WICKER PARK — A restaurant offering six varieties of meatballs along with side dishes like pasta and salads will be opening its doors on Sunday for folks who want to get a taste of the goods before the eatery officials opens.
Billed as a "pre-celebration of National Meatball Day" Mondo Meatball's public open house is set for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Owner Dean Casagrande said on Tuesday that he is targeting an official opening sometime next week.
An awning went up on Monday along with a sign proclaiming, "The Balls are Near."
According to an email from Casagrande, Sunday's free event will offer neighbors a chance to try an on-the-go sampling of Mondo's global mix of meatballs, sauces and sides, along with custom cocktails for adults an Italian Limonata for kids.
Black Dog Gelato will be served for dessert.
Located in the former Azzurra EnoTavola space at 1467 N. Milwaukee Ave., Mondo Meatball will be the city's first meatball dedicated eatery.
Its motto, according to the restaurant's website, is "serve the world and the world is yours."
Chef John Sullivan's menu includes six kinds of meatballs (Mrs. C's classic beef, chick'n bacon, spicy pork, turkey, veggie/Gluten free and a ball of the day).
The balls can be topped with a classic or summer red sauce, pesto, Dijonnaise, Guac-acado, 4-cheese, Thai peanut, Korean barbeque, Tzatziki, a Greek sauce made with strained yogurt and chimichurri, a tangy green garlic and herb sauce.
The meatballs are served up six ways: bowls, sub, deuce (two balls topped with cheese on a roll), atop a big salad, sliders and "full Mondo," the latter a combination of three balls over any side dish with bread and a salad.
Sides include salads, polenta, pasta, green beans and risotto. Dessert include Italian cookies and affogato, an Italian espresso dessert drink topped with Black Dog Gelato.
Drinks include wines, cocktails and two craft beers on draft: Peroni and Hoegaarden. Craft beer cans include Atlas Diversey Ale, Lagunitas IPA, Half Acre Daisy Cutter, Revolution and Sam Adams.
"World cans" include Quilmes, Guinness, Heineken Light, Steigl and Kirin.
Non-alcoholic drinks include Italian and American sodas, Apple iced tea and Limonata.
The 60-seat eatery offers a dozen seats at the bar, and several other spots in booths along the wall.
A 12-foot-long communal table in the center of the dining room will seat large parties, clusters of couples, or folks eating alone. A flat screen TV at the back of the restaurant will play mostly sports and international soccer games, but won't be turned on all the time, Casagrande said.
Casagrande, a soccer fan, said he favors the Everton FC team from Liverpool, England, but also supports the Chicago Fire team too.
"We are going for an eclectic and international feel," Casagrange said of the restaurant, which features an abstract map of the world along the wall and hanging clusters of colorful lights shaped like meatballs.
Casagrande said the restaurant will initially serve dinner only during the week but will likely be expanding to lunch hours within a month or so of opening. Mondo Meatball will bring 15 new jobs to the neighborhood.
Casagrande:
Mondo Meatball, 1467 N. Milwaukee Ave. Hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant's phone number is (773) 278-5959. Check the eatery's Facebook page or website, Mondomeatball.com for updates.
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