Mmm. Cheese.
Always on the lookout for great pizza, and there are a lot of carryout places around us, not as many sit-down. So we thought we'd venture to Glen Ellyn (not nearly as far as it used to be) and try out Barone's (475 Pennsylvania Ave, Glen Ellyn).
This is not a huge place, and it's kind of old-school, cozy and definitely very popular with the locals. It was nearly full when we arrived (5:30ish?) and jam-packed by the time we left. Lots of folks waiting for carryout.
We got a big loaf of bread plus olive oil and butter right away, but our water was quite slow to arrive. Got the impression that a bus boy was supposed to bring it but it never happened; thankfully the waitress picked up the slack pretty well and our refills were well attended after that.
We ordered mozzarella sticks as an appetizer and a medium deep-dish (pan), just cheese. See, I told you -- lots of cheese.
The mozzarella sticks were homemade and served with a great chunky marinara. They were not steaming hot, which definitely made them easier to eat but also made me wonder how long they'd been out of the fryer.
The pizza was also a reasonable temperature, with gooey cheese, tasty sauce and a buttery crust that was one of the better I've had. A touch of garlic would be perfection. I also appreciated that they proffered us red pepper flakes, parmesan shaker and oregano -- I enjoy some oregano.
It was noisy thanks to tons of families and people waiting, and the wait staff was clearly kind of frazzled; I think they did as well as they could.
I'm sure we'll be back, but maybe not on a Friday night next time.
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Old-school style -- Pizza Palace, Elmhurst
Two things we really enjoy: pizza and downtown Elmhurst. So when we had the chance to combine the two, we went for it!
We've passed Pizza Palace (117 N. Addison Ave., Elmhurst) plenty of time, and we knew it was sort of a hole in the wall, but the wild card was whether the food was any good. But it was a random weeknight, we were hungry, I was cranky... let's try it out!
This place is a trip -- and a trip back in time. Wood paneling, big gaudy chandeliers, arcade games, free jukeboxes at the booths and a tiny bar. Straight out of my childhood.
And everything is homemade. We got fried ravioli and a large pan pizza. The ravioli kinda cracked me up -- it was like they had taken giant squares of homemade ravioli and sliced them into random shapes. Triangles, big rectangles, small triangles. But man, it was GOOD. Wonderful ricotta, crispy outside, and the sauce that came with it was a delightful meaty marinara.
The pizza also cracked me up -- again, there's no uniformity here! Tiny pieces, huge ones, all over the place. And here, also, it was quite tasty. Plenty of ooey-gooey cheese, a zesty sauce and a great bready chewy crust.
The waitress looked like she'd been there since the beginning of time. Or at least since the place opened. But very friendly, attentive without being annoying, no complaints here.
Old-school to the max, with very tasty food and dated decor. I like it. We'll be back.
We've passed Pizza Palace (117 N. Addison Ave., Elmhurst) plenty of time, and we knew it was sort of a hole in the wall, but the wild card was whether the food was any good. But it was a random weeknight, we were hungry, I was cranky... let's try it out!
This place is a trip -- and a trip back in time. Wood paneling, big gaudy chandeliers, arcade games, free jukeboxes at the booths and a tiny bar. Straight out of my childhood.
And everything is homemade. We got fried ravioli and a large pan pizza. The ravioli kinda cracked me up -- it was like they had taken giant squares of homemade ravioli and sliced them into random shapes. Triangles, big rectangles, small triangles. But man, it was GOOD. Wonderful ricotta, crispy outside, and the sauce that came with it was a delightful meaty marinara.
The pizza also cracked me up -- again, there's no uniformity here! Tiny pieces, huge ones, all over the place. And here, also, it was quite tasty. Plenty of ooey-gooey cheese, a zesty sauce and a great bready chewy crust.
The waitress looked like she'd been there since the beginning of time. Or at least since the place opened. But very friendly, attentive without being annoying, no complaints here.
Old-school to the max, with very tasty food and dated decor. I like it. We'll be back.
Friday, January 14, 2011
That's amore -- Bella Luna Pizza, Glendale Heights
We regularly drive down Army Trail Road on our way to Super Target, Meijer, Stratford Square and a plethora of shopping opportunities. So when we noticed that this little strip mall had a new restaurant, we put it on our "hey, let's check that out" list.
One chilly weeknight not long ago we finally stopped in to try out Bella Luna Pizza & Bar, 136 E Army Trail Rd, Glendale Heights. The place sorta feels like a Francesca's, with wood, exposed ceilings, a warm yet modern feel. There's a big bar that takes up a lot of the space, and both high tops and tables/booths around the edges.
The menu is a little light on traditional deep-fried appetizers, but they do have garlic bread, bruchetta, and a few others. Plenty of pasta options and traditional Italian dishes, but we were interested in the pizza. So we got garlic bread and a 14" thin crust pepperoni, and were also given a basket of bread and olive oil.
The pizza is very-thin-crust, with a good crunch to it except for the middle pieces which were a bit floppy by the time we got to them. Not much yeastiness to it; more buttery and solid -- similar to Home Run Inn but thinner. Plenty of ooey, gooey cheese and pepperoni -- ok, a little greasy, but you expect that. Cheese had a bit of browning around the edges which I consider crucial, although for my taste I would've left it in the oven another minute :) We were provided with Parmesan, red pepper and oregano shakers for seasoning.
Service was very good, lots of refills on water, prompt clearing of plates, not too chatty but that's not a bad thing.
They do not appear to have a website yet for this location, but do have a location in the city with a website at www.bellalunadelivery.com ... good to know!
One chilly weeknight not long ago we finally stopped in to try out Bella Luna Pizza & Bar, 136 E Army Trail Rd, Glendale Heights. The place sorta feels like a Francesca's, with wood, exposed ceilings, a warm yet modern feel. There's a big bar that takes up a lot of the space, and both high tops and tables/booths around the edges.
The menu is a little light on traditional deep-fried appetizers, but they do have garlic bread, bruchetta, and a few others. Plenty of pasta options and traditional Italian dishes, but we were interested in the pizza. So we got garlic bread and a 14" thin crust pepperoni, and were also given a basket of bread and olive oil.
The pizza is very-thin-crust, with a good crunch to it except for the middle pieces which were a bit floppy by the time we got to them. Not much yeastiness to it; more buttery and solid -- similar to Home Run Inn but thinner. Plenty of ooey, gooey cheese and pepperoni -- ok, a little greasy, but you expect that. Cheese had a bit of browning around the edges which I consider crucial, although for my taste I would've left it in the oven another minute :) We were provided with Parmesan, red pepper and oregano shakers for seasoning.
Service was very good, lots of refills on water, prompt clearing of plates, not too chatty but that's not a bad thing.
They do not appear to have a website yet for this location, but do have a location in the city with a website at www.bellalunadelivery.com ... good to know!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Local in Schaumburg?! Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza
As everyone in the Chicago area knows, Schaumburg is filled with chains. It's the big-box, retail capital of suburbia, what with Woodfield Mall, IKEA, and endless amounts of chain restaurants. It's often cited as a prime example of what city dwellers hate about the suburbs.
Now, not every suburb is Schaumburg, and in fact I've made it a point to highlight the many suburbs with their own sense of culture, with small and local stores and restaurants, unique downtowns, and so forth.
But as it turns out, even Schaumburg is not totally devoid of interesting places. I was recently invited to a free Yelp event at Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza, 871 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, in the former location of the Alumni Club.
Upon entering, I was amused and a little overwhelmed by the decor -- with brightly colored dragons, a tye-dye motif, and random "stuff" everywhere, it looks like a hippie had an acid trip in a ski lodge. There's certainly plenty to look at. The interior has a large dance floor, a big bar, and plenty of seating. Outside features a patio with a good amount of seating, a bar, a bags court and a sand volleyball court (netted, so that patrons don't have stray balls knocking over their beers).
The atmosphere was inviting and casual, a great place for a summer's evening. But the real star was the food we sampled. Featured was pizza (pepperoni, cheese, sausage and the oh-so-decadent mac & cheese pizza!), jalapeno corn mashed potatoes (just a little kick, very creamy), firecracker shrimp (spicy perfectly-fried shrimp served over a bed of julienned veggies and greens, lightly dressed) and some of the BEST broasted chicken I've had in a long time -- a fabulously spiced crispy skin and tender juicy chicken underneath.
We were also plied with some free beverages, and the bartenders and servers were super-friendly and attentive.
Mad Mark himself made an appearance, talking up the food and personally thanking us all for being there.
While yes, our food was free and we were shown a great time, I would absolutely go back as a paying customer -- I want more of that great firecracker shrimp and broasted chicken! And while the place does have "pizza" in the name, their menu is nicely varied with sandwiches, salads and more.
If you're spending a long day shopping in Schaumburg, I very much recommend a quick trip up to Mad Mark's - take a break from the chains and enjoy a tasty meal.
Now, not every suburb is Schaumburg, and in fact I've made it a point to highlight the many suburbs with their own sense of culture, with small and local stores and restaurants, unique downtowns, and so forth.
But as it turns out, even Schaumburg is not totally devoid of interesting places. I was recently invited to a free Yelp event at Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza, 871 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, in the former location of the Alumni Club.
Upon entering, I was amused and a little overwhelmed by the decor -- with brightly colored dragons, a tye-dye motif, and random "stuff" everywhere, it looks like a hippie had an acid trip in a ski lodge. There's certainly plenty to look at. The interior has a large dance floor, a big bar, and plenty of seating. Outside features a patio with a good amount of seating, a bar, a bags court and a sand volleyball court (netted, so that patrons don't have stray balls knocking over their beers).
The atmosphere was inviting and casual, a great place for a summer's evening. But the real star was the food we sampled. Featured was pizza (pepperoni, cheese, sausage and the oh-so-decadent mac & cheese pizza!), jalapeno corn mashed potatoes (just a little kick, very creamy), firecracker shrimp (spicy perfectly-fried shrimp served over a bed of julienned veggies and greens, lightly dressed) and some of the BEST broasted chicken I've had in a long time -- a fabulously spiced crispy skin and tender juicy chicken underneath.
We were also plied with some free beverages, and the bartenders and servers were super-friendly and attentive.
Mad Mark himself made an appearance, talking up the food and personally thanking us all for being there.
While yes, our food was free and we were shown a great time, I would absolutely go back as a paying customer -- I want more of that great firecracker shrimp and broasted chicken! And while the place does have "pizza" in the name, their menu is nicely varied with sandwiches, salads and more.
If you're spending a long day shopping in Schaumburg, I very much recommend a quick trip up to Mad Mark's - take a break from the chains and enjoy a tasty meal.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Pizza, pizza all over the suburbs
When you think of quintessential Chicago food, pizza inevitably comes to mind. We've sampled quite a lot of deep dish and thin-crust around the suburbs, so I present to you a totally not-exhaustive list of local chains and suburban pizzerias worth checking out:
ALGONQUIN:
• Generoso's Pizza (1006 E Algonquin Rd; others) has extremely tasty deep-dish that has the most cheese on it of any pie we've tried. Seriously, this stuff was mutant, and the pie weighed about 5 lbs. Good crust, nice sauce, but what I remember most is the cheese.
ADDISON:
• Aurelio's (1455 W Lake St.; others) is some of my favorite thin crust. The sauce is zippy and a little sweet, the cheese is just right, and the crust is crispy around the edges with an excellent flavor.
• Home Run Inn (1480 W Lake St.; others) is neck and neck with Aurelio's for great thin crust. Their crust is a little butterier. the sauce a little more garlicky.
• Zio Tony's (613 W Lake St., carryout only) has great deep dish (called "pan" on their menu), with some of my favorite deep-dish sauce -- lots of garlic, a little spice, excellent.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE:
• Lou Malnati's (1050 East Higgins Rd.; others) is possibly my favorite deep dish. The sauce is excellent and the crisp, wonderful garlic-butter crust can't be beat.
ITASCA:
• Tree Guys Pizza Pub (101 E Irving Park Rd) has great food all around, but their pizza definitely merits a mention. We've had thin, thick and stuffed here and you can't really go wrong. The sauce is chunky and zippy on the deep dish; smooth and savory on thin-crust.
OAK LAWN:
• Palermo's on 95th (4849 W 95th St) has my husband's all-time favorite thin-crust. (This is also an Italian restaurant where everything is excellent.) Their sauce is a bit on the sweet side, the crust nicely browned and crispy around the edges with a hint of caramelizing on the cheese.
WOOD DALE:
• White Cottage Pizza (350 N Wood Dale Rd) is a solid local choice for thin crust, with plenty of cheese. I also recommend their garlic cheese-stuffed breadsticks. :)
Also worth mentioning:
• Marino's Pizza, 136 E Irving Park Rd., Wood Dale
• Barraco's Pizza, 7926 W 159th St., Orland Park
• Gino's East, 15840 S Harlem Ave., Orland Park (and others)
• Beggar's Pizza, 11329 West 143rd St., Orland Park (and others)
• Giordano's, 1323 W Lake St., Addison (and others)
ALGONQUIN:
• Generoso's Pizza (1006 E Algonquin Rd; others) has extremely tasty deep-dish that has the most cheese on it of any pie we've tried. Seriously, this stuff was mutant, and the pie weighed about 5 lbs. Good crust, nice sauce, but what I remember most is the cheese.
ADDISON:
• Aurelio's (1455 W Lake St.; others) is some of my favorite thin crust. The sauce is zippy and a little sweet, the cheese is just right, and the crust is crispy around the edges with an excellent flavor.
• Home Run Inn (1480 W Lake St.; others) is neck and neck with Aurelio's for great thin crust. Their crust is a little butterier. the sauce a little more garlicky.
• Zio Tony's (613 W Lake St., carryout only) has great deep dish (called "pan" on their menu), with some of my favorite deep-dish sauce -- lots of garlic, a little spice, excellent.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE:
• Lou Malnati's (1050 East Higgins Rd.; others) is possibly my favorite deep dish. The sauce is excellent and the crisp, wonderful garlic-butter crust can't be beat.
ITASCA:
• Tree Guys Pizza Pub (101 E Irving Park Rd) has great food all around, but their pizza definitely merits a mention. We've had thin, thick and stuffed here and you can't really go wrong. The sauce is chunky and zippy on the deep dish; smooth and savory on thin-crust.
OAK LAWN:
• Palermo's on 95th (4849 W 95th St) has my husband's all-time favorite thin-crust. (This is also an Italian restaurant where everything is excellent.) Their sauce is a bit on the sweet side, the crust nicely browned and crispy around the edges with a hint of caramelizing on the cheese.
WOOD DALE:
• White Cottage Pizza (350 N Wood Dale Rd) is a solid local choice for thin crust, with plenty of cheese. I also recommend their garlic cheese-stuffed breadsticks. :)
Also worth mentioning:
• Marino's Pizza, 136 E Irving Park Rd., Wood Dale
• Barraco's Pizza, 7926 W 159th St., Orland Park
• Gino's East, 15840 S Harlem Ave., Orland Park (and others)
• Beggar's Pizza, 11329 West 143rd St., Orland Park (and others)
• Giordano's, 1323 W Lake St., Addison (and others)
Friday, September 12, 2008
White Cottage Pizza
I forgot to mention in my last post that last Friday we got ourselves some White Cottage Pizza for dinner. This small local pizza chain gets rave reviews from a friend of mine, and it's pretty close, plus we had a coupon. So, dinner it was.
Besides pizza, pizza, more pizza and its usual acoutrements, White Cottage in Wood Dale also has La Dolce Vita restaurant attached, a sit-down Italian place. We chose take-out, though, and ordered a 16" pepperoni and cheese-stuffed garlic breadsticks.
First, the breadsticks: A total buttery-garlicky oozy-cheese indulgence. I'm sure they went straight to my hips, but oh my were they good. The order was fairly small (3 sticks) but the breadsticks themselves were large and deeeeelicious. I wanted to (but refrained from) lick the garlic butter off the bottom of the container.
The pizza itself was fairly straightforward Chicago-style thin crust, which is not to say that's a bad thing: plenty of cheese, a nice tangy sauce that didn't overwhelm, and a just-right crust. My only small nitpick was that the pizza was not quite piping hot and so the cheese separated itself from the crust, leading to the oh-so-attractive gnawing of a cheese-pepperoni square while the crust sits there, naked and lonely.
But that could just as easily be my fault, because I did transport it, after all, though White Cottage is a mere 5 minutes or less from home. (Depending on that pesky light/train-track combination at Irving Park.)
While there are an abundance of pizza places around us, my feeling is that they all tend to be pretty similar -- so we'll probably stick with White Cottage unless we have a compelling reason to go elsewhere. It was tasty and the prices were decent. And I'm guessing next time we'll have to try the deep dish.
On another note, we're leaving this coming Wednesday evening for vacation, and will be gone about a week, so while I may get another post in this weekend, I'm afraid you'll be awesome-less for a little while :) Fear not, I shall return.
Besides pizza, pizza, more pizza and its usual acoutrements, White Cottage in Wood Dale also has La Dolce Vita restaurant attached, a sit-down Italian place. We chose take-out, though, and ordered a 16" pepperoni and cheese-stuffed garlic breadsticks.
First, the breadsticks: A total buttery-garlicky oozy-cheese indulgence. I'm sure they went straight to my hips, but oh my were they good. The order was fairly small (3 sticks) but the breadsticks themselves were large and deeeeelicious. I wanted to (but refrained from) lick the garlic butter off the bottom of the container.
The pizza itself was fairly straightforward Chicago-style thin crust, which is not to say that's a bad thing: plenty of cheese, a nice tangy sauce that didn't overwhelm, and a just-right crust. My only small nitpick was that the pizza was not quite piping hot and so the cheese separated itself from the crust, leading to the oh-so-attractive gnawing of a cheese-pepperoni square while the crust sits there, naked and lonely.
But that could just as easily be my fault, because I did transport it, after all, though White Cottage is a mere 5 minutes or less from home. (Depending on that pesky light/train-track combination at Irving Park.)
While there are an abundance of pizza places around us, my feeling is that they all tend to be pretty similar -- so we'll probably stick with White Cottage unless we have a compelling reason to go elsewhere. It was tasty and the prices were decent. And I'm guessing next time we'll have to try the deep dish.
On another note, we're leaving this coming Wednesday evening for vacation, and will be gone about a week, so while I may get another post in this weekend, I'm afraid you'll be awesome-less for a little while :) Fear not, I shall return.
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