Arlington Heights restaurant serves up ample Italian specialties

From the moment we twisted off a warm, crackly piece of Italian bread from the bread basket, we knew we were about to have a really good meal.

The bread begins every tasty, large-portioned meal at Toscana, a new Italian restaurant in the half-empty strip mall anchored by the Arlington Heights Senior Center.

Toscana's small outdoor dining area overlooks an asphalt parking lot, but inside, there is a cozy, warm decor for the bar area and a few dozen tables.

Murals, depicting views of the Italian countryside, cover the walls and classical music plays.

If you're picturing an ordinary neighborhood Italian restaurant, where generic-tasting tomato sauce is slopped onto pasta, you'd be mistaken. Toscana's ambitious menu contains a wide range of interesting, something-for-everyone entrees. Some of the more unique offerings include spinach artichoke ravioli, chicken with a delicate lemon sauce, frutti di mare (several types of seafood over linguine), 10 different veal dishes and pizzas that range from the four-cheese variety to one with chopped clams and shrimp.

Toscana also serves traditional recipes, such as the rigatoni dishes that owner Dino Murati's Italian grandmother used to make.

Murati, a restaurateur of both Italian and Albanian heritage, opened Toscana in December 2008. The concept, he said, is to serve large portions of delicious, homemade food at a reasonable price.

During a recent visit, that's exactly what we had.

When I ordered a glass of Sicilian red wine, I got a large wine glass three-quarters-filled, the equivalent of two glasses you'd get at most restaurants.

Hearty chunks of vegetables filled the flavorful minestrone soup, and the portobello Napalitano appetizer, ordered from an impressive list of daily specials, came with two types of melted cheese. It was plated nicely, and served around an artichoke carved into a flower.

When the next course arrived, we immediately knew that one Toscana entree contains enough food for two people.

The chicken cacciatore came with two gigantic chicken breasts smothered in fresh plum tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers. The eggplant Parmesan was served with two deep fried circles of eggplant, on top of a mountain of penne pasta, red sauce and cheese.

Each entree filled a platter-sized plate and was served piping hot.

The chicken was moist, the pasta and veggies had the right texture, and everything had a fresh taste to it.

After such a huge meal on a hot summer night, we opted to share one order of lemon ice for dessert. Two scoops were served - again, way more than you could eat - and it provided a nice, tangy finish to the meal.

My Italian friends believe the best Italian restaurants have three things: a great bread basket, outstanding minestrone soup and pasta that's served al dente. Toscana has all of those things - and more. A lot more. Prepare to bring home leftovers.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Toscana</p> <p class="News">1859 W. Central Road, Arlington Heights, (847) 222-1989, <a href="http://www.toscanaitalianrestaurant.com" target="new">www.toscanaitalianrestaurant.com</a></p> <p class="News">Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday; 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday</p>