Found: A Pasta Heaven In Logan Square Chicago
Daisies
If heaven was a place on Earth, it would be located at Daisies in Logan Square, Chicago. While staying in Logan Square with friends this past weekend, and when the topic of where to have dinner that evening came up, Daisies was at the tip top of the list. Reservations are definitely recommended for this place – but since we only had short notice, we had to come up with a game plan. They open up for dinner service at 5:00 PM, so our plan was to get there when they open and see if they have any spots available at the bar. We arrived at 5:20 on a Saturday night and were able to procure 3 seats at the bar for dinner service! GAME ON!
As you can see, the menu is very vegetable-focused and pasta-driven, which is the main theme of the restaurant. I don’t believe there are any wrong choices here, just more delicious ones. We started off with the Fritto Misto. This cheese curd and vegetable tempura dish really hit the spot for us. Everything is perfectly seasoned and that tarragon aioli dipping sauce is so fresh and creamy. Ok, we are off to a good start!
Next up were the pastas dishes… Our bartender recommended that we get 3-4 pasta dishes for 3 people and we would eat them all family style. My favorite way to eat! He also informed us that the special pasta dish for the evening was a lobster spaghetti in a red sauce with Calabrian peppers. Our mouths watered and we ordered it! We also got the Pappardelle, Ravioli and Gnocchi. The excitement in the air was palpable as we eagerly awaiting our pastas!
The pastas came out fairly quickly and each one more delicious than the last! Here’s the breakdown…
The Pappardelle
The Pappardelle was thick and perfectly al dente. The saucy had such a meaty flavor to it that I asked my friend if it was beef, and she said “Nope. Just mushrooms.” I was pleasantly surprised at how deep and rich the flavors were in this dish.
The Lobster Spaghetti Special
Another banger! It had plenty of lobster chunks throughout, the sauce had a great flavor with a nice kick and the spaghetti perfectly absorbed all the elements of the dish. It reminded me of a Lobster Fra Diavolo dish that you might get at a good Italian restaurant but way better. Also, the dish wasn’t overly saucy – just the right amount to coat the pasta. The parsley and peas brought a nice freshness to the dish.
The Ravioli
This one was something special! When I bit into the ravioli, it was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. The sweet corn mixed with white cheddar inside the ravioli combined with the lightly pickled jalapeños worked so well together. I was savoring every bite of this dish. Ok I’ll say it…. BEST RAVIOLIS EVER !!!!!
The Gnocchi
These small lumps of dough were like soft pillows of earthiness cream. Again, the meatiness of the mushrooms came through, but with a softer, almost truffle-like, flavor in the cream sauce. I can’t underplay enough how soft the gnocchi was – I don’t think I’ve ever had one quite like it. Not too soft that it falls apart but just soft enough that you can mash it easily with your tongue. Very delicious and savory dish!
Dessert
Yes, we were full but we weren’t stupid enough to NOT order the Mascarpone Cheesecake! It was a delightful way to end a momentous meal. The cheesecake was thick and creamy which worked great with the wine poached pears. It was also topped with a sunflower mousse and crunchy sunflower pastry bits. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed each bite of this one. The Perfect Ending.
The Shlayed Pics
Conclusion
After much deliberation about which pasta was the best, it was decided…… The Ravioli was the winner of the evening. It was a close call because that Lobster Spaghetti was stupid delicious. And so were the other two pastas. If I had been served any of the pasta dishes individually, each pasta would be the best I had all year. I just happened to have all 4 of the best pasta dishes of the year in one sitting. Am I mad about that tho? Absolutely not! This was such a great dining experience and I I’ll be dreaming about this one for awhile. If you are planning on being in Logan Square at some point in the future, I highly recommend you trying out Daisies. Your taste buds will thank you!
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