Sopranos | Chicago Restaurant Review Series, Part 3

When you walk in, you half expect a Frank Sinatra tune to be playing softly in the background, and half the time, there is. It has classic checked table cloths, dim-lit ambience coming from a dozen mismatched chandeliers, a mirrored bar and signed celebrity black and whites line the walls. Not to mention, it has authentic, comforting Italian cuisine.

If you're ever on North Sheffield, stop in at Soprano's for some classic food in an iconic, neighborhood atmosphere.

We've been to Soprano's several times, and while it's not the fanciest, chicest place to get Italian food in the city, there's just something about it that gives it a special place in our hearts. We almost always find ourselves looking forward to it every time we visit. Maybe it's the good, filling food. Maybe it's the wine. Maybe it's the company. Maybe it's because, even though we've been going there for years, every time we step in, it has steadfastly, charmingly stayed exactly the same.

Although my favorite dish is the house specialty Involtini Florentine -- which is a tender chicken breast stuffed with spinach, pine nuts, prosciutto and mozzerella, this time I got something a little lighter: the Olio d'Oliva y Aglo, or shrimp and angel hair pasta drizzled with olive oil and infused with garlic. It hit the spot, tender jump shrimp, flavorful olive oil, al dente pasta. Simple and filling.

John, per usual, got the perfectly-cooked fillet to assuage his red-meat craving along with some potatoes.

My friend Trish had the gnocchi and chicken dish, Gnocchi Farcita con Spinaci.

It's only appropriate that we enjoyed a crisp glass of white wine with our meals -- the Montevina Pinot Grigio, one of my favorites with hints of pear, peach and apricot.

The service is always quick and friendly, the atmosphere is always inviting and relaxing, and the company -- well, the company I keep makes it feel like home.

Check out my other Chicago restaurant reviews, in case you missed them:
La Madia
The Purple Pig