medical student at Northwestern, you’ve probably noticed a decrease in the amount of free lunches entailing big slices of greasy rectangular pizza. That’s because Pompei closed. I’m sure there are a few mourning the loss, but the other day my senior resident, Danielle, recommended I try out the new place that moved into the empty space, Tre Soldi. My Aunt and Uncle were in town on a business trip, so Jenny, my parents, and I met up with them to check it out.
Logistics
Just a few steps up off the curb, Tre Soldi did a decent job of turning what was once an Italian cafeteria into a moderately classy joint. They’ve got a room full of flat tops, and we sat right in the middle. We had a reservation but could’ve gotten by without one. Parking in the area is a pain so I suggest you take public transit if you can. The cost is reasonable with pasta dishes in the $15 range and protein based entrees sitting in the low $20’s. The wine list has plenty of reasonably priced and moderate quality options. My uncle and the waiter became good friends, and our service was spectacular.
The Food
We got the ball rolling with a selection of their meats and cheeses, lamb meatballs, and stuffed zucchini blossoms. The accouterments pulled the meats and cheeses together nicely. The meatballs had plenty of acid but were a bit oily. I’ve never been one for zucchini blossoms but as far as they come these seemed good.
The Zucchini Blossoms
The Cheese Platter
For the main course we got a bunch of things but what stood out was the
Salmon and the Cacio E Pepe. The fish was very mildly overdone but came
across a chickpea puree that gave a nice textural balance to the dish.
The pasta had a good chew with plenty of creamy, unctuous cheese.
The Cacio E Pepe
The Salmon
The Halibut
For dessert we had some Gelato and the Fruit Crostata. Both were a
refreshing end to the meal on what turned out to be a rather warm
summer’s night.
The Fruit Crostata
The Gelato
Overall
In case you haven’t caught onto the hints, Tre Soldi is definitely an upgrade from Pompei. It’s a good, reasonable option for Streeterville, which definitely could use more quality, casual go to’s. I’m giving them 3.5 out of 5 Pearls.
