Bartlett couple opens 'hidden gem' in Elgin
Terms like "hidden gem" and "best keep secret" are tossed around like a wilted house salad for some restaurants.
But these are apt adjectives for regulars at Cafe Roma, an Italian eaterty that opened in Elgin earlier this year.
"The whole staff goes out of their way to make sure you have a fantastic dining experience," said customer Ray Horan, a Naperville resident.
"I venture to call it one of the best kept secrets (in Elgin). You have to seek it out. I tell people about it all the time. It's high quality and not just slapped together," he added.
Frank and Jennifer Redisi, a Bartlett couple, opened the cafe over the summer.
Nestled in a business park at I-90 and Randall Road, behind Country Inn and Suites, Cafe Roma's main clientele is the corporate lunch crowd.
But the Redisi's recently expanded to dinner two days a week - Thursday and Friday nights - because of growing demand.
"We have a quick, casual concept, but more upscale," said Frank Redisi, the executive chef who drew inspiration for the eatery from living in Rome in 1989. "We make everything from scratch. We cater obviously to a business crowd."
Give Redisi a small window, and he'll describe importing finely ground "double zero" flour to make pizza dough or having fresh cut French Fries at 9/16ths, which are thicker and pair better with meat.
The bottom line is there's care and passion behind every dish - new and old.
"It's authentic Italian. We don't use any tricks. It's extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic. There's no phony seasonings," he said.
Jennifer Redisi said her husband's passion for food, along with their personal, skilled attention, help bring people back.
"We're tucked in here. It's sort of a hidden gem. People even call it that. They're like 'Oh my God, it's so nice back here,'" she said. "It's not the same old, same old. That's probably the biggest hurdle we have, getting people to find us. Once they do, they become loyal customers."
Ask the couple to name a signature or must-have dish and they pause.
"We are a lot more flexible," Jennifer Redisi said, adding they'll ask customers: "'What do you have a taste for?' We can customize it. Even before we were married, (Frank's) been an amazing cook. He's been passionate about it his whole life."
Still, more folks are realizing there's more than downtown Elgin and Randall Road if you want to find a good place to eat.
Sleepy Hollow resident Carol Schoengart she found out about the cafe while planning a luncheon for a community group.
"I'm absolutely enamored with Frank's salad. I can sit back and eat it three times a day," she said. "The lettuce is always fresh. I'm sure he picks it over every day. You never find a piece that's not completely fresh."
The cafe also is a good spot for Schoengart's husband, Gert, who is not a huge fan of Italian fare.
"There's a variance where ever you go. Some places are better than others. This one is very good," he said. "They try new things."
• Cafe Roma is at 2175 Point Blvd., Elgin. Lunch hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner is served from 3-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Call (847) 836-ROMA or visit www.tastecaferoma.com