Spiaggia Only fair weather comes to this "private beach," so go bask at one of the best restaurants under the sun. By Nancy Ross Ryan Food photos by Laurie Proffitt    Interiors by Stuart-Rodgers Photography

Spiaggia, according to Larousse Italian-English dictionary, means 'private beach.' The restaurant (overlooking a particularly scenic stretch of Lake Michigan) was named by owners Larry and Mark Levy in 1984. They declared to Tony Mantuano, whom they hired as their opening chef, that their goal was to create nothing less than Chicago's best Italian restaurant, the only one to serve alta cucina -- the Italian equivalent of French haute cuisine. And today it is the only 4-star (Chicago magazine, Chicago Tribune) Italian restaurant in the city. 1. Dining room 2. Table setting 3. View of Oak Street Beach

Tony Mantuano was chef from 1984 to 1990. When he left, the parting was amicable because, in Larry Levy's own bon mot: "All chefs have this extra gene that makes them go off periodically to do their own thing." Nevertheless the departure of a star opening chef is sure to cast a shadow of doubt, not only on his successor, but on the continuing high standards of such a restaurant. Instead of a slide, Spiaggia's next chef, Paul Bartolotta raised the bar a notch and from 1990 until his departure last year, Spiaggia only got better. Predictably, the parting was amicable and Bartolotta has gone off to do his own (at this writing undisclosed) thing. Chef Tony Montuano Mantuano, whose last thing was a partnership venture that ended less than amicably in a battle to keep his own name from being permanently affixed to a restaurant he had left, was asked to return by Larry Levy, and in July he did. The shadow cast by his predecessor took the form of a question: Could Mantuano keep Bartolotta's four-stars affixed to Spiaggia? The answer came quickly: yes. Spiaggia is still Chicago's only four-star Italian restaurant. And if history repeats itself, Mantuano will raise the bar another notch, especially with the back up from his right hand chef de cuisine, Beth Partridge. After dining there for lunch, for dinner and once most recently at Cafe Spiaggia, I have to marvel at the Levys' and the restaurant's good fortune: How good can it get? But being so close to perfect brings its own potential pitfall, sketched later. Now on to the good stuff. First of all, lunch. It is served in the restaurant only on Friday and Saturday, but I highly recommend it. The luncheon is not a la carte but three-course $35 prix fixe (first course, main course and dessert). The variety and choices of courses offered are generous, and many of the items are lighter versions or smaller portions of offerings on the evening dinner menu. At $35, not including tax, gratuity or beverage, it's a tremendous value. And the lakefront by day is just as scenic as by night. Outstanding luncheon pastas included Tacconi Lucchesi in Brasato di Coda di Bue ($14.50) and Lucca-style pasta squares, substantial and al dente, perfectly sauced with a savory braised ox tails and chard and topped with shards of Parmesan. The pumpkin risotto, Risotto di Zucca con Scaloppina di Foie Gras e Timo Fresco ($16.50), had the perfect texture -- creamy but slightly firm to the bite -- and an inspired combination of ingredients: chunks of pumpkin, a thin slice of seared foie gras with a marsala wine glaze and a sprinkling of toasted, shelled pumpkin seeds. Standout luncheon entrees included the Trancio di Salmone con Radicchio Trevigiano e Balsamico ($22.50), a wood-roasted salmon fillet over a polenta that was light in texture but peppery (freshly cracked black pepper). The braised radicchio had a sweet-sour tang that complimented the rich, smoky salmon. The veal, Sella di Vitello con Cipollotti, Polenta e Cicoria ($29), was a small, succulent veal loin (unlike the large wood-roasted dinner chop) served with cipollini onions, polenta and Swiss chard: a satisfying but not overwhelming luncheon selection which left room for the creamy, rich mascarpone torte, Torta al Mascarpone in Salsa di Illy Caffe ($9.50), accompanied by a little scoop of intense chocolate gelato, a little creme Anglaise and a crisp tuile cookie. If you are going to order the chocolate semifreddo, Semifreddo di Cioccolato Amaro ($5.95), I recommend you have a salad (which I didn't) for the first course so you can tackle the chilled dome of bittersweet chocolate and its decadent companions: deep, dark chocolate sauce and rich, creamy hazelnut gelato. But dinner is when the stars come out, and Mantuano's menu is stellar. His food seems to me a little lighter, and the portions a bit smaller although no less flavorful than Bartolotta's. And I notice some new food items on the menu. Among them Costolette d'Agnello all' Aglio Dolce e Rosmarino ($38); the tender roasted lamb chops are from Colorado, as is the silky braised lamb shoulder shards that accompany it. The lamb is accented with sweetly roasted garlic, flavored with fresh rosemary, and served with potato purée. Gli antipasti (dinner appetizers) were nothing short of amazing. One evening there were two showstoppers on the menu, which changes seasonally: Delicatezze di Mare Agli Olii Sopraffini ($29), a three-seafood tasting of peekytoe crab meat with a tangerine-flavored olive oil, yellowtail tartare with white truffle oil, and osetra caviar with a little spaghettini; and Nocette di Coniglio con Carciofini ($17.50), wood-roasted loins of rabbit wrapped like little presents in pancetta, garnished with crisp, sautéed artichoke hearts and drizzled with aged balsamico. Another winner is the Carpaccio di Pesce Spada Affumicato ($14), Sicilian smoked swordfish with peppery baby arugula, sweet tiny tomatoes and a dressing of fragrant Sicilian olive oil. And if you share my fondness for arugula, do try the Insalata di Rucola ($10.50). A small mound of perfect baby arugula is lightly dressed with balsamic mustard vinaigrette, topped with toasted hazelnuts and shavings of a very nutty pressed ricotta cheese. The bread is brought to the table on a tray -- a triangle of sweet butter awaits it on a plate -- and there are four excellent choices: ciabatta (the famous slipped shaped bread from Lake Como), cracked wheat , sourdough, and soft tender cornet rolls. Pastas are fine and the variety is exciting. The Gnocchi di Patate al Ragu di Funghi di Bosco ($13.50), potato gnocchi served with a sauce of wild mushrooms, are ethereal -- light as clouds, soft and tender. The Lucca style pasta, Tacconi Lucchesi in Brasata di Coda ($14.50) is sturdy and al dente. The pumpkin risotto, Risotto di Zucca con Scaloppina di Foie Gras e Timo Fresco ($19.50), is perfection in flavor, color and texture. And the ravioli, Tortelloni di Fagiano Tartufato ($19.50), are lightly filled with braised pheasant and garnished with shaved black truffles from Umbria. During Spiaggia's annual white truffle festival I treated myself to the ultimate indulgence: Uovo in Raviolo Valentino. A huge fresh pasta ravioli is filled with ricotta, green herbs and an egg, then served with a brown butter sauce and Parmigiano cheese. When you cut the ravioli with your fork, the rich egg yolk spills out to enrich the dish. Entrées we relished included the Anitra con Mostarda e Zucca ($30), a wood-roasted duck breast, a universe apart from duck a l'orange. Rare, tender, smoky duck medallions with a light mustard sauce are accompanied by a fragrant squash purée, and fresh blood orange segments. The Costolette di Vitello con Cipolotti, Polenta e Cicoria ($38), a large wood-roasted veal chop with sweet cipollini onions, polenta and braised Swiss chard is a favorite. And the juicy Spigola del Mediterraneo con Finocchio Brasato e Olive Taggiasca ($34.50), perfectly roasted sea bass with fennel, olives and potatoes is the very essence of the Mediterranean. Desserts are divine. The Fior di Latte Cotto ai Frutti di Bosco ($9.50) is Spiaggia's inspired version of Panna cotta, a personal favorite, a silky shimmery cream custard most recently sampled that was flavored with orange and served with berries. The cheese plate, Formaggi Italiani ($14.50) -- five imported Italian cheeses served with toasted raisin bread and tiny grapes -- is superb (you may opt for one or two of the cheeses at $3.95 per selection). Sommelier Henry A. Bishop III's wine list offers something for everyone. The connoisseur can browse his reserve list selections with pleasure. But average diners can confidently place themselves in his hands for wines by the glass or half or whole bottles that will compliment the meal. Cafe Spiaggia has taken a new lease on life under Mantuano. The dining is more relaxed, the check is considerably less expensive and the lunch and dinner Cafe menus have daily specials. Lunch includes seven different thin-crust pizzas ($12.50-$13.95) and some traditional favorites such as Minestrone ($5.50), Polleto Giovane con Insalata di Campo ($18.95) -- wood-roasted baby chicken -- and for dessert, Tiramisu ($5.95). If onion soup, Zuppa di Cipolla ($6.50), is on the menu, don't pass it up. It's a thick, fragrant soup topped with a crostini that absolutely challenges the supremacy of French onion soup. As to the potential pitfall of being near perfect? Everything that falls short -- food, service, even coffee -- is seen under a magnifying lens as three or four times worse than it may really be. And, as if to add insult to injury, the diner who has been conditioned by a restaurant's excellence to expect perfection may take missteps personally. For example, at the end of an otherwise absolutely perfect lunch, I was served a lukewarm cup of espresso -- with no crema. I felt outraged, all out of proportion to the error. I could simply have sent it back instead of sulking and nursing my disappointment. One evening, every course was heavenly, superb, ethereal, except the Zuppa di pesce alla Viareggina ($36). The broth was too salty, its flavor unremarkable. The small fillet of red mullet was tender but overpowered by the broth, as were the lovely head-on shrimp, tiny calamari and octopus, sweet small clams, and succulent mussels. And, on a busy Friday night at dinner, the bread tray didn't come until after the first course had been served. The bread was delicious, but I felt slighted by its late arrival. On another occasion, when the cheese course I ordered arrived, the waiter didn't point out to me which cheese was which. O.K. I know the menu lists the cheeses. But I expected a little romance. When you become infatuated with a restaurant, blemishes seem like scars. But -- a more mature approach -- if you really love the chef's food and presentations, and you know that excellence is the aim of the staff, you can help them and yourself by asking that errors be corrected. And that is what I plan to do on future visits when the slightest cloud appears on Spiaggia's bright horizon.

	Left: Fresh Mozzarella with Puntarelle and White Anchovies Right: Roast Maine Lobster with Caponatina di Melanzane Spiaggia 980 N. Michigan Avenue (312) 280-2750 Lunch: Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Cafe Spiaggia Lunch: daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (except brunch on Sunday at noon); Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 10 p.m. Reservations Recommended Validated parking in the 100 E. Walton garage All major credit cards accepted Rating (on a 5-star scale):