Chicago 🥘 Quite Interesting Italian Restaurant – Apolonia

Saw several recommendations and came with a friend to try this place. Weekday lunch was completely empty—lol. Their dishes are pretty interesting, especially the desserts—so unique they’re worth a post. Black Truffle Puff Bread – Many friends recommended it. Tasty indeed, more like a fried flatbread than typical bread. The crust is crispy, seasoning leans a bit salty, but goes well with other dishes. 🍨 Pistachio Dessert (green one) – One of only two desserts available at lunch, just $8! This combo was SO GOOD! Pistachio ice cream + dried fruit + nut oil—sweet, salty, crispy, creamy, with a hint of umami. Basically the perfect pistachio bucket! 🍫 Lynea Chocolate – Layers of cream over a molten chocolate cake. The chocolate has a subtle saltiness, not overly sweet. Portion is huge—my friend and I were too full from the mains and couldn’t finish it together 🥲 🐟 Grilled Branzino – The fish itself was nice, served with fennel (didn’t realize until I looked it up—thought it was cabbage core 😂). A bit oily, but decent overall. 🍝 House Special Made Pasta – Recommended by our waiter. Texture was fascinating—more chewy than regular pasta, almost like rice cakes. The minced meat inside had a cumin-like flavor, and the tomato sauce was mildly spicy. Still on the oily side, but definitely unique. My friend mentioned dinner used to be hard to book here. Too bad the lunch menu is limited, but overall a great experience—would come again! #ChicagoEats #ChicagoFoodie #ItalianRestaurant 🍝🇮🇹✨