Art in Action at Terzo Piano

This was a crazy wedding-filled weekend, but don't worry... I still managed to eat, experience and analyze. (Unfortunately, given the occasion, I refrained from attacking some of the venues/food with my normal paparazzi-style zeal. Sorry, peeps. Gives you a great reason to get out and see some of these places for yourselves!)

Friday night, I went to Terzo Piano for my friend Mary Eileen's rehearsal dinner. Terzo Piano is the new restaurant on the third floor of the Modern Wing at the Art Institute. The literal translation of "terzo piano" is "third floor" in Italian, but it's also a play on the the designer of the Modern Wing's name, Renzo Piano. The cuisine is modern Italian and the head chef is heralded Chicago restaurateur Tony Mantuano, of Spiaggia and The Purple Pig acclaim.

I was instantly struck by the beauty of the space, which is absolutely in keeping with the modern, artistic aesthetic that marks the Modern Wing. In addition to the stylish interior dining space, there's an amazing patio where guests enjoyed cocktails before dinner and caught the last of the Tall Ships fireworks after our meal. (Normally, this outdoor space has seating for 60 lucky ladies and gentlemen to dine al fresco.)

Obviously, since I was there for an event instead of dining off of their regular menu, my experience was a little unusual. However, based on this experience, I can say this: I would go back to try the regular restaurant offerings at any time. The presentation was as artistic as you'd expect when dining in the home of so many great works. Everything I tried was as beautiful as it was tasty.

The passed hors d'oeuvres were solid, the salad was fresh and balanced, and the beef entree option was outstanding. This is a feat, considering that beef entrees oten come out overly well-done at events where the meals are not ordered a la carte. Not so here: the beef tenderloin was served (artfully, of course) at a perfect medium to medium-rare and it was delicious. Lastly, their fudgy chocolate pie was impeccable. I think I may have detected a pretzel crust... Amazing.

Something to know: the hours at Terzo Piano are a little unconventional. The space is open for lunch Monday through Sunday, but dinner service happens only once a week -- on Thursday. Given these hours of operation, they must do an extraordinary amount of private events. After my Friday evening experience, I am happy to say that they do them very, very well.

For more information on Terzo Piano, click here.