Il-Forno Pizzeria is a landmark in Deerfield and is known for their thin crust pizza and AMAZING pasta sauce (which I sampled) that could make any nonna lose her breathing capability. This wonderful establishment is owned by Debbie Scherer who has a wonderful Assistant Manager Tristan. Debbie' daughter Karlie is also a very important component to the functioning of the operation. Debbie worked for another gentleman who originally owned Il Forno and he sold different stores and she ended up buying the store in Deerfield. Her clientele consists of mainly families, kids and employees from some of the surrounding businesses. They offer all types of wonderful combinations of pizza, pasta, chicken, salads and dessert.
IL Forno also offers catering for all types of occasions including schools, private parties, family events and different business or office parties. They also have canollis, cookies and cheesecake that are delightful. Sweet tables and mini desserts are a possibility for the future.
The sauce is just heavenly and they also sell both a marinara and meat sauce in pints and quarts to take home. In addition to their great sauces, they also sell their homemade Italian salad dressing in pints and quarts as well.
I was able to sample the combo sandwich of Italian Beef and Sausage with peppers and provoloe and it was just moist, tasty, flavorful and simply delicious. I also sampled the Italian Lasagna which was DIVINE. They were not kidding, the sauce is just unbelievable. The sauce deserves to be in an Italian Sace Hall of Fame. It was DYNAMIC.
Il Forno (http://www.ilforno.com/) is just a dynamic spot if your stopping in for a quick bite or you have to feed a group of people. They service is unbelievable and this is a wonderful family run operation. An absolute delight for Deerfield.
Il-Forno Pizzeria
750 Osterman Ave Ste A
Deerfield, IL
Phone: (847) 940-8611
http://www.ilforno.com/
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Jimmy John's in Glenview: A great sandwich and catering stop
Jimmy John's in Glenview is a royal sandwich treat. This is a franchise store that is owned by Faisal Ghani and is managed by the wonderful Neal who makes this operation move and hum. The Jimmy Johns idea came from a college kid named Jimmy John who graduated from Eastern Illinois University and opened a sandwich shop. All of the recipes belong to Jimmy Johns and have been implemented in all of their stores.
This wonderful destination has some great employees with great energy that can make a sandwich in 30 seconds and keep the shop in immaculate condition. They have a ten page list of items that need to be cleaned daily and there is someone from the corporate office who comes and inspects them on a consistent basis. They also offer catering in an hour but they prefer to have at least twenty four hours notice.
They are always searching for different way to improve the concept and operation and have opened their 1000th location. Faisal also owns Olive Mediterranean Grill in the Loop which offers pan Middle Eastern cuisine and is flavorful and tasty.
I had the pleasure of sampling the "Vito" sandwich which were supreme cut Italian meats, cheeses, oregano, Italian dressing on their famous eight inch bread which also came with chips, a whole pickle (which was a treat) and a great chocolate chip cookie.
Jimmy Johns in Glenview is a great destination and a treat to stop for which you're craving a great sandwich, chips, a cookies and soda. It's clean and very well managed by Neal and Faisal.
Jimmy Johns
1746 Glenview Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 657-7055
http://www.jimmyjohns.com/
This wonderful destination has some great employees with great energy that can make a sandwich in 30 seconds and keep the shop in immaculate condition. They have a ten page list of items that need to be cleaned daily and there is someone from the corporate office who comes and inspects them on a consistent basis. They also offer catering in an hour but they prefer to have at least twenty four hours notice.
They are always searching for different way to improve the concept and operation and have opened their 1000th location. Faisal also owns Olive Mediterranean Grill in the Loop which offers pan Middle Eastern cuisine and is flavorful and tasty.
I had the pleasure of sampling the "Vito" sandwich which were supreme cut Italian meats, cheeses, oregano, Italian dressing on their famous eight inch bread which also came with chips, a whole pickle (which was a treat) and a great chocolate chip cookie.
Jimmy Johns in Glenview is a great destination and a treat to stop for which you're craving a great sandwich, chips, a cookies and soda. It's clean and very well managed by Neal and Faisal.
Jimmy Johns
1746 Glenview Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 657-7055
http://www.jimmyjohns.com/
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Senoya Restaurant in Niles, IL: Asian fusion with a Korean Influence
BK and Sunni Jeon have owned Senoya in Niles, IL for twelve years and previously owned a great Asian buffet dining destination in Missouri. They met in Seoul, Korea where Sunni was a nurse before getting into the food business. Asian buffets are wonderful because the customer has the opportunity to sample different items and have an opportunity to learn what they like best.
Senoya offers a great buffet with a salad bar, sushi, appetizers and Asian entrees like chop chae, Korean short beef ribs, sweet and sour pork and three different rice offerings such as sticky white rice, red beans and rice and stir fried rice. They also offer Korean chicken and pork which were just out of this world.
All of the products and ingredients are seasonal and fresh. None of the dishes that are served come from the can and the produce is very fresh that is provided by some of Chicago's top notch suppliers.
One of Senoya's great attributes is that they offer catering and parties. They are able to accommodate parties of up to 150 people or more (with no room charge) and if you're in a party of 6 or more, they highly suggest that you have a reservation on the weekends. Senoya is much more upscale because they have great servers who help to take care of the customers and offer American and Korean beers and wines. For catering orders, they need two days to put the order together for their clientele.
The clientele is mainly Korean but they also have alot of different people who come in and dine with them.
Their son Peter and daughter Irene are working on a Korean Taco take out concept that will be launched in the near future.
There are no present plans to franchise or expand, BK and Sunni are going to help their kids with the new Korean Taco venture which sounds very exciting and will add a different flavor and concept to Chicago's dining scene.
Word of mouth is the marketing method that they utilize and is working very well for them. They're really busy and have many return customers. They also offer American and Korean beers and wines.
Some of their specialties are their steamed dumplings and the Korean BBQ. The crab rangoon and egg rolls are delicately well done. Alot of their customers are able to try the Korean delicacies when they partake of the Chinese and Japanese offerings.
The items on the buffet are rotated for seasonal freshness and the items change all of the time
The price range is as follows for Monday through Friday: Weekday lunch is $8.95, an early bird special of $11.50 from 3:30pm - 5pm and weekday dinner for $12.50.
For Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, they offer a great price of $12.50 that also includes a drink.
Senoya is wonderful stop because it offers a great pan Asian buffet with a great Korean influence for all to try and savor in a very clean and immaculate environment.
Senoya Restaurant
8750 W Golf Rd
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 299-7717
Senoya offers a great buffet with a salad bar, sushi, appetizers and Asian entrees like chop chae, Korean short beef ribs, sweet and sour pork and three different rice offerings such as sticky white rice, red beans and rice and stir fried rice. They also offer Korean chicken and pork which were just out of this world.
All of the products and ingredients are seasonal and fresh. None of the dishes that are served come from the can and the produce is very fresh that is provided by some of Chicago's top notch suppliers.
One of Senoya's great attributes is that they offer catering and parties. They are able to accommodate parties of up to 150 people or more (with no room charge) and if you're in a party of 6 or more, they highly suggest that you have a reservation on the weekends. Senoya is much more upscale because they have great servers who help to take care of the customers and offer American and Korean beers and wines. For catering orders, they need two days to put the order together for their clientele.
The clientele is mainly Korean but they also have alot of different people who come in and dine with them.
Their son Peter and daughter Irene are working on a Korean Taco take out concept that will be launched in the near future.
There are no present plans to franchise or expand, BK and Sunni are going to help their kids with the new Korean Taco venture which sounds very exciting and will add a different flavor and concept to Chicago's dining scene.
Word of mouth is the marketing method that they utilize and is working very well for them. They're really busy and have many return customers. They also offer American and Korean beers and wines.
Some of their specialties are their steamed dumplings and the Korean BBQ. The crab rangoon and egg rolls are delicately well done. Alot of their customers are able to try the Korean delicacies when they partake of the Chinese and Japanese offerings.
The items on the buffet are rotated for seasonal freshness and the items change all of the time
The price range is as follows for Monday through Friday: Weekday lunch is $8.95, an early bird special of $11.50 from 3:30pm - 5pm and weekday dinner for $12.50.
For Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, they offer a great price of $12.50 that also includes a drink.
Senoya is wonderful stop because it offers a great pan Asian buffet with a great Korean influence for all to try and savor in a very clean and immaculate environment.
Senoya Restaurant
8750 W Golf Rd
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 299-7717
Friday, May 7, 2010
P.J. Moon Doggies: Glenview's Great Fast Food Stop
Maria and Harry Papagianis have been in the food business for 48 years and PJ MoonDoggies is their seventh restaurant. Their customer base consists of a great mix of all different types of people from business people to families with children.
They offer great fast food and a menu that includes everything from hot dogs and gyros to an unbelievable skirt steak sandwich, ribs, chicken, great salads and sides like fries, onion rings, zucchini and mozzarella sticks. They also offer catering for the business setting, private parties, and other occasions. Some of their more popular dishes are their burgers like the Moondoggies half pounder on garlic bread and the skirt steak sandwich which are out of this world.
I had the great opportunity to sample the gyros with tzatziki sauce and the skirt steak sandwich which were tender, moist, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The tzatziki sauce is homemade with a special Greek yogurt and all of the traditional flavors.
The restaurant is immaculate and one could eat off the floors.
The future may possibly hold franchising this great destination. The quality of their food is top notch and they serve it up with a smile and great service to their customers. They've been in the neighborhood for twenty six years and have been consistent in everything that they do. The customers are like family and know Harry and Maria's kids and grand kids. These customers, who used to come in as little kids are now bringing in their little ones who also love to play the old tunes on the wurlitzer jukebox.
I highly recommend PJ MoonDoggies because it is a great family destination that is immaculate with tasty and delicious food served up with outstanding customer service.
P.J. MoonDoggies
Howard Plaza
1702 Milwaukee Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Tel: 847-699-8330-31
Fax: 847-699-8383
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Francesco's Hole in the Wall: A true Italian Trattoria on the North Shore
His journey through the restaurant world made stops at Milano’s which was run by his parents on State and Division Street in the gold coast of Chicago, IL when he was thirteen years old. His grandfather was the original Papa Milano and was famous in Chicago for years. Some of the duties that he carried out were that of a bus boy and he also washed dishes and he really learned the business from the bottom up. The next restaurant that he worked in was Papa Milano's in Rogers Park that was owned by his parents which was followed by another restaurant in Lincolnwood called Gallo's and then he owned Francesco's Hole in the Wall (http://www.francescosholeinthewall.com/) which is also managed by his daughter Lucy Gallo.
Francesco's Hole in the Wall is a trattoria that is rooted in Neapolitan cooking with a slight Northern Italian influence. His inspiration for his restaurant is from his own family. Frank has also started a pasta sauce business that's in twenty eight states in upscale markets.
All of their ingredients are fresh and some are imported. Frank gets some of his desserts and pastas from Italy and all the other ingredients are local. Some of their most popular dishes are osso bucco, chicken Vesuvio, rigatoni with sausage and arugula, veal ala marsala, chicken ala siciliana and Chilean Sea Bass. The restaurant offers beer, wine and spirits but they do not have a fully stocked beer. The wine selection is elegant and truly upscale.
Their best method of marketing is word of mouth and they also have a wonderful website.
This destination is set apart from the other Italian destinations in Chicago and the North Shore because they serve specialty dishes such as stuffed peppers with veal over pasta. This is a dish that other Italian eateries don't serve a specialty such as stuffed peppers. They also have fish and fish salads that are very delicately made and put together with such care and very meticulous approach. Their cooking is home style and when you walk through the doors and through the kitchen, you feel like you are in someone's home. When sitting down with Frank he said "I cook from the heart." He tells other people "The aroma is great. You have to try this!!".
The restaurant is very clean and so is the kitchen. Their ingredients are very very fresh and everything is made to order. They offer specialty dishes that no one else does.
I was able to sample rigatoni in a tomato sauce with a meatball that was covered with melted cheese which was just divine. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the tomato sauce and cheese were so authentic and the meatball was very very tasty. I highly recommend it for anyone who would like to venture in to partake of this great dish.
Francesco's Hole in the wall is a very very special place and is a wonderful place to take your family or business party.
Their hours are as follows:
Lunch
Mon, Wed-Thu 11:30am-2:00pm
Fri 11:30am-2:15pm
Dinner
Mon, Wed-Thu 5:00pm-9:15pm
Fri, Sat 5:00pm-10:15pm
Sun 4:00pm-8:45pm
They are closed on Tuesday's.
Francesco’s Hole in the Wall
245 Skokie Boulevard
Northbrook , Illinois 60062
Telephone: 847-272-0155
http://www.francescosholeinthewall.com/
Valley Lodge of Glenview: The Northshore's best Burger and Ribs
The Valley Lodge is Glenview's great destination for wonderful ribs, a great burger, a solid carrot cake and some wonderful other delights that are offered such as salads, pasta and outstanding steaks.
Bill Stavrou, who presently is the owner for the last five years, has a wonderful neighborhood following and offers an American Grill cuisine with a Mediterranean twist. They have solid comfort food such as steaks, chops, burgers, salads, pasta, sandwiches and a wonderful carrot cake that is dynamic.
Their products are sourced from vendors that they've utilized for the last 41 years. The products and ingredients are incredibly fresh and high quality is very important to them.
Their business is very established, are involved with alot of community events and are members of the Glenview Chamber of Commerce. They are very active in the community whether it's an event or different group that's having a function.
They also offer some catering, carry out and have some large corporate accounts.
Their more popular dishes include the ribs and the burgers. The seafood selection is superb and flown in from both the East and West coasts. They also serve some of the lake fishes which are fresh and well prepared.
They also offer catering have some corporate accounts that they have serviced. They also offer a kids menu for their younger guests.
This is a casual neighborhood place with exceptional food that's fresh and served by a friendly staff which and these are the keys to their success. In addition, their price point is mid range and remains pretty constant. A good price and wonderful value are also part of their formula.
I had the opportunity to sample the ribs and carrot cake which were both exceptional. The ribs were moist and the sauce was very well seasoned and had a good consistency. The carrot cake was very moist topped with a cream cheese frosting and the cake was covered in walnuts that were fresh. This delight did not disappoint and I highly recommend after you finish your meal.
Valley Lodge is a great stop for lunch and dinner and offer fresh products and ingredients at a good price served by a friendly wait staff.
Valley Lodge
2132 Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025-1718
(847) 724-7440
Bill Stavrou, who presently is the owner for the last five years, has a wonderful neighborhood following and offers an American Grill cuisine with a Mediterranean twist. They have solid comfort food such as steaks, chops, burgers, salads, pasta, sandwiches and a wonderful carrot cake that is dynamic.
Their products are sourced from vendors that they've utilized for the last 41 years. The products and ingredients are incredibly fresh and high quality is very important to them.
Their business is very established, are involved with alot of community events and are members of the Glenview Chamber of Commerce. They are very active in the community whether it's an event or different group that's having a function.
They also offer some catering, carry out and have some large corporate accounts.
Their more popular dishes include the ribs and the burgers. The seafood selection is superb and flown in from both the East and West coasts. They also serve some of the lake fishes which are fresh and well prepared.
They also offer catering have some corporate accounts that they have serviced. They also offer a kids menu for their younger guests.
This is a casual neighborhood place with exceptional food that's fresh and served by a friendly staff which and these are the keys to their success. In addition, their price point is mid range and remains pretty constant. A good price and wonderful value are also part of their formula.
I had the opportunity to sample the ribs and carrot cake which were both exceptional. The ribs were moist and the sauce was very well seasoned and had a good consistency. The carrot cake was very moist topped with a cream cheese frosting and the cake was covered in walnuts that were fresh. This delight did not disappoint and I highly recommend after you finish your meal.
Valley Lodge is a great stop for lunch and dinner and offer fresh products and ingredients at a good price served by a friendly wait staff.
Valley Lodge
2132 Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025-1718
(847) 724-7440
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Roasti's in Glenview: One of the North Shore's best pizza, pasta and sandwiches (and cannoli too!!!)
When you think of pizza and pasta take out or catering, most people have visions of puddles and puddles of grease but Rosati's (http://www.myrosatis.com/) of Glenview (at Lake and Milwaukee) is the complete opposite. Rosati's is serving the freshest and most tasty delights including cannoli's.
Jesus, who is the general manager, has been at this location for about ten years and has a great way with the customers no matter if you're calling at the last minute or you've put your order in a week ahead of time. He's very accommodating and very patient.
They're serving everything from fried chicken, pasta, ribs, great sandwiches and wonderful salads. They buy their products and ingredients from Battaglia and Greco who are great food suppliers. Both of these suppliers have sent them some great products and supplies.
Their customers and clientele base consists of alot of families and kids which is wonderful for the business, community and neighborhood.
They offer carryout and delivery services but presently do not have sit down seating.
They offer mailers and menus that are accompanied by coupons.
Just like alot of other businesses, they have been affected by the economy but things are starting to pick up.
They're customer base keep coming back because the food is great and the employees are just wonderful.
The menu has alot of different items and has alot of options especially if you're going to be throwing a party or event.
I had the pleasure of being able to try the baked mostaccioli with tomato sauce and great mozzarella on top that was accompanied by a meatball and Italian sausage. I thought I was going to pass out when I ate the Italian sausage. This was a definite winner. I also tried the Chicken Parmesan sandwich which was just out of this world and I ended the day with a canolli which was good. All of these dishes were very tasty and delicately made.
This was such a treat and the food is just excellent along with the customer service. Place your take out, catering or delivery order with Rosati's in Glenview: 847-296-0260.
Rosati's
1708 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Telephone: 847-296-0260
Hours: Mon - Thurs: 9am - 11pm
Fri - Sat: 9 am - Midnight
Sunday: 10am - 11pm
Jesus, who is the general manager, has been at this location for about ten years and has a great way with the customers no matter if you're calling at the last minute or you've put your order in a week ahead of time. He's very accommodating and very patient.
They're serving everything from fried chicken, pasta, ribs, great sandwiches and wonderful salads. They buy their products and ingredients from Battaglia and Greco who are great food suppliers. Both of these suppliers have sent them some great products and supplies.
Their customers and clientele base consists of alot of families and kids which is wonderful for the business, community and neighborhood.
They offer carryout and delivery services but presently do not have sit down seating.
They offer mailers and menus that are accompanied by coupons.
Just like alot of other businesses, they have been affected by the economy but things are starting to pick up.
They're customer base keep coming back because the food is great and the employees are just wonderful.
The menu has alot of different items and has alot of options especially if you're going to be throwing a party or event.
I had the pleasure of being able to try the baked mostaccioli with tomato sauce and great mozzarella on top that was accompanied by a meatball and Italian sausage. I thought I was going to pass out when I ate the Italian sausage. This was a definite winner. I also tried the Chicken Parmesan sandwich which was just out of this world and I ended the day with a canolli which was good. All of these dishes were very tasty and delicately made.
This was such a treat and the food is just excellent along with the customer service. Place your take out, catering or delivery order with Rosati's in Glenview: 847-296-0260.
Rosati's
1708 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Telephone: 847-296-0260
Hours: Mon - Thurs: 9am - 11pm
Fri - Sat: 9 am - Midnight
Sunday: 10am - 11pm
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