Alpana Singh Saves the Day

Plenty of fine Italian establishments produce pastas and wood-fired pizzas.

Very few also produce cheese curds and fries smothered in braised pork and Dijon gravy.

And by very few, we mean just this one place in the whole wide world.

It’s called Terra & Vine, it’s master sommelier Alpana Singh’s multifaceted new Italian restaurant and bar, and it opens Thursday in Evanston.

The slideshow’s here, and the detailed breakdown is down there…

First, there’s Bar Terra.
It’s either: A) the cozy Italian speakeasy where you and your date will linger over predinner Campari-spiked daiquiris, or B) the cozy Italian speakeasy where you and some friends will linger over those fried cheese curds with giardiniera aioli and Nashville hot chicken wings. Making it one of the most versatile Italian speakeasies of the modern era.

Then, there’s the Vine.
You’ve walked through the bar to arrive in a sizable dining room dressed up in dark woods and ornate tiles. A menu appears, boasting duck confit ricotta gnocchi and slow-roasted pork osso buco, plus Ms. Singh’s 80-strong wine list. Things aren’t not going well.

Together, they make Terra & Vine.
“Aha…,” said probably no one.