It was another rainy, summer night here in Chicago and I was on my way to a lovely dinner with some fellow foodies and fashionistas. I knew at the minimum I would have some delicious food and a fun night catching up with old friends and making new ones.

Dinner at Filini in the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel

My Beautiful Personalized Table Setting

What I wasn’t really expecting was to be totally blown away by some of the BEST pasta I have ever had. Bold statement I know.

We gathered at Filini, the restaurant at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel near Millennium Park. I had been to Filini a few previous times just for drinks, but I had never eaten there before. Wow, was I missing out.

The menu was set for our special dinner occasion, but seeing that there were some meat and seafood courses, the chef was amazing and swapped in a few pasta dishes to accommodate my vegetarian diet. Leave it to me to always need special attention at the dinner table!

Here are just a few pictures of the absolutely delicious, soft and perfectly made pasta courses I tried.

Homemade ravioli with three cheese filling, arrabiata sauce and pesto oil drizzle

Cheese Ravioli at Filini Restaurant

Vesuvio pasta (the shape of a volcano and the first time I’ve ever tried this type of pasta), vodka sauce, fresh peas and minced chives

Vesuvio Pasta at Filini Restaurant

Spaghetti alla puttanesca with fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic and parsley

Spaghetti all Puttanesca at Filini Restaurant

And just in case you didn’t believe me when I said this was some of the best pasta I have ever had, the proof is in the picture.

My Finished Plate at Filini Restaurant

All pasta is not created equal as I have come to learn from my global dining experiences. I find some pasta to be too thick or taste too eggy for my personal preferences. So, finding perfectly soft, tasty and delicious pasta in all shapes and sizes at Filini was truly an unexpected surprise for me. This will now be my go-to spot when I am craving pasta, especially during those harsh Chicago winter months. See you there?

Please Note: While I was invited to this dinner, all opinions are my own.