Sapore Trattoria finds new audience for old family recipes
Since moving to Chicago at the age of 26, Giacomo Parisi has successfully made a name for himself in what is indisputably a cutthroat dining scene - first as chef at Bellamy's at the Clock Tower Resort and later as proprietor of his own Parisi's Ristorante in Rockford.
In December, Parisi moved from Rockford to Lake Zurich with his new Sapore Trattoria where he has already made a splash with his sauces and old family recipes - as evidenced by the collective humming appreciation of a totally filled dining room on a recent visit.
Situated on Ela Street, just off route 22, the brick house holding the restaurant sits on the corner looking quite grand, surrounded by a completely crammed parking lot stamped with the status symbols of the upwardly mobile.
Inside, the décor is decidedly modern, if a tad sterile, with clean lines dividing several dining areas, a black marble bar, pale yellow walls, a sprinkle of simple paintings and wood detail that includes solid beams supporting the arched roof.
Our server was an older gentleman with an authentic accent whose earnestness borders on silliness more than once. He does, without a doubt, aim to please.
The two cocktails we choose to start the night off - a Manhattan and a lemon martini - feel underwhelming, probably due to the prevalent girliness of the first, and water of the second, so we move on to more solid ground with the dinner menu.
Only about a handful of dishes appear in each category, which signals the chef's confidence in his specialties.
The classic list of antipasti includes steamed mussels and jumbo shrimp, but the mood dictates a taste for the comfort of the hearty and homemade, so we opt for the Involtini di Melanzane - two thin, lightly breaded slices of eggplant rolled around a creamy ricotta cheese over a bright red tomato sauce with basil. The dish practically melts in our mouths.
The cups of minestrone and lobster bisque are served in actual cups, which prove very practical in getting every last sip. The take on the minestrone here includes beans, tomato and potato, which makes it a little different from the standard, but still very thick and satisfying. The bisque is all buttery creaminess, a tad low on the lobster, but delicious
Cannelloni al Forno - the chef's self-proclaimed delicacy - consists of four homemade, rolled-up ground beef-filled cannelloni, baked under a cover of mozzarella cheese and tomato basil sauce. The straightforward dish is simple and classic, and for the very agreeable price of $11.95, it is virtually perfect.
The fancier house specialty Mamma Lisa Ravioline is a much more decadent affair, with fresh, mini ravioli stuffed plump with ricotta cheese and sauteed with caramelized onions, surrounded by four jumbo shrimp, chunks of crabmeat and tossed in lobster sauce. The pasta and seafood are perfect, but the sauce, although excellent, is too reminiscent of the lobster bisque, which simply suggests you should choose one or the other.
If you save room for dessert, the Torta di Cioccolato is a great choice to share between two - an individual, freshly baked heart-shaped (for the ladies) chocolate cake with a soft and goopy chocolate center set atop a vanilla and strawberry crème anglaise.
A famous chef heading a restaurant can often intimidate the public be it either with stiff service or outlandish prices, but we were happy to discover that at Sapore there was a fresh lack of affectation. The service is humble, the menu straightforward and the prices a gem.
Sapore Trattoria
Facts: 500 Ela Road, Lake Zurich, (847) 438-0200, www.saporetrattoria.com
Cuisine: Italian
Setting: Contemporary casual with white tablecloths
Hours: 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Price range: Appetizers $5.95 to $11.95; entrees $10.95 to $25.95; dessert $4 to $6.95