Authentic Italian in Lincoln Square

Italians place a big emphasis on authenticity, especially if by authenticity you mean hair. For emphatically authentic Italian eats minus the blowout, check out Due Lire.

From a Naples native who's worked on the Chi restaurant scene for 15 years, DL's striving to capture the vibe of a genuine Italian osteria with a touch of modern flair thanks to dark wood beams running along the ceiling and amber canister lights above the small copper-topped bar (though the only battery'll be coming from your girlfriend for spending too much time at it). Smaller bites include antipasti selections like asparagus & fontina arancini, sausage w/ broccoli rabe and chili peppers, and crostinis including the Saporito (cotto ham, stracchino cheese, mushrooms) and the roast pepper/ pecorino/ spicy salami-topped Piccante -- given its heat you should probably Pace yourself. Naturally there're pastas from short rib ravioli w/ porcini & Parm, to sage-butter-sauced torteloni w/ swiss chard & chestnuts, plus proteins like pepper- and potato-sided roast Cornish hen, and a cauliflower-kicked whitefish pulled from Lake Superior, which constantly accuses Lake Huron of being new money.

For sweetness there's panna cotta w/ pomegranate balsamic cream and flourless chocolate souffle w/ Amarena cherry, and whilst they await their liquor license you can bring a bottle of your own vino, or a case, if it's gonna be a blowout.