Food, entertainment get star billing at Onesti Dinner Club
Given everything that's going on in the world today, a good, old-fashioned dose of nostalgia is what the doctor ordered. Enter Onesti Dinner Club in St. Charles, a spot in the former 18 North space where dinner and a show passes the time. Perhaps because the experience hearkens back to a more carefree time, it's a running hit since its opening last August.
Situated in a circa 1851 church in St. Charles, the space feels more haute than hallowed, despite the stained glass windows that allow filtered light to flood in. The restaurant is the brainchild of Ron Onesti, who also owns the Arcada Theater down the street.
Paintings top warm wood-paneled walls, tables are white-clothed and the scent of garlic - wafting from generously portioned plates - can be detected throughout. What really sets the place apart, however, is the entertainment offered. Since opening, it has played host to performances by Rick Springfield and Deana Martin (Dean Martin's daughter). Neil Sedaka, Frankie Avalon and Martin Short have stopped by to munch on the restaurant's prime rib.
Adding to Onesti's appeal, guests can see performances cover charge-free in the O Lounge - a lower-level martini bar - starting at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, or turn dining out into an evening-long affair by attending a full-fledged gig at the theater pre- or post-meal.
Of course, it's not all about the crooning. The food is generating buzz, too. Onesti recently hired Jerry Navarro to jazz up the menu, and the results are decidedly date-worthy.
We started with the signature salad, an antipasto-type affair loaded with lettuce, olives, salami, provolone - you get the idea. No, it's not groundbreaking, but it's tasty nonetheless.
The beef carpaccio is another well-executed classic. Barely seared and paired with capers, sweet roasted red peppers and baby spinach, it's also topped with sharp, nutty shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Other starters range from house-made crab cakes with a drizzle of mustard sauce to bruschetta, steamed mussels and Tuscan-style garlic shrimp with parsley sauce.
Making a meal out of soup and salad is an option. There's a hefty wedge salad adorned with blue cheese crumbles and four-cheese French onion soup.
Seafood, while somewhat up there in price, doesn't disappoint, particularly when it comes to the thyme-scented prosciutto-wrapped scallops on a bed of angel hair with garlic-infused white sauce.
Steaks get a lot of play, too, and we can see why. The filet, which comes with tasty garlic mashed potatoes and sweet honey-glazed carrots, can be topped with blue cheese, horseradish or peppercorns. But it's the prime rib that won our hearts.
Not surprisingly, desserts continue the not-too-out-there theme. Offerings might include rum-soused bananas foster and creamy, Amaretto-infused creme brulee - both of which pair perfectly with the selection of cordials, cognacs, ports and dessert wines. But there are plenty of froufrou martinis and specialty cocktails to choose from, too.
Service is gracious, and the vibe hovers between sedate and grown-up-raucous as the night wears on. In a nutshell, when you're in need of a good time, this spot is destined to deliver (or at least help you remember better times).
Onesti Dinner Club
Facts: 18 N. 4th St., St. Charles, (630) 584-1888, www.onestidinnerclub.com
Cuisine: Italian steak, seafood and pasta
Setting: Clubby, dark and date-worthy
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday; O Lounge open 8 to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Price Range: Appetizers $6 to $16; soups and salads $5.95 to $14.95; pasta $10.95 to $26; entrees $11.95 to $36; desserts $4.95 to $6.95