LITTLE ITALY
Chicago Joe's is Downtown Vegas' coziest gem
BY JARRET KEENE

Walking into Chicago Joe's on Fourth Street is like walking into any number of restaurants on the East Coast in cities like Philadelphia and Boston. You know, those stand-alone, turn-of-the-century houses in which the rooms have been converted into a series of dining areas, and that feel like you're wandering into a friend's residence. Interestingly, this dining columnist has never set foot into a converted home - whether in New Orleans; Chicago; Washington D.C. - that has served anything less than stellar food. And Chicago Joe's, a veritable institution of Italian dining in Downtown Las Vegas for more than 30 years, is no exception. 

Whenever guests come to town with a hankering for Italian, I don't take them to the Strip. Instead, I drive them down the block for some of the best seafood and pasta dishes they're likely to ever enjoy, in an environment that owes more to the Sopranos than, say, Spago. Indeed, Chicago Joe's is where locals go for Italian cuisine.

First, a word on the waiters; they are friendly and funny and, when you've exhibited signs of possessing a sense of mirth and a lust for life (i.e., once you've ordered some house red at $3.50 a glass), they'll even share a dirty joke or two. At the same time, however, they won't hover needlessly around your table, eager to yank your just-finished plates out from under you. Eye contact is all they need to attend to your needs - whether it's more fresh bread (neither too doughy, nor too crumbly) or a wine refill. Speaking of, among the selection of fine wines is the Coppola Rosa (you know, from the famous film director's vinery?) - which is actually very good!

For apps, the mushroom cap escargot ($6.95) is an adventurous option, and one that is always rewarding - rich with buttery garlic. If snails and fungi are too outré for your taste, go with the stuffed artichoke ($8.95). Be aware that all entrées come with a choice of salad (basic iceberg and plum tomatoes) or soup (pasta fagioli). The former comes with the kind of creamy garlic dressing you'd get in a, well, Chicago Italian joint, while the soup is hearty and genuine enough to make you want to order another bowl.

Any of the basic pasta dishes (fettucini alfredo, spinach lasagna, eggplant parmigiana) will satisfy your taste buds, but it's the seafood dishes you really need to hone in on - particularly if they're offering a special called Seafood Joe ($29.95). Seafood Joe is simply linguini pasta adorned with a medley of shrimp, lobster and scallops with sautéed mushrooms, lemon garlic sauce, and it's the freshness of the ingredients that make this dish a must-order. If the special is unavailable, then go with the Shrimp Joe ($20.95), which is the same dish minus the assorted shellfish. You can't go wrong with this one, either.

The secret to Chicago Joe's success is in the marinara sauce, which has won several awards over the years. It's got that homestyle taste that's actually too good to make at home, and it screams out for you to clean it off your plate with some more bread. Don't worry about looking like a famished fool; we're all friends here, after all. This place gets jam-packed on any given night, so plan ahead.

Chicago Joe's is located at 820 South Fourth St., just north of Charleston. To make reservations (and be sure you do), call 702-382-5637. LW