Family Stylin’

by Jen and Jeff Banowetz

While Naperville is not quite big enough to boast our own Little Italy, you can find some of that old neighborhood spirit in one of the newest developments in town, Freedom Commons. Here a visit to Maggiano’s translates into an unhurried and hearty meal. But it’s already a popular joint, so make sure you have reservations.

The scene
With outposts scattered all over the country (including the original in Chicago), Maggiano’s is hardly unfamiliar territory. In fact, the just-opened Naperville locale marks the fifth in Chicagoland. Of course, it’s this famous familiarity that Maggiano’s is banking on. From the warm, bustling dining room down to the last slice of lasagna, this place is all about comfort food, Italian-style.

Speaking of comfort, the entire interior boasts a classy-yet-cozy vibe, complete with red checkered tablecloths and leather booths. From the open lobby and bar to the main dining area, everything is generously proportioned, including the heaping platters of homemade pasta.

Be aware, too, that part of the “Maggiano’s Way” is the leisurely pace, which is bound to be slower than to what most American diners are accustomed. It’s part of the restaurant’s charm, but not the best place to go if you are in a hurry. So be prepared to sit, talk and enjoy.

The food
Two simple words of advice: Bring friends. Not surprisingly, Maggiano’s has a huge menu, and there’s no better way to sample it than with its much ballyhooed family-style dining. For $25.95/person, parties of four or more can order off the family-style menu, which promises plenty of food and plenty of choices. (Kids over 5 are $13.95/person and bambinos younger than 5 are free!) Unless you are territorial about your own meal, family-style is definitely the way to go.

As a table, you can choose two different appetizers, two salads, two pastas, two entrées and two desserts. Even better, the already ample offerings are bottomless, so it really is OK to ask for seconds (which we shamelessly did).

Good starters include the tomato bruschetta (one of the best restaurant versions we’ve had) and a mushroom ravioli al forno that was rich and worth the wait. Stuffed with mushrooms, onions, Marsala wine and Parm, the raviolis are baked with Alfredo sauce and presented straight from the oven.

While the Caesar salad is a strong contender, make sure you try the Maggiano’s salad, with its crumbled bleu cheese, red onions and crispy prosciutto (far superior to any bacon bits).

For the pasta course, the Rigatoni D, one of the house specialties, was good, with the rigatoni tossed with chicken, mushrooms and onions in a light Marsala cream sauce. More notable (and not for the calorie-shy) was the chicken and spinach manicotti, which disappeared quickly, making these savory baked crepes an excellent candidate for refills.

If it weren’t for all the sharing, you’d be hard-pressed to make it to the entrées. We tried that ol’ fried and cheesy standby, chicken Parmesan, and found it to be textbook. Meanwhile, venturing to the more unique shrimp oreganata, with its perfectly cooked and seasoned shrimp, was worth bumping up our tab an extra four bucks a person.

And just when you think you can’t possibly take advantage of the dessert offerings, you miraculously can. The homemade profiteroles —pastry shells filled with vanilla bean ice cream topped with hot fudge, fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder and powdered sugar—were fun little sundaes, though the real winner was the apple crostada finished off with caramel sauce and a scoop of that vanilla bean ice cream. Though we do have our eye on the chocolate zuccotto cake. Next time.

If you’re daring: The 19-ounce, Contadina-style veal chop, with Italian sausage, Vesuvio potatoes, roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes. Makes you full just reading about it.

Safe bet: Mom’s lasagna ($14.95), with its whipped ricotta cheese, crumbled meatballs and Italian sausage, there’s no way Mama’s gonna let you go home hungry.

Word of mouth: Whether you are with friends or relations, be sure to order family-style.