Aliano's builds on winning formula at new East Dundee locale
The owner of Aliano's Ristorante, a popular 5-year-old Italian eatery in Batavia, felt the time was ripe for the restaurant to spread its wings to a second location. And since late November, Mario Aliano has done just that, bringing his dining know-how to a comfortable storefront property in downtown East Dundee.
The new establishment is cozy (the combined dining room and full-service bar seat no more than 50), and rustic decor adds charm.
A background of classical Italian music, including opera, enhanced the ambience and was a change of pace from the crooning of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin common in many Italian restaurants.
Check out the wine list to find just the right vino to complement your meal. Alverdi Pinot Grigio, a dry white Italian import balanced with fruit flavors, paired well with a recent dinner.
The menu, similar to Aliano's flagship restaurant, doesn't stray from traditional Italian fare. In fact, many dishes follow recipes handed down from the owner's mother and grandmother.
Diners can expect steaks, chops and seafood as well as homemade pastas and sauces - all smartly prepared by chef Filippo Lombardo.
Prices, commensurate with the quality, range from the midteens for specialty pizzas and pastas to the upper teens and mid-$20s for such favorites as veal saltimbocca, chicken Vesuvio and seafood risotto. The most costly entree is the surf and turf ($48.95) - offering a fresh lobster tail and an 8-ounce filet mignon.
Shrimp de jonghe is a Chicago specialty often found among the starters at Italian restaurants. But just as often it is disappointingly executed. That's not the case at Aliano's, whose memorable version of the appetizer featured a casserole with five delectable jumbo shrimp in a blanket of perfectly seasoned garlicky bread crumbs. It hit the high notes from the first bite to the last.
Goat cheese bruschetta, fried or grilled calamari, mussels in white wine or marinara, and roasted red peppers and sausage also were available, among other antipastos.
The kitchen also turns out a decent eggplant parmigiana, the vegetable layered with marinara sauce and mozzarella and plated with a side of penne.
A bite of my dining partner's Lake Superior white fish picante sauteed with spinach and an abundance of large capers further confirmed the chef's expertise. Angel hair pasta with white wine-lemon butter sauce accompanied this dish.
Meanwhile, other diners have given high marks to the lasagna (“the best ever”), Romano pizza (“fantastic”) and artichoke hearts (“delicious”).
In the dolci column, seven desserts tempted, including three that are made in-house: tiramisu, cannoli and a brownie cheesecake, whose chocolaty layers and ricotta cheese made me an instant fan.
Unrushed service by the attentive, knowledgeable and congenial staff reinforced the conviction that the new Aliano's is just the ticket for East Dundee's growing restaurant scene.
Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Aliano's Italian Restaurant
310 N. River St., East Dundee, (847) 844-0528,
Cuisine: Italian
Setting: Rustic Old World Tuscany
Prices: Appetizers $10 to $15; entrees $15 to $49; desserts $6 to $8
Hours: 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 3 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday
Also: Accepts reservations; takeout; catering