Wood-burning oven at Bar Ombra expands menu

From the inbox, a massive new 4,000 pound wood-burning oven has arrived at Bar Ombra. Take a look at the new offerings as a result...

Bar Ombra to Expand Offerings With Wood-Burning Oven

Since opening its doors in 2012, Bar Ombra quickly became known for mouthwatering Italian small plates in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Now Chicagoans have even more reason to visit the Venetian-style bar... The restaurant is closed this week to make room for a new 4,000-pound wood-burning oven and upon re-opening during the weekend of May 3, guests will notice an expanded menu with offerings from the oven as well as a new selection of handcrafted cocktails.

The restaurant, which has received top honors from Chicago media including Chicago Magazine's Best New Restaurant, is taking a step in a new direction, but not without keeping some guest favorites on the menu. The new menu from Owner Marty Fosse will include wood-fired pizzas with red sauce varieties like Salciccia House Made Sausage, Greens and Smoked Mozzarella and Al Diavola with Diavola, Spicy Sopressatta, Spinach, Calabrian Chilies and Ricotta. The menu will also include white sauce pizzas including Genovese with Grilled Vegetables, Herb Ricotta and Basil Pesto. All of the favorite traditional cicchetti that the restaurant has became known for, like seasonal Caponata andPancetta Wrapped Gorgonzola Filled Dates, will remain on the new menu.

Specialties from the wood-burning oven won't stop with pizza. The restaurant will also offer a variety of wood-grilled entrees like Skirt Steak with Farro, Grilled Vegetables and Romesco, Amish Chicken Breast with Roasted Yukon Golds, Seasonal Greens and Rosemary Vinaigrette, and Scottish Salmon with Shitake Mushrooms, Asparagus and Arugula Pesto.

The full menu includes:

Cicchetti

Artichoke caponata: traditional Sicilian vegetable relish, pine nuts $4

Spicy marinated olives $4

Cannellini beans, red onions, local soppressata, herbs $4

Faro, grilled vegetables, herb vinaigrette $4

An assortment of the above four cicchetti $12

Buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto $8

 Goat cheese truffles $8

Salumi plate, prosciutto, local soppressata, west loop coppa, imported mortadella $13

Pancetta wrapped gorgonzola filled dates, reduced balsamic $7

Crispy veggie chips, pecorino $5

Polenta fries, spicy aioli $7

Beef & pork meatballs, country tomato, parmigiano $7 additional meatballs $2.25 ea

Fritto misto, calamari, lemons, seasonal vegetables $10

Arancini: Sicilian saffron rice balls, spring vegetable filling, country tomato $7

Salads

Arugula, lemon, shaved parmigiano $6

Baby spinach, roasted beets, toasted walnuts, gorgonzola $15

Mixed greens  $6

Hand Crafted Pasta

Orecchiette, house made sausage, garlic, spicy greens, parmigiano $15

Gnocchi, country tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil $14

Tagliatelle, pancetta ragu, parmigiano $15

Asparagus ravioli, butter, parmigiano $15

Wood Grilled Entrees

Skirt Steak, faro, grilled vegetables, romesco $19

Scottish Salmon, shitake mushrooms, asparagus, arugula pesto $18

Amish Chicken Breast, roasted Yukon golds, seasonal greens, rosemary vinaigrette $16

Grilled Spring Vegetables, wheatberries, basil vinaigrette $15

Wood Fired Pizza

Red

Margherita, tomato, mozzarella, basil $14

PAT, pancetta, arugula, tomato $15

Salciccia, house made sausage, greens, smoked mozzarella $15

Boscaiola, roasted mushrooms, tomato, prosciutto, arugula, shaved parmigiano $16

Diavola, spicy sopressatta, spinach, calabrian chiils, ricotta $16

Emiliana, tomato, mozzarella, imported mortadella $15

Marinara, anchovy, roasted garlic, chillis, pecorino romano $14

White

Ortolano, roasted garlic, asiago, mixed greens, shaved parmigiano, balsamic $15

Genovese, grilled vegetables, ricotta, basil pesto $15

Quattro Formaggi, mozzarella, pecorino romano, provolone, gorgonzola, sun dried $16

Pollo, roasted chicken breast,  radicchio, smoked mozzarella $16

To celebrate the new wood-burning oven and updated menu, Bar Manager Meredith Barry is also unveiling a new craft cocktail menu for guests to enjoy with their pizzas and other wood grilled dishes.

Bar Ombra's cozy dining room will remain mostly unchanged when the restaurant reopens during the weekend of May 3. Reservations can be made online or by calling the restaurant at (773) 506-8600.