Antignana takes diners on a trip through time

The term “hidden gem” gets used a lot to describe small, out-of-the-way spots overused, in fact. Antignana in Naperville, however, is the very definition of “hidden gem.”

First of all, you won't find an exterior sign saying “Antignana;” the 5-year-old full-service restaurant is inside the Fontano's Subs shop in a strip mall along Ogden Avenue. Secondly, Antignana serves authentic, high-quality southern Italian food, the kind of fare unaltered by modern cuisine trends. And that's a hard-to-find treat in today's restaurant scene.

The concept of a sit-down eatery behind a food store or deli was a common theme in many Italian neighborhoods in large American cities. You only find a rare few surviving, though, and discovering Antignana behind a sub shop is only the first step in hearkening back to classic Italian-American restaurants of decades ago.

What completes the trip through time is the food. A large yet manageable menu features Napoli recipes from the Fontano's family grandmother, Nonna Caroline. Handmade pastas can be combined with several different sauces (or “gravies” as my Italian grandma would say). Entrees include classics like veal parmigiana, cheese lasagna and chicken Marsala. While many dishes are constants on the menu, chef Alejandro Mancilla and the owners shuffle the pasta and sauce combinations and add special dishes often.

A nice start to the meal in the comfortable small dining area was fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and a chunky compote of fresh tomatoes with Italian bread, letting us create our own bruschetta. We split an order of the asparagus salad, featuring wonderfully grilled yet still crisp spears with fresh blue cheese crumbles, diced tomatoes and olive oil and balsamic vinegar drizzles a simple preparation loaded with flavor.

For my main dish, I went with something that my own Italian grandmother loved to cook, a very spicy arrabbiata sauce over penne. Fresh, peeled plum tomatoes were mixed with diced prosciutto, fresh basil and lots and lots and lots of crushed red pepper flakes. The heat from this sauce was intense but not overpowering, a perfect choice for those seeking out spice and flavor. This is definitely a sauce to come back for and try with any of the pastas offered.

My dining companion, my full-blooded Italian mom, has been on a quest to find a suburban Italian restaurant that offers a traditional, old-style eggplant Parmesan. At Antignana, she finally found one that fits the dish that she's known for more than 75 years. Lightly fried slices of eggplant were layered with fresh cheese and generous amounts of marinara sauce then baked to perfection. The large portion is served over your choice of pasta in marinara sauce; there's enough here to fill you up and still take home a sizable portion for another meal.

A nice surprise at this small restaurant is the huge dessert selections. The menu features fresh-made dishes with some standard offerings which are always available tiramisu, chocolate cake, banana cake, chocolate mousse and weekly specials, one of which grabbed our interest as soon as our server mentioned it: basil gelato. Luscious scoops of ice cream were flavored with fresh Italian basil, just enough to impart the sweetness of the herb but not too heavy to overpower the creaminess. The selection of gelato varies, but usually there are at least five to six flavors available and I'd be more than happy to go for the basil gelato any time it's on the menu.

Don't let the fact that Antignana is located inside a sub shop fool you into believing it's not a quality place. Antignana is the place for fresh, tasty, filling southern Italian classics.

Yes, it's kind of hidden. Yes it's small. Yet the food is stellar … like a bright, shining gem.

<p><b>Antignana</b></p>

<p>At Fontano's Subs, 1767 W. Ogden Ave., Naperville, (630) 717-7821, antignana.com</p>

<p>Cuisine: Authentic Napoli-style Italian</p>

<p>Setting: Casual yet classy dining area behind carry-out sub shop</p>

<p>Entrees: $8.25 to $22.95</p>

<p>Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday</p>