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/
Showing posts with label Greek Sausage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greek Sausage. Show all posts
Sunday, May 30, 2010
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/
Sunday, April 25, 2010
fRedhots in Glenview: Chicago's answer to a great dog (in many forms)
fRedhots in Glenview got it's start after Fred Markoff had worked for others in the food business for more than twenty years. He had always dreamed of having his own business and that's how fRedhots got its wonderful start. This establishment is a great edition to Glenview's culinary dining options.
The inspiration for their menu was a hot dog style restaurant that’s above the rest and that's exactly what fRedhots is all about. Hot Doug’s has been an inspiration for Fred and Sharon who is his wife. When he was doing his market research, the evidence indicated that everyone wanted something that is above all the other hot dog joints in the area. So armed with that knowledge, hey taste tested all of the products and picked the very best with the highest quality meats.
fRedhots offers Reindeer from Alaska, Alligator from Louisiana and other gourmet products from Chicago. Chicago has almost everything on a regular basis and they also go into other markets to purchase products that are more exotic.
Their customer base consists of a strong local community base. They have alot of business people and families that frequent their establishment for lunch. There are alot of kids and a great "kid friendly" menu. There are also alot of "foodies" (people who really appreciate good food). People who like quality and unique food come from far and wide to eat these wonderful hot dog creations. They have alot of regular customers and alot of people who come from the surrounding suburbs. fRedhots is listed on Yelp and Chowhound and Sharon always responds to others who post on yelp. They do a great job of making the customer happy and any issues that arise are always addressed as quickly as possible.
Fred and Sharon are always trying new ideas, concepts and make changes to the menu to keep their offering fresh and different. The Supplier brings new things and if Fred thinks that the item will sell he's more than happy to add it to the menu. They have sucessfully managed to weather the downturn of the economy but still continue to grow. They brought down their prices of hot dogs and fries which is a great help to the customer. They are plans to expand the restaurant's physical space and and then they will be able to expand their menu. They do offer chicken sandwiches from time to time and have done so in a varity of different styles. Have a seasonal specials like a vege special for summer and reindeer for Christmas. They also offer fun items like Corned Beef dog and Reuben sausage as a change up. They also run an October feast menu from Mid September through October. They diligently update their website and the fan page on Facebook is always up to date. Their fans get their postings right away.
Pat Bruno of the Sun Times said that "fRed Hots and Fries is not only good food or clean as a pin." Fred and Sharon spend the extra time that it takes to make their food taste of the highest quality and create and maintain and environment that is absolutely immaculate. The fryers are scrubbed every single day and use Canola blend oil with cotton seed. They use the highest quality oil for cooking and frying.
They also cater to vegetarians and offer five or six items. Fred cooks a healthy moist patty with chunks of veges with bread crumbs. There are several different salads and also service Bison and Buffalo. All of the customers are served by name when the order is taken at the register. This is a truly a very friendly business and a great destination.
They also do charity events where twenty percent of the proceeds are donated to the charity of the day. So for expample, if your charity would like to do an event, the event is advertised and publicized and anyone who comes in and says that there from the charity that is raising money, twenty percent of all the sales from all the various people who come to support the event goes back to the organiztaion. The kids love this type of event.
For the future, they're searching for investment so they can open other locations in other states.
The menu offerings are wide and varied such as Chipotle Turkey club sandwich on toasted French roll, a finished bbq beef and frites and spicy thai aioli sauce that comes with the fries/frites.
There are alot of different types of chicken sausage that are offered and an Italian Debris Meat sandwich which is all of th debris that's left over form the Italian Beef that is boiled down (including the seasonsings) and put into sandwich form that is accompanied by french fries on top with BBQ sauce and Merks Cheddar Cheese. Truly a treat for any day.
The fries are a signature item and this is what makes fRedhots stand apart from their competition. The potatoes are cooked using a Belgium method which means that they are heavly washed, twice cooked once at a lower temp when their 2/3 done and fried again right before they are served. The dipping sauce include: Garlic Aioli, Wasabi Aioli, Chipotle Aioli, Spicy Thai Aioli, Artichoke Aioli, Basil Pesto Aioli, Sweet Chipotle (No Mayo), Tomato Curry Sauce (No Mayo) Sweet Red Pepper Garlic Aioli, Spicy Mustard Dill Aioli, and Green Onion Sage Aioli. They also offer Merkts Soft Cheddar Fries, Chili or Nacho Cheese to put over the Fries. They also have Garlic Fries which are fries that are tosed in garlic butter. The fries are just an absolutely treat.
I had the pleasure of sampling the smoked salmon fRedhot with Fries/Frites and I chose the artichoke aioli and pesto aioli which were both just suburb. This Greek girl also sampled the Gyros Hot Dog which is made up of lamb and beef seasoned with all the traditional gyros seasoning and fRedhots just hit it out of the park. I felt like I was over at "The Works" on Golf Road eating a Gyros.
fRedhots has been featured in Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Hungry Hound Channel 7 ABC, North Shore Magazine, Glenview Announcements, Daily Herald, Zagat Rated, Yelp.com and LTHForum.com GNR (Great Neighborhood Restaurant).
fRedhots is a very special place with great offerings, great sauces, wonderful fries and the cleanest restaurant on the North Shore that would make any housekeeper jealous. This is a GREAT place for kids and families.
fRedhots
http://www.fredhots.com/
1707 Chestnut Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Phone: 847-657-9200
fredhots_fries@sbcglobal.com
The inspiration for their menu was a hot dog style restaurant that’s above the rest and that's exactly what fRedhots is all about. Hot Doug’s has been an inspiration for Fred and Sharon who is his wife. When he was doing his market research, the evidence indicated that everyone wanted something that is above all the other hot dog joints in the area. So armed with that knowledge, hey taste tested all of the products and picked the very best with the highest quality meats.
fRedhots offers Reindeer from Alaska, Alligator from Louisiana and other gourmet products from Chicago. Chicago has almost everything on a regular basis and they also go into other markets to purchase products that are more exotic.
Their customer base consists of a strong local community base. They have alot of business people and families that frequent their establishment for lunch. There are alot of kids and a great "kid friendly" menu. There are also alot of "foodies" (people who really appreciate good food). People who like quality and unique food come from far and wide to eat these wonderful hot dog creations. They have alot of regular customers and alot of people who come from the surrounding suburbs. fRedhots is listed on Yelp and Chowhound and Sharon always responds to others who post on yelp. They do a great job of making the customer happy and any issues that arise are always addressed as quickly as possible.
Fred and Sharon are always trying new ideas, concepts and make changes to the menu to keep their offering fresh and different. The Supplier brings new things and if Fred thinks that the item will sell he's more than happy to add it to the menu. They have sucessfully managed to weather the downturn of the economy but still continue to grow. They brought down their prices of hot dogs and fries which is a great help to the customer. They are plans to expand the restaurant's physical space and and then they will be able to expand their menu. They do offer chicken sandwiches from time to time and have done so in a varity of different styles. Have a seasonal specials like a vege special for summer and reindeer for Christmas. They also offer fun items like Corned Beef dog and Reuben sausage as a change up. They also run an October feast menu from Mid September through October. They diligently update their website and the fan page on Facebook is always up to date. Their fans get their postings right away.
Pat Bruno of the Sun Times said that "fRed Hots and Fries is not only good food or clean as a pin." Fred and Sharon spend the extra time that it takes to make their food taste of the highest quality and create and maintain and environment that is absolutely immaculate. The fryers are scrubbed every single day and use Canola blend oil with cotton seed. They use the highest quality oil for cooking and frying.
They also cater to vegetarians and offer five or six items. Fred cooks a healthy moist patty with chunks of veges with bread crumbs. There are several different salads and also service Bison and Buffalo. All of the customers are served by name when the order is taken at the register. This is a truly a very friendly business and a great destination.
They also do charity events where twenty percent of the proceeds are donated to the charity of the day. So for expample, if your charity would like to do an event, the event is advertised and publicized and anyone who comes in and says that there from the charity that is raising money, twenty percent of all the sales from all the various people who come to support the event goes back to the organiztaion. The kids love this type of event.
For the future, they're searching for investment so they can open other locations in other states.
The menu offerings are wide and varied such as Chipotle Turkey club sandwich on toasted French roll, a finished bbq beef and frites and spicy thai aioli sauce that comes with the fries/frites.
There are alot of different types of chicken sausage that are offered and an Italian Debris Meat sandwich which is all of th debris that's left over form the Italian Beef that is boiled down (including the seasonsings) and put into sandwich form that is accompanied by french fries on top with BBQ sauce and Merks Cheddar Cheese. Truly a treat for any day.
The fries are a signature item and this is what makes fRedhots stand apart from their competition. The potatoes are cooked using a Belgium method which means that they are heavly washed, twice cooked once at a lower temp when their 2/3 done and fried again right before they are served. The dipping sauce include: Garlic Aioli, Wasabi Aioli, Chipotle Aioli, Spicy Thai Aioli, Artichoke Aioli, Basil Pesto Aioli, Sweet Chipotle (No Mayo), Tomato Curry Sauce (No Mayo) Sweet Red Pepper Garlic Aioli, Spicy Mustard Dill Aioli, and Green Onion Sage Aioli. They also offer Merkts Soft Cheddar Fries, Chili or Nacho Cheese to put over the Fries. They also have Garlic Fries which are fries that are tosed in garlic butter. The fries are just an absolutely treat.
I had the pleasure of sampling the smoked salmon fRedhot with Fries/Frites and I chose the artichoke aioli and pesto aioli which were both just suburb. This Greek girl also sampled the Gyros Hot Dog which is made up of lamb and beef seasoned with all the traditional gyros seasoning and fRedhots just hit it out of the park. I felt like I was over at "The Works" on Golf Road eating a Gyros.
fRedhots has been featured in Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Hungry Hound Channel 7 ABC, North Shore Magazine, Glenview Announcements, Daily Herald, Zagat Rated, Yelp.com and LTHForum.com GNR (Great Neighborhood Restaurant).
fRedhots is a very special place with great offerings, great sauces, wonderful fries and the cleanest restaurant on the North Shore that would make any housekeeper jealous. This is a GREAT place for kids and families.
fRedhots
http://www.fredhots.com/
1707 Chestnut Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
Phone: 847-657-9200
fredhots_fries@sbcglobal.com
Monday, April 5, 2010
Greek Feast: Chicago's OUTSTANDING Greek Street Food
Greek Feast is an unbelievable addition to Northbrook's dining scene. It is a gold gem of a destination that is owned by George Vlahakis and his family who have been in business for more than 35 years. George also owns Georgie V's in Northbrook and Mrs. V's in Des Plaines on the corner of River Road and Oakton. Their sons Peter, who is a chef and Ted whose specialty is the front of the house (the technology) are very very involved with operating and managing the Vlahakis empire. Mrs. Vlahakis running Georgie V's. George Vlahakis hails from Sparta, Greece and the V on the sign outside of his restaurant symbolizes the Spartan V warrior symbol. There are also olive and lemon trees inside of the dining establishment.
Their inspiration for Greek Feast was traditional greek street in a fast casual atmosphere. The menu delivers on this concept and then some. George and his sons have been thinking about this venture for years. They found a location and opened up a restarant that is all Greek food and wine and just Greek food and wine. This is fast casusal for Greek food done with a 100 Gold star rating. You order your food, sit down and someone will bring your order to you. Their creations are top secret family recipes and are outsourced to a special kitchen that does all of the cooking for them.
Their ingredients are unbelievably fresh and 100% hand picked from their vendors. Grecian Delight (which is in Elk Grove Village, IL and is owned by Mr. Peter Parthenis) is supplying them with their Gyros and Chicken Gyros. All of their recipes are researched. The spice mix for their different dishes is a secret. The Greek Sausage is also top secret and was mouth watering.
George, Peter and Ted will start the catering portion of the business very son and will also offer curbside service. They will also offer family packs and that will be especially helpful on the North Shore because of the number of families and children that reside in the area. There will be outdoor seating in the near future.
Northbrook has been very good to them and the clients at Georgie V's and Greek Feast are just unbelievable.
I sampled Gyros, Chicken Gyros (which was very very lean), Rice, Pita Bread, Avgolemono Soup (Egg Lemon Soup) Skordalia (Potato Garlic Spread) Tzaziki (Garlic Cucumber spread) and a spicy feta spread. I also sampled the Greek Sausage which was absolutely mouth watering and last the baklava which is Mrs. Vlahakis recipe.
Greek Feast is the best addition to Northbrook, IL and to Chicago's North Shore.
Greek Feast
2784 West Dundee Rd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-559-1901
Fax: 847-559-1903
Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Their inspiration for Greek Feast was traditional greek street in a fast casual atmosphere. The menu delivers on this concept and then some. George and his sons have been thinking about this venture for years. They found a location and opened up a restarant that is all Greek food and wine and just Greek food and wine. This is fast casusal for Greek food done with a 100 Gold star rating. You order your food, sit down and someone will bring your order to you. Their creations are top secret family recipes and are outsourced to a special kitchen that does all of the cooking for them.
Their ingredients are unbelievably fresh and 100% hand picked from their vendors. Grecian Delight (which is in Elk Grove Village, IL and is owned by Mr. Peter Parthenis) is supplying them with their Gyros and Chicken Gyros. All of their recipes are researched. The spice mix for their different dishes is a secret. The Greek Sausage is also top secret and was mouth watering.
George, Peter and Ted will start the catering portion of the business very son and will also offer curbside service. They will also offer family packs and that will be especially helpful on the North Shore because of the number of families and children that reside in the area. There will be outdoor seating in the near future.
Northbrook has been very good to them and the clients at Georgie V's and Greek Feast are just unbelievable.
I sampled Gyros, Chicken Gyros (which was very very lean), Rice, Pita Bread, Avgolemono Soup (Egg Lemon Soup) Skordalia (Potato Garlic Spread) Tzaziki (Garlic Cucumber spread) and a spicy feta spread. I also sampled the Greek Sausage which was absolutely mouth watering and last the baklava which is Mrs. Vlahakis recipe.
Greek Feast is the best addition to Northbrook, IL and to Chicago's North Shore.
Greek Feast
2784 West Dundee Rd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-559-1901
Fax: 847-559-1903
Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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