Chicago

At theWit Hotel, 2nd floor, 201 N State St, at Lake; Loop; 312.239.9500

The third restaurant to open in downtown hotel theWit, CM (literally "crazy food") fills its modern second-floor space with plush red and white leather seating and flourishes like a 2,000 bottle glass-and-stainless steel wine tower plus a 30-foot ceiling fresco. Standouts among the contemporary Italian fare include entrees like a braised beef short ribs with ricotta creamed spinach, while the starters are highlighted by housemade salumi and cheeses visible through a wood/glass display case, though they'd prefer if you'd stop staring like they're just pieces of meat.

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