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Balena

  • $$$$
  • Italian
  • 1633 N Halsted St, Chicago IL60614 41.912041 -87.64795
  • (Btwn W Willow St & W North Ave)
  • click map to interact google maps
  • (312) 867-3888
  • 0

Dinner

Starters

Wild Arugula Salad pine nuts, dante   11.00
Tripe Alla Parmigiana grilled bread, soft herbs   12.00
Smoked Mackerel bread crumbs, soft egg, garlic aioli   13.00
Tuscan Kale "Caesar Salad" tonnato, sardines, croutons   12.00
Grilled Beef Heart pickled ramp, potato salad, fried shallot   14.00
Spicy Lamb & Pork Sausage white beans, pickled red onion   14.00
Burrata Di Panna wild citrus marmellata, fennel crostini   15.00
Herbed Focaccia ricotta, cracked black pepper, olive oil   5.00
Mushroom Bruschetta rye toast, marsala onions, cream   13.00

Smoking Goose Cured Ham $16

Bourbon Barrel Aged Ham    
Cold Smoked    
12 Month Dry Aged Ham    

Selection Of Cheeses $15

Verde Capra Blue goat, dates   
Pecorino Gran Riserva sheep, honeycomb   
Robiola cow, sheep, goat   

Pasta

Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe    15.00
Tagliolini Nero crab, sea urchin, chili   19.00
Orecchiette kale, lemon, bread crumbs, chili   16.00
Rigatoni pork ragu, porcini mushrooms   16.00
Hen Egg Tajarin sage, brown butter   15.00
Bavette Pomodoro basil, olive oil   15.00
Beef Ravioli red wine, saor   17.00

12" Pizza

Suggested For The Table, During Peak Times May Take Longer To Prepare.

Mozzarella basil, tomato   13.00
Spicy Pepperoni mozzarella, tomato   17.00
Spicy Sausage red onion, tomato, mozzarella   16.00
Cauliflower garlic crema, mozzarella, anchoïade   16.00
Mushroom fontina, taleggio, scallion, thyme   18.00
Brussels Sprout pancetta, pecorino, red onion   16.00
Mortadella pistachio pesto, mozzarella   17.00

Grill, Oven & Rotisserie

Skuna Bay Salmon sunchokes, fennel, taggiasca olives   25.00
Roast Porchetta creamy polenta, parsley red onion salad   21.00
Hanger Steak panisse, black olive aioli, fennel & parsley salad   23.00
Salt & Pepper Chicken Thighs pine nut dressing, braised greens   22.00
Aqua Terra Farms Ivory Char satsuma, hazelnut butter, chive   22.00
Bistecca lemon, salt, olive oil, roast garlic head  (36oz) 69.00
Grilled Head-On Prawns grapes, finger chiles, aioli   19.00

Sides $8

Baked Polenta    
Tomato Fondue    
Dante    
Sweet Onion Gratinato    
White Wine    
Cream    
Grana Padano    
Charred Radicchio    
Pecorino    
Basil    

 

Dessert

Dessert Classic

Tiramisu chocolate sauce, coffee streusel   10.00
Affogato vanilla gelato, espresso, cinnamon sugar donuts   10.00
Venetian Rainbow Cake marzipan, chocolate gelato, chocolate orange crumble   10.00
Mocha Panna Cotta chocolate, banana, hazelnut crunch, brownie   9.00
Fromage Blanc honeyed apricot, shortbread   10.00

Composed Sundae $9

Grapefruit Sorbetti dry meringue, cinnamon, aperol granita   
Vanilla Gelato chocolate chip cookie, malt chocolate sauce, "toasted milk"   
Pistachio Gelato burnt orange, pistachio nougat, confit orange   

Coffee

By La Colombe

Espresso    3.00
Cappuccino    4.00
Latte    4.00
Americano    3.00
Caffe Corretto add liquor   3.00
Coffee    3.00

Tea $4

By Rare Tea Cellars

Italian Green Almondine    
First Flush Darjeeling    
Sicilian Wild Flower Chai    
Georgia Peach Rooibos    
Emperor’s Chamomile    
Decaf Regal English Breakfast    

Vintage Tea

By Rare Tea Cellars

2010 Sicilian Blood Orange Pu-Erh    7.00
2009 Caramel Dream Pu-Erh    7.00
2003 Oak Aged Pu-Erh    8.00

Cocktail $11

No 3. Hot Buttered Amaro zucca, butter batter, hot water   
No 6. CioCia ciociara amaro, cointreau, espresso, simple syrup   
No 8. Maple Flip fernet branca, carpano antica, maple syrup, egg   

 

Bottled Beer

Menabrea ‘Birra Bionda’, Light Lager, Biella, Italy lemon zest, fresh mint, grain  (11.2oz) 7.00
Menabrea ‘Birra Ambrata’, Amber Ale, Biella, Italy apricot, chestnut honey, caramel malt  (11.2oz) 7.00
Dark Horse "Crooked Tree" IPA, Marshall, Michigan dried mango, earthy hops, biscuits  (12oz) 8.00
St. Peters ‘Gluten Free’, Sorghum Beer, Suffolk, UK grass, mandarin oranges, minty hops  (16.9oz) 14.00
Menabrea ‘75’, Bock, Biella, Italy caramel malt, toasted brioche, dried figs  (25.4oz) 17.00
Collesi Imper Ale Triplo Malto, Tripel,Apeechio, Italy oats, vanilla bean, stone fruit  (16.9oz) 18.00
Jenlain ‘Winter Ale’, Farmhouse Ale, Jenlain, France candied plum, caramel, baking spice  (25.4oz) 27.00

Bitters Mixology $11

Balena Cocktails Are An Exploration Of Italian Amari And The Bitters From Countries Surrounding As The Basis Of Our Mixology. The Bitterness Of Each Drink Is Rated On A "1-10" Scale, And While All Of Our Cocktails Are Well Balanced, A "1" Represents The Least And "10" The Greatest Bitterness. The Cocktails Have Been Thoughtfully Created By Mixologist Debbi Peek.

We Are Here To Serve You And Can Make Most Cocktails Upon Request

Classic

Negroni No5 plymouth gin, campari, cocchi vermouth di torino   
Americano No5 campari, carpano antica, soda   
Cardinale No5 bombay sapphire, campari, cocchi americano   

Original

Strawberry No1 dimmi, grey goose, fragoli, la marca prosecco, wild strawberry   
Rosemary No2 campari, aperol, fresh sour, egg white, flamed rosemary   
Mirto No2 nardini myrtle berry, old forester bourbon, pernod absinthe, orange bitters   
Manlino No3 aperol, st. george terroir gin, fresh sour, soda   
Carmella No3 amaro cio ciaro, zaya rum, carpano antica, benedictine, orange bitters   
Elixir No4 green chartreuse, nardi acqua di cedro liqueur, beefeater 24 gin   
Peat No4 amaro nonino, laphroaig 10yr single malt scotch, chamomile tea syrup, fresh lemon, egg white   
Francesco No5 averna amaro, templeton rye whiskey, carpano antica, cointreau   
China No6 amaro ramazzotti, bonal, cherry herring, mole bitters   
Montenegro No6 amaro montenegro, nolet gin, bitter truth grapefruit bitters, orange peel   
Dark And Stirred No7 amaro cynar, bitter truth exr, benedictine, angostura bitters   
Pina No9 amaro sibilla, corzo reposado, cointreau, grapefruit, sage   
Fib No10 amaro dell erborista, ransom gin, pink grapefruit, basil   

 

Wines By The Glass

Sparkling

La Marca Prosecco, Veneto (Dry) NV apple, lemon, cream   12.00
Donelli "Amabile" Lambrusco, Emilia Romania (Red, Semisweet) strawberry, kirsch, spice   10.00
Ca’ Del Bosco "Cuvee Prestige" Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Franciacorta (Dry) lemon zest, fresh biscuit, wet stone   15.00

White

La Fiera Moscato, Puglia 2010 lightly sweet, green apple, white peach   9.00
Il Conte Pinot Grigio, Veneto 2011 green apple, mineral, acidity   10.00
Matteo Correggia Arneis, Piedmont 2011 white flower, peach, apricot   14.00
Castelvero Cortese, Piedmont 2010 white flower, pear, citrus   10.00
Terenzuola "Fosso Di Corsano" Vermentino, Tuscany 2011 lemon, mineral, floral   11.00
Stephano Massone "Gavi" Cortese, Piedmont 2010 pear, lemon, crisp minerality   13.00
Fontaleoni Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, Tuscany 2011 honeydew, orange peel, honey   12.00
Salviano "Orvieto" Procanico, Umbria 2010 pear, fuji apple, mineral   11.00
Mandrarossa Fiano, Sicily 2009 pineapple, pear, citrus   11.00
Rapitala "Piano Maltese" Grillo, Catarratto, Sicily 2010 starfruit, citrus, spice   11.00
Andrian "Somereto" Chardonnay, Alto Aldige 2011 white peach, fresh mango, grilled nuts   14.00

Red

Castello Di Volpaia "Chianti Classico" Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Tuscany 2009 black cherry, plum, vanilla   14.00
Terre Nere Nerello Mascalese, Sicily 2010 red flower, raspberry, cherry   12.00
J. Hofstätter Blauburgunder (Pinot Nero), Alto Adige 2011 rainier cherry, sage, vivacious acidity   14.00
Librandi "Ciro Rosso" Gaglioppo, Calabria 2010 red cherry, dried fig, cinnamon   11.00
Liveli Passamante "Salice Salentino" Negroamaro, Puglia 2009 plum, prune, spice   12.00
Rocca Nero D’Avola, Sicily 2011 stewed cherry, smoke, violet   11.00
Piane Di Maggio "Agriverde" Montepulciano, Abruzzo 2011 black cherry, strawberry preserves, thyme   11.00
Agostino Pavia "Moliss" Barbera D’Asti, Piedmont 2009 black raspberry, violet, white pepper   11.00
Poderi Elia Dolcetto, Piedmont 2009 red currant, red raspberry, tobacco   12.00
Santadi "Grotto Grosso" Carignano Del Sulcis, Sardinia 2009 black cherry, fennel blossom, dried rose   12.00
Stefano Farina "Le Brume Langhe" Nebbiolo, Barbera, Merlot, Piedmont 2007 black plum, blackberry, coffee   12.00
Palmadina Refosco, Friuli 2008 black berry, graphite, anise   12.00
Castello Di Volpaia "Prelius" Cabernet Sauvignon, Tuscany 2011 black currant, grilled herb, spice   13.00

 

Balena
1633 N Halsted St
Btwn W Willow St & W North Ave
(312) 867-3888
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