Varied regional cuisines a specialty at Clementi's
People love a good Italian joint, and from what we can gather, they seem pleased with the transformation of the former Paprikash address, which now houses an eatery that aims to be more ambitious than most. That is to say, varied regional Italian cuisine - from Emilia-Romagna to Lombardy, Molise, Abruzzo and Calabria - is represented under one roof.
Clementi's is not a glamorous place, mind you, but it's definitely a nice-enough-for-company destination. The curvy bar is a relaxing, cheery place to unwind over a cocktail, and the simple, wood-trimmed dining room - which is dotted with old-school photos - is friendly and inviting.
We started with the bruschetta, a mound of balsamic-saturated tomatoes piled high on toasted bread. Admittedly, tomato season has passed, but these were tasty mouthfuls nonetheless. This popular dish shares menu space with sausage and roasted sweet peppers; all-but-ubiquitous sliders (done here with beef tenderloin, Dijon and tomato-shallot dressing); fried calamari; and baked clams topped with garlicky Parmesan bread crumbs.
From there, we moved on to the hearty minestrone, a cold-weather restorative containing everything but the kitchen sink. Alternatively, there's pasta faggioli, too. Salads don't stray far from the norm: There's a caprese, Caesar, and tomato and onion version, to name a few.
Crunchy, 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas are a draw. With almost 20 to choose from (and the option to create your own), combinations seem endless. There are classics (margherita and four cheese) and some unexpected finds (BLT, a pie topped with Bolognese and another with cheese sauce, parsley and shrimp). Given the fact that creative pies hover around $15 in many places these days, we thought the less-than-$11 price point was particularly appealing.
Next, we gravitated toward the lemony, buttery chicken piccata studded with briny capers. Appropriately chewy homemade cavatelli dumplings in bright, spicy arrabiata sauce proved a comforting detour.
There's eggplant Parm, manicotti blanketed in meat sauce, chicken Vesuvio and even slow-braised bracciole. Not to be overlooked is the highly recommended linguine alla frutta di mare brimming with mussels, scallops, shrimp, calamari and clams in spicy tomato sauce. In the mood for shrimp scampi, veal Francese or whole red snapper stuffed with garlic, lemon and oregano? You'll get your fill. In addition to the Italian stalwarts, however, you'll also find baby back ribs and steak Diane.
Portions are more than ample, but diners can opt to add on sides of oreganato potatoes, garlic-laden sauteed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. And, of course, as is the case at any self-respecting Italian restaurant, Clementi's serves hand-rolled meatballs and Italian sausage.
Light, fluffy, espresso-soaked tiramisu is a go-to finale, as is the crunchy, rich, ricotta-filled cannoli pumped up with pistachios and chocolate chips. There's lemon or mango granita, spumoni and chocolate fudge cake as well. Of course, you might want to skip the solids all together in favor of Jameson-zapped Irish or brandy, Kahlua and dark crème de cacao-bolstered kioki coffee.
Our server couldn't have been more polite, genuine and attentive, which was perfectly in step with the approachable setting. We're not sure we'd travel a great distance to dine here, but we're perfectly happy to have it nearby.
Clementi's
Facts: 602 W. Northwest Hwy., Arlington Heights, (847) 253-3544, clementirestaurant.com
Cuisine: Multiregional Italian
Setting: Convivial, family-friendly trattoria
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday
Price range: Appetizers $4.99 to $8.99, soups and salads $3.99 to $5.99, pizzas $9.99 to $10.99, pasta $6.29 to $9.99, entrees $8.99 to $19.99, desserts $3 to $7
Also: Accepts major credit cards