When you step into a spot called “Burger Boss” you naturally expect to order great burgers. What might surprise you about this location at 3208 N. is the “Pasta Pop-Up” menu offering superb pasta offerings.
The new pasta menu at Burger Boss on Southport offers some of the finest pasta dishes I have tasted in the Lakeview area. The prices are incredibly reasonable and the portions are gigantic. An added bonus . . . the menu is available both in the restaurant and for delivery.
If you have ever ventured out to Oak Park, you may have encountered an iconic restaurant called Cucina Paradiso. I dine there frequently and it has some of the finest Italian cuisine in the Chicagoland area. As it turns out, the same family owns Burger Boss and they recently thought to themselves, “Hey! Why not take some of our best Cucina Paradiso recipes and figure out how to create them for a more fast-food kind of environment?”
Questo è tutto!
Suddenly there is an awesome pasta menu at Burger Boss offering some of the finest preparations from the Cucina Paradiso menus.
On my recent visit, I was able to sample four of their superb offerings:
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Rigatoni Piedmont (Bolognese sauce, Romano cheese, fresh balls of Mozzarella) – the owners boast that they have the finest Bolognese sauce in Chicago. You may call that ‘hyperbole’ but after tasting this sauce, I may have to agree with them. They create this superb sauce with San Marzano tomatoes, pork, beef, Italian bacon, cream, and Romano cheese. The dish is served with balls of fresh Mozzarella on top for both a lovely presentation and a delightful mixture of flavors. Questa salsa è incredibilmente delizioso!
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Penne Arrosto
(Marinara, grilled Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, Ricotta cheese, Romano cheese) – I tend to shy away from anything spicy, so I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy something with Italian sausage. Luckily, they use relatively mild sausage in this preparation. The penne was cooked al dente (just as I love it) and the sauce was dense and flavorful without overpowering the flavor of the sausage. This is a great, standard preparation that should please any pasta-lover who likes the more familiar offering.
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Linguine con Broccoli
(Sautéed broccoli, cherry tomatoes, garlic, oil, Romano cheese) – for the vegetarians in the crowd, there are several excellent options including this simple but wonderful linguine preparation. The vegetables are well-cooked without being overcooked and the garlic/oil sauce is just garlicky enough without overpowering anything. I have to admit, I love swirling my pasta around on a spoon and this linguine is thin enough to do that. Both fun and tasty!
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Shells Capo
(Vodka cream sauce, fresh baby spinach, grilled chicken) – This is one of their superb cream sauces, an elegant Besciamella with a shot of vodka for flavor. The spinach was wilted but not overcooked, and the grilled chicken was fork-tender. The only complaint I might make about this one is the the sauce does overpower the flavor of the chicken, but that’s a minimal complaint considering the high quality of the dish.
One of the best options is to sample their “Create Your Own” menu to craft your unique favorite pasta dish. They offer a nice gluten-free pasta option for only a $1 upcharge. But they also have a gluten-free Asiago Cream Sauce! It is rare to find a cream sauce that doesn’t use flour as a thickener, but their Asiago sauce is flavorful, thick, creamy, and totally gluten-free.
Burger Boss in Chicago is located at 3208 N. Southport. You can enjoy their Pasta Pop-Up menu at the restaurant or choose the Pasta Pop-Out option with free delivery. Check their website for delivery details. You can call Burger Boss in Chicago at (773) 248-2677. Join their social media conversations on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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