Alla Vita, a "neighborhood Italian" but so much more

Full disclosure, I'm a big fan of the Boka Boys, Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, but I also have a very critical eye. Although, try as I might, I couldn't find anything to complain about at Alla Vita, their newest restaurant at 564 W. Randolph, in the hot West Loop. This new eatery from the Boka Restaurant Group is described as "neighborhood Italian" but it's not like any neighborhood I've been in. The decor takes it all to another level.

From the moment you walk in the front door and see the chic, black upholstered captain's stand, you know you're going to be in for an incredible experience. This restaurant is the first one designed by Kehoe Designs (Tom Kehoe and team) but I know it won't be their last. The attention to detail is jaw-dropping, from the hand-painted floor to the swag lights strung across the vaulted ceiling, nothing is left to chance. And this is all before you even look at the menu.

The wait-staff is super friendly too and seem very happy to be there. We had a drink at the well-appointed bar before dinner and both experiences were top rate with great service.

The menu offers roasted octopus (I was told a crowd favorite), wood-fired meatballs, homemade pasta, pizza (a specialty), fish, steak, chicken and more. Our waiter Abel was so clever. He told us when we were ready to order to just turn our menu sideways and he would come to the table. In all of our years of eating out, no server has ever told us to do anything like this.....they would just keep coming to the table like a boomerang until finally we would give in and order.

Anyway, back to the decor. I couldn't stop looking at it--every shiny potted plant was perfect to the point where my husband asked if they were even real. And it's always a good sign when you see the owners eating at their own restaurant. Rob's wife and friends occupied a big table and designer Tom Kehoe and a friend were at another.

The outdoors looked charming too, with the striped awning and perfectly manicured landscaping. Around the quadruple-beveled marble bar inside, unusual, crystal lighting cast just the right glow of ambiance, not too bright, not too dim. The lush, greenery-covered trellises, that served to separate the dining areas, brought the outdoors in.

However, I thought the pièce de résistance was the glowing, amber-colored "ceiling" in the dining room. When you first look at it, it looks like a very complicated, hard sculpture, when in reality, it's made of fabric.

It's a great place to dine, on every level. From food to ambiance, Alla Vita has it all. I've heard they have racked up record-breaking reservations too and now I know why. It might be a little hard to get in but don't give up, it's well worth the wait.

(Alla Vita, 564 W. Randolph, 312.667.0104, allavitachicago.com)