I don't understand how anyone could eat at this joint and not give the full five stars. Â If you've never been to Isacco's...I want you to ignore the petty nit-pickers and their whining cry baby reviews. Â Last night, my wife and I stopped in at Isacco's before a show at the Arcada Theater. Â Our friend Jeff's band The Everly Hillbillies was doing their Everly Brothers tribute act with one of Don Everly's sons sitting in. Â So we'd never been to the theater or the restaurant. Â I found Isacco's on-line and skimmed the Yelp reviews...just as you're doing right now. Â We made a 6 p.m. reservation. Â (We don't normally eat that early.) Â Pulling up to the restaurant, I was a bit put off by the sign "Isacco's Bar & Grill." Â It sends the wrong message. Â Personally, I'd pull it down if I was Chef Guido-Bob Isacco. Â Just use the proper name--Isacco's Kitchen. Â That "bar & grill" signage had me wondering if we were about to walk into a loud haw-haw-haw sports bar with humple-dumple Blackhawks fans and their crusty old Thirsty Whale greaser chick wives foaming at the mouth. Â I needn't have worried. Â Isacco's cheesey sign was my only complaint.
Intimate atmosphere. Â Probably about 10 or 12 tables. Â Low lights, romantic. Â Our waitress was an adorable little girl named Kylie. Â Just as bright as a shiny new penny. Â She worked the entire room by herself...and didn't miss a beat. Â Service is at a sane pace. Â She didn't hover. Â She knew exactly when to check on us. Â I had the duck ravioli. Â My wife tried the butternut squash and chicken dish. Â We agreed that we hadn't had a better meal anywhere in the past five years. Â The prices are reasonable. Â We each had two cocktails. Â Add an appetizer and our entrees and a couple of decafs after dinner amd the bill came to $101 and change. Â In downtown Chicago you're more in the $140 range for similar fare. Â Make that $175 at really nice restaurant. Â Isacco's is our new go-to Italian restaurant out here in the west suburbs. Â No doubt.
I have been here with my wife, clients and friends and am always pleased. The food is very creative, presented well and above all delicious. It has become my favorite restaurant in the area. Pricing is more than fair. The menu seems to never be the same and I love this. Its always a tasty adventure.
Great wine list and knowledgeable wine pairing reccomendations have always been spot on. The starters are high volume.... My wife and I save through the meal as a side. She is a fan and would suggest his brussel sprouts offering.
There is not multiple choice of hard liquor or beer or unusual cocktails. Wine choices are the opposite .... numerous - but typical less choice of "by the glass" offerings. Wine is served in the ideal glassware.
Isaaco's is a very comforting relaxing fine dining gem. I am glad to see they are now accepting reservations. I hope they revert back to serving at lunchtime.
Hours have been updated again:
Monday to Thursday from 4pm-10pm
Friday and Saturday from 4pm-11pm
Sunday from 4pm-9pm
They are also taking reservations again.
My husband and I went on Sunday to celebrate Valentines - great as always.
Although the menu changes regularly, if they have mozzarella on grilled veggie and tartlet topped with shaved parm and prosciutto, Â I highly recommend it - amazing cheese.
I have been getting the shrimp diablo  with crab ravioli - good, spicy.  I have also had the pork osobucco - sooo tasty.
My husband is a fan of the chef's bolognese with fresh pasta - all of the pasta and gnocchi are fresh made.
Super weird experience from the parking lot to the signage (why is one letter on it's side, you can't read the name at all!) to the waiter to the spray painted decor...
Food was really tasty for the most part. Complete miss on a couple items but when you are trying weird stuff a couple blunders are bound to occur.
Give it a try!
Very odd place but really good food.
The starters are huge and I would say order one as a meal.
We had:
Stuffed peppers and polenta
Trio of Brushetta
Canneloni
Sea Bass
Scallops
Canolli
Pecan Pie
Gellato
Between the three of us we like 95% of the food and really liked it. The Sea bass was a little sad b/c it was laying in a pool of butter and oil. The flavors were intense and interesting for everything that we ate!
Would for sure go again....just a little weird vibe and decor int he place.
Modern Northern Italian menu. Great selection priced right. We had baked figs and sautéed brussel sprouts for starters. a main courses were pappardelle with great bolognaise and chicken puttanesca. They were all great. Service was excellent. Good wine selection. We had an Italian wine that was decanted for us. Noise level was high in the dining area. Enjoyed the evening out. Definitely will return.
Review Source:Great meal and experience. Â Sat in bar side. Â Enjoyed very nice martini's as we eased into the evening.
Had a great dinner tonight. Party of 4. Â Enjoyed gnocci and mussels app, and also seared tuna app. Â Nice relaxed and non-rushed. Â After app, I had a great veal and wife enjoyed seafood risotto. Â Others in our party had duck and also the veal. Â Everyone very happy with selections.
First time there. Â Will definitely go back.
Went to lunch with the girls, what a find! First the service was friendly, attentive and professional. The risotto was to die for. Artichoke raviolis - yum!! Salads were a good size and tasty. We all decided we would go back for dinner. Pasta tasted homemade!!
Please, please let dinner be good. After disasters at Milanos and ZaZas I want to find a good Italian place that really cares about their food and their customers!!
I walked into the restaurant and immediately saw the chalkboard above the bar which read Fois Gras Risotto. That's for me! We seemed to be off to a good start. Four of us sat in an attractive room, with a bizarre meeting happening  next to us. It was a cold night, and the room was drafty. In the summer, I'm sure it's more pleasant.
We were asked if we wanted cocktails so I asked for the list. There isn't one and none were suggested.
Strike One.
I asked for the specials and was told that the menu changes daily. OK...fair enough. Can I have the Fois Gras risotto? No. The board is for show. It hasn't been changed in ages. If I owned a showroom, would I place the most enticing, non-available item in the window? No I would not.
Strike Two.
We ordered three appetizers and a bottle of wine. Two of the appetizers were served after 5 minutes. No wine. I found the waiter serving the bar tables. I asked for the wine and it came; my appetizer did not.
Strike Three.
So I asked for my salmon and crab appetizer and when it finally came, it was good. The salmon was better than the watery crab.
I wanted to order the veal saltimbucco but was told it was stuffed and covered with cheese - in other words, it isn't that veal saltimbucco at all, which should be served with sage, prosciutto, white wine and lemon, with no cheese anywhere near.
Strike Four (like it matters now).
The bolognese was good, with a rich, meaty, red wine and tomato based sauce. It was served with love by the chef (owner?) to the table, a nice touch I thought. The chocolate soufflé, however, was dry .
As a side note, a local wine merchant was hard selling his wines to a guy with a baby, his wife and another woman at the table next to us. He kept disappearing into the kitchen and coming out with half-drunk bottles of red wine. Now, I could tell they were Italian because they had the DOC label around the neck, yet the merchant's loud description didn't match the wine. Â I asked if I could have a taste (well, don't ask, don't get) and was treated to an average glass of I'm guessing Montepulciano. As soon as the wine merchant left, there was a general shrugging of shoulders and a diaper change (not in the room). It was very odd.
Other diners, by the way, were dressed in either jackets or sports attire. If only folks could show some respect for the restaurant, it might help it reciprocate.
I suspect if Isacco found the passion, they could bring this place up to a decent level. The food is still better than Villa Verone in Geneva, but compared with the innovation going on in Chicago or the classic Roman dishes of the cheaper Celeste in New York, it's just not good enough. It's not difficult to sound like a snob here, but just because your diners can't pronounce your dishes, do you have to let standards drop? Does living in the suburbs have to relegate one to a consistently subpar experience?
My boyfriend and I dined at Isacco on New Year's eve and I can't believe we never knew about this place. Isacco got recommend to us so we decided to take a chance and try it out. I do not think I have ever had such a great impression of a restaurant on the first try.
I adored the building from the outside, a cute, quaint building, with what looks to be like a fantastic outdoor patio. We will definitely be back in the warmer months to enjoy, that's for sure. The restaurant was small, the decor was modern, and they had awesome music.The food was phenomenal to say the least. I think that they had a really creative but simplistic menu.
The bread came out in a paper bag which is something I have never seen before but I like it! Something different and it kind of makes you anticipate what's to come. We had the gnocchi and the scallop appetizers, veal and lobster for dinner. To our surprise the portions sizing was very decent, worth the price (which was not out of the ordinary). We also had dessert, the tiramisu and the chocolate peanut butter semi-fredo. TO DIE FOR!
I could go on and on about each dish and how marvelous they all were but I think this sums it up. Isacco has blown me away, my overall experience on New Year's has left me wanting more. Bravo Isacco!
Also I would like to mention the 2 lovely ladies a the front door, decked out in great attire and topped with New Year's Eve tiaras. It's so nice to see people getting into the spirit of the holiday. They both had great personalities and they set the tone of the evening from the very beginning.
My husband and I LOVE Isacco Kitchen and have been there several times - the food is always delicious - I would recommend this for a romantic couples dinner, or dinner with a group of friends....wine list is great by the bottle, as well as by the glass...Go here - you will not be disappointed!!
Review Source:THis is a cozy restaurant with friendly and helpful staff. Â The food is good - i had a seafood dish - clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari over pasta. Â My wife had the short rib marinara over pasta. Â It was all good. Â I think in the summer this place would be very cool to hang on the front patios and share some good food and wine. Â If you are in the area it is worth checking this fine place out.
Review Source:We walked into Isaccos's early (5:30 or so) on a Saturday and quickly felt a bit under dressed, we where seated in the small dinning  area, I think there was only 1 other table seated and a few folks at the bar.
We where told that the menu changes almost completely every week, selections where limited but a good mix of pasta, seafood and poultry so just about everybody should be happy.
I had the crab ravioli with vodka sauce and grilled chicken and my wife had the sea bass. Â The food quality was excellent, dare I say my best dining experience in quite a while, service was also top notch. Â For desert I would recommend the gelato sampler, the black pepper gelato was interesting. Â
It is  on the pricier side of what we tend to lean to but we will be back I'm sure for those times we need a special treat.
My husband and I dine at Isacco Kitchen frequently. Â As others have mentioned, the charcuterie is incomparable and one of the best values on the menu. Â (Warning, don't get it as an appetizer for two! You will be full before dinner even begins!) Â
Although the interior of the restaurant is small, the atmosphere is intimate and can be romantic. Â But in the summer, sitting outside is the best option. (My only complaint is that they outdoor patio furniture could use some cushions! Â That would encourage me to linger a little longer.) Â
The menu is heavy on the seafood dishes but the options are unique and delicious. All of the pasta dishes are fantastic and have a homemade warmth to them without being too heavy. Â The portion sizes are very adequate and you can feel satisfied having finished your meal, rather than gorging yourself. Â Let's face it, restaurant meals are notoriously gigantic and overindulgent. Â If you're dining to leave stuffed or to take home leftovers for another meal, Isacco Kitchen isn't for you. Â
Also, other reviewers have commented/complained that the bread arrives stale and in a small paper bag. Â We found the presentation charming and rustic and the taste delicious, especially served with the soft herb butter, it was absolutely fantastic.
Occasionally Chef Isacco will come out of the kitchen to chat or on a weeknight even serve your meal! Â Our experience with him has always been friendly and pleasant and we will continue to return here frequently.
This is a favorite spot when I am in town. Â The food is always fresh and superb! Â The staff is quite knowledgeable and attentive (thank you Ryan & Tommy), and the regulars that frequent here are always happy to suggest their favorite dishes! Â This is a fun local hot spot if you happen to be stuck in the burbs. Â The decor is modern and clean - and the ambiance inviting. Â
Although the restaurant seating is limited, they will accommodate larger parties. Â Last spring I had my birthday dinner here with 12 guests and all were pleased. Â Also - when the Illinois weather permits, the patio is a beautiful, spacious place to dine and sip on Prosecco.
Must try:
Lump crab salad with avocado, mango-papaya relish Â
Sautéed brussel sprouts, brown sugar, bacon
Zucchini flower tempura stuffed with goat cheese mousse
Caprese with Burrata mozzarella (made in Italy), Prosciutto di Parma
Warm chocolate soufflé, wild berry gelato
OR have Isacco whip up some of his favorite dishes for you!
This was indeed a breath of fresh air, and sexy as someone else here mentioned. We used to dine frequently, since the kids came along we don't get to the city anymore and only occasionally can sneak out for a fine meal in the burbs (that used to be an oxymoron, but I'm happy to say that is changing!) We consider ourselves to have pretty high standards when it comes to food quality and Isaaco's made the mark.
We arrived spontaneously one night at about 7pm and were able to be seated almost right away. The place has a romantic, intimate feel of someone's den, candlelight and all... but not so dim you can't see what you're eating. There is a wonderful bookcase that includes the chef's favorite cookbooks, and after our dinner we were able to thumb through a few.
The prices are reasonable and the food very fresh and finely prepared and presented  - the music was fun - not stuffy, good rock and roll but not too loud - a great, edgy combination of fine and casual.  I was feeling particularly daring that night and tried the beef tongue appetizer. My husband was skeptical - a French native, he had only had beef tongue in the old country prepared in a different way that wasn't very appealing - we were both blown away by how tender and deliciously prepared it was!  He had the octopus and was equally pleased.  We also had the antipasto and it was as good as everyone else said.
As for the duck mishaps mentioned by other reviewers - no excuse for not divulging the duck content in the beet salad, agreed - Â I'm certain that had Isaaco been present this liberty-taking would never have been done . However, Â Ryan ("Elite"), I'm sorry to tell you, but in the culinary world, it is entirely acceptacle and appropriate to have duck cooked to your desired doneness - it does not have the same disease risk as chicken or other poultry - Â duck is at its best served medium-rare to medium, as the texture is similar to a red meat and toughens from overcooking..do your research and you will see - and if you dine frequently enough you will find this to be so at any finer restaurant.
We were fortunate enough to meet the chef after our meal, a delightful gentleman and very down to earth. We are considering returning this weekend for our anniversary, so I am looking forward to another experience at this hidden suburban gem!
I just dined here with my wife & my folks to celebrate my birthday, and everything was fantastic!! Â We didn't like our initial table, but the staff was more than accommodating in moving the 4 of us to a different table. Â After that was settled, I looked over the menu and the wine list, and realized this was a place I would have to visit more than a few times, there are so many great options! Â We started with the charcuterie plate, and that is something I will have a hard time staying away from next time! Â There was a plethora of tasty cured meats, a nice variety of cheeses and accoutrements [the pickled shallots were a great palate cleanser]. Â I then had the Foie Gras Risotto with fried egg and mushrooms. Â I don't think I've ever had something that rich in my life!! Â It was incredible, the blend of egg yolk and foie gras should be illegal! Â I can't wait to go back and try the quail, too. Â My wife had the braised lamb, which was a winner, my father highly enjoyed the veal, and my mother wanted to share her meat ravioli with the world. Â I was offered a wine/cocao mixed cordial for my birthday, as I did not have time to order dessert, and that was even worth coming back for! Â Our server was attentive, and answered my questions without hesitation and with conviction, making decisions that much easier. Â I recognized some great familiar faces within the wait/bar staff of some of the upper tier talent in the Tri-Cities, and I know their guests will be very well taken care of. Â The place was buzzing with life in a vibrant, yet cozy atmosphere, and I swear I saw Jan Hooks at the table next to us, but I could have been mistaken...I guess I'll just have to go back another night to find out.
Review Source:Fabulous experience. Aside from the hostess who couldn't find our reservation on the list for what seemed like forever, (even though I could see it on the list the entire time she was looking) everything was wonderful. Â I felt bad trying to help her do her job, but it seriously took her over a minute to locate the name.
Party of six, martinis and wine were flowing. Â Our waiter was superb and everything was paced perfectly. Â Meat and cheese plate for appetizer, more than enough for our group. I would have been happy to have it as a meal for myself, and I may go back sometime and actually do that. Â I had the foie-gras risotto. Â It was great, above my expectations. At the table we also had the flank steak (good), chicken and shrimp skewers (good), crab ravioli (very good), meat ravioli (very good), and pan fried sturgeon (excellent). Somehow we had room to have 4 different desserts. Â All of them were more than yummy. The bill was an eye opener but well worth it. Â
Small room, can get loud, very good food, good wine, excellent wait staff, worth the price you pay.
If I'd reviewed this place before we went there last night, it would have been a solid 4 star review, but...
Last night my wife and I took a foodie friend of ours who was visiting from out of town. We think the charcuterie starter that Isacco serves is simply without parallel. It beats Neo's Salumi bar in terms of value, if not quality! Enough meat and cheese for 4 and too much for 2 people...
After that, things got a little weird. We decided to just go with starters instead of entrees, our friend got the shrimp with gnocchi, I got the mussels, and my wife got the fried beet salad. The shrimp/gnocchi was delicious, if a little small on the gnocchi bits, my mussels were perfect with a great bread for sopping up the slightly spicy juice left in the bowl (yes!), but my wife's beet salad arrived with kind of a duck confit mixed in.?!?! WTF? Duck?
We were confused since the menu definitely doesn't mention this. Our waiter offered that Isacco had taken the night off, and the "kitchen help" were being a little creative tonight... Needless to say, that was a surprise, and not altogether welcome... Menu descriptions should be pretty darn close to describing what will arrive -- and any additions should be discussed with customer before hand. What if my wife was vegan?
So I'm docking a point for adding meat to a dish that obviously shouldn't have any. I suggest you double-check with the waiter to be sure you're surprises are limited...
The warm bread was delicious as always, and service was fine.
TIP: Check out the bathrooms when you go, they look like something straight out of Banksy's house!
Always superb. Staff treats you like a regular even if your first visit. Were there with friends for a birthday and Isacco came out from the kitchen with a special dessert trio and tasty Italian after-dinner liqueur. Always a special time at Isacco Kitchen. Understated outside, IKEA-Italian light inside. Save me a seat at the bar.
Review Source:Was fancier than we expected. Â We were looking for some relief from the heat at the Scarecrow Fest.
The kids had Mac n Cheese which was very bland. Now my normally good eater didn't care much for it. Â He TRIED to add salt. That didn't help. Â He TRIED to add hot sauce . Â . Â . that didn't help. Â He ended up ordering a $9 burger. Â They were only $3 outside . . . ???
My picky eater, ate it without a fight. Â
Anyhow, my father wasn't satisfied w/just one burger. Ordered a second to be satisfied. Â
S-I-L had a grilled chicken which seemed to be good.
The Tiramisu cup was DE-LISH. Â
The Gelato sampler . . . meh! PEPPER flavored gelato? Â NO THANK YOU. Â One of the 'samples' tasted like hand lotion.
My mother's nickname is "the professional diner", being her daughter, I like to think I took right after her. I have been going to some of the most exclusive 5 star restaurants ever since the day I was born, and my mother being born in Northern Italy and my father being from that of Hungary, have a wide range of tastes and food that they most desire.
My experience at Isacco's was none other than a breath of fresh air.......
FINALLY, something sexy has arrived to the burbs. When I first walked in to this golden morsel of a spot, I noticed that the bar area was quite small, and then realized it goes the same for the whole restaurant. My initial reaction wasn't to leave more so then to stay and snuggle up closer to my honey. We started out with two glasses of Italian red wine, which were delicious, and the bartender was extremely knowledgeable and helpful finding us a good one. I also am a huge wine connoisseur, so I can usually tell when they are bullshitting you. Soon enough my sister and boyfriend met us and we decided to sit outside in their cute courtyard/lounge area. If you need more room and the weather permits, I definitely recommend having your dinner or lounge experience outside, it was absolutely PERFECT!!! So after we were seated under the heaters and our table was lit up beautifully with candlelight, we proceeded with ordering a wonderful Italian white wine, a delicious antipasti platter which consisted of the most decadent cheeses and meats, not to mention the healthy sized portions. Now I tend to eat more like a European, not like an American, so considering they gave us about 5 slices of prosciutto, 5 slices of bresola, and 5 slices of ham, and about 5 more slices of cappicola, on top of that 5 different types of cheeses, crackers, grapes, a fig spread, and a cup of soup sized bowl filled with homemade girdinera, this was a lot of food for only $14. Now if you are looking to eat BBQ this is probably not your cup of tea, you will not find BBQ here my friends, you will only find the best of quality here. Now as for our meals, we didn't actually order entrees because we wanted to experience as many small plates as possible. The risotto with the braised oxtail is something that I dream about every night at some point in my sleep, the texture and flavor was absolutely out of this world!!!! Not too salty, but just tasty enough, I swore I died and went to heaven after eating my first bite. The seared scallops wrapped with prosciutto and topped with something that looked like a pi co DE gallo salad was out of this world!! The scallops were so thick and meaty, and again not too salty, you could taste all the natural flavors and juices. This is what I am starting to gather from Isacco's, I noticed that Isacco himself allows all the natural flavors come out in his dishes, even with his salads, its basically salt, pepper, olive oil and perhaps a squirt of lemon, just fresh and delicious and you can actually taste the greens!!!!!! This is now one of my favorite restaurants, actually its in my top 3 of West Suburban restaurants, and it has been a long time since I can say this. I hope Isacco's is here for many more years to come!!! TWO THUMBS UP!!!!
I was out to dinner with some friends, one of which recommended we try Isacco. Â As mentioned in other reviews, this location was previously a Texas BBQ restaurant. Â It was interesting to see how the interior of the restaurant morphed from "West Texas" to "Cosmopolitan chic". Â For some reason, it seems like the interior space is much smaller than before. Â Perhaps they are using more space for the kitchen, but it felt somewhat cramped to me.
Despite the interior accoutrement, we decided to sit outside and enjoy the nice evening. Â Our server Billy greeted us and took drink orders. Â Everyone else had wine but I ordered an iced tea. Â One of my pet peeves is cloudy iced tea and wouldn't you know it ... Billy delivers a smallish glass of cloudy brown liquid that looked like something a doctor would drain out of a cyst. Â Fortunately, it was actually decent tea. Â It seemed to be a home brew tea infused with mint and honey. Â Unique. Â Different. Â But still cloudy. Â Any worthy chef knows that if you don't slowly cool tea first to room temperature and then slowly down to refrigerated temperature, it will be cloudy. Â Tsk tsk.
On to the entrees. Â I ordered a duck dish as did another person at my table. Â The other two ordered pasta. Â I was quite surprised when Billy asked me how I wanted my duck cooked? Â Poultry is only cooked one way -- DONE. Â You never serve medium rare poultry unless you want your customers in the hospital getting their stomach pumped. Â Sort of a strange question which I answered with an equally odd answer. Â "I'd like it to be DONE please." Â He didn't argue. :)
A bread basket arrived tableside along with a few pats of butter. Â Well, it really wasn't a bread basket per se, but rather, a brown paper lunch bag, just like what mom used to pack for me in 3rd grade, top cut off, with an assortment of stale breadsticks and a few slices of bread. Â Which brings me to another pet peeve of mine ... Since when do we call stale bread "an assortment of artisan bread" or anything else besides STALE BREAD? Â The breadsticks were hard as a rock and clearly not fresh as I know fresh to be.
Moving right along, our entrees arrived in a timely fashion and I could see everyone at our table was a bit surprised with the size of the meals -- SMALL! Â My duck dish was actually served in what I would consider to be a morning cereal bowl ... about 6-8 round "medallions" of duck meat atop a bed of mostly red cabbage tossed in a uniquely flavored dressing of sorts. Â Definitely NOT what I was expecting. Â I am used to fresh ingredients when dining at a restaurant positioned at this price point and I have never once seen a perfectly round duck about the diameter of the core from a roll of toilet paper. Â The meat was obviously from some sort of duck roll, not unlike a small pork tenderloin in a way, but certainly not the type of duck dish I was expecting. Â On the plus side, the flavor was great and the entire thing, cabbage and all was wolfed down in a matter of minutes.
One of the other guests at my table also commented on the size of the entrees and he immediately added a salad to supplement his equally small entree.
Dinner came and went and then the mosquitoes came out so we scurried inside to settle up our tab in the somewhat uncomfortably small entry area by the counter. Â Well over $100 for our group of four ... and at least three of us left hungry.
In summary ... The ambiance of the dining area is very nice. Â The flavors found in the entrees were all very good as well. Â Portion size was surprisingly small. And finally, the little details like cloudy iced tea, stale breadsticks, etc. were obviously overlooked (but shouldn't be at this price point in the fashionable St. Charles market). Â Reading all of the 4 and 5-star reviews, I was sure hoping that I would be able to write a 5-star review of my own, but sadly, that was just not in the cards. Â It is interesting to note that a majority of the 5-star reviews here are from people with only one or two other reviews posted. Â Maybe they need to get out a little bit more and see what quality dining is all about. Â Just food for thought. Â
The food is 3-stars on a good day, but I don't think I'll rush back. Â I predict this restaurant will not be a long-timer in the west suburban restaurant scene. Â Using the Yelp scale, I have to assign 2-stars to this venue because, well, Meh, I've experienced better.
Went here for dinner a few weeks ago. Â A couple of reasons we hadn't been there before now:
-The awful thought of the barbecue place that used to be in the same building...
-My wife couldn't figure out how to say the name based on the sign...
...and there you have it.
We were met by the owner and chef's wife who allowed us to pick out our table on the patio. Â This has one of the best outdoor patios in St. Charles...especially for a restaurant (not a bar). Â However, we are looking forward to coming back and sitting indoors when the weather turns as what they've done with the interior is nothing short of an amazing transformation. It's got a very hip, modern style which is not expected from the outside. Â We'll be coming here for cocktails if for nothing else but to enjoy the ambiance and think we're downtown Chicago but can walk home.
We ordered drinks, she wine, me the usual vodka. Â Was pleased with the wine but must say my cocktail was a little small. Â I was going to be disappointed until I saw the final bill. Â Drinks were accompanied by fresh bread and what seemed to be homemade bread sticks. Â They were both very nice.
We got the meat and cheese appetizer. Â In full disclosure, I had to ask what it was as I had never seen the word before used to describe what it was. Â I'm not even going to try and fake like I remember it either. Â Massive amounts of cheese and fresh cut Italian meats. Â Almost too much for the both of us-and that's saying a lot for those of you who know me. Â
Entrees were terrific. Â I had the frutti di mare and was pleased with the light sauce it was in and the amount of seafood in the dish. Â Karyn had something she really liked and I'm completely blanking what is was. Â Thus, I should be writing these reviews more quickly.
The bill came in at about $80 which I though was great given I had about 4 drinks as did the wife. Â We'll be back again soon!
The food is pretty good and the prices very reasonable. If I lived in the area I would be back. Would I travel 30 min to dine here again? meh, not really.
Grilled calamari - octopus was tender, not rubbery, well flavored, but a bit chewy.
Pork scallopini - tender, perfectly cooked pork. articokes were a bit stringy and inedible. the peaches were not ripe and did not provide the contrast I think the cook was looking for. the gnocchi was a nice touch. well made!
Homemade linguine and seafood - linguine was great! sauce had great depth and flavor - garlic, wine, butter. seafood was cooked well.
Mini Souffle - HANDS DOWN best part of the meal. this just blew me out of the water. It was like eating warm, gooey chocolate cake batter. DELISH.
It's like Blackbird  (minus the foam) landed in St. Charles.
James and I ended up here after a very long morning of doing kitchen renovations in our new house and pulled up at 2 in the afternoon. We just caught the last service for lunch and I am so happy chef Isacco didn't turn us away.
Truly one of the BEST meals I have had in a long time (probably since my visit to Macku earlier this year). Â all fresh organic ingredients and beautiful presentation.
Try the beef tartare - super yummy. Diver scallops were a deal for $11 (huge, sweet and fresh). Â Rack of lamb also a steal at $15 and my handmade fresh pasta with oxtail and truffle oil was simply to die for.
My new favorite restaurant in the area. Forget about Francesca's.
I took a friend there for her birthday dinner. Â Two entrees, 2 glasses of wine apiece and dessert + tip came to just under $100.00. Â Worth it? Â Absolutely not. Â The spaghetti entree I had was miserly on pasta, and - although the seafood with it was fresh and perfectly cooked - the "sauce" was soupy and terribly salty. Â My first visit will, unfortunately, also be my last.
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