Pizza

After swimming, we were all hungry and debated whether to eat dinner at home or go out. Not surprisingly, going out won. We had dinner at Chicago's Pizza and Pasta, which has recently opened at 4520 W. Irving Park Road. The restaurant itself is a nice--but not elegant--space. The decor suggested an attempt to appeal to parents as adults and parents as parents: wipe-down table cloths in a pretty terracotta color, pale green and mustard yellow ceramic plates, and paper napkins. When we arrived, The Boy and The Girl each got a lidded plastic cup full of water, children's menu and crayons. We also got a plate of foccacia and olive oil. The kitchen easily takes up half of the building, leaving room for only about 8 or 9 tables for dining-in, but given the gigantic stack of wooden highchairs next to the takeout counter, they clearly expect children.

We passed on the children's menu options ($5.75 for milk or soda, choice of entree and choice of side), although it comprised the widest variety I've yet seen on a children's menu (pasta, rotini & cheese, pizza, cheeseburger, hamburger, chicken fingers). Unfortunately, they didn't have chocolate milk, which greatly upset The Boy. He eventually settled for apple juice instead. We ordered a 12" thin crust, half cheese and half artichoke, and a house salad ($4.95) and avocado salad ($6.75). The salads came on enormous plates, very tastefully arranged. The pizza was very cheesy, which The Girl loved of course. One last sign of kid-friendliness. When we asked for the check, the waitress said that they offered Italian Ice for the kids and did we want lemon or cherry? The Boy had cherry and The Girl had lemon. They both really enjoyed them. Total bill: $24.75 + tip.

We'll definitely go back again.