New restaurant brings unique flavor to Geneva

Salsa dancers may not be shaking on the dance floor at Eñye just yet, but they're coming.

In the meantime, the owners of Geneva's first Latin American restaurant at 330 W. State St. are enjoying the positive feedback and busy evenings during the first week of business.

Jeanette and Bob DiPasquantonio opened the doors to Eñye Sept. 10 in the downtown location previously occupied by Isabella's and, for only a few months, Citizen Kane.

"We've really just had our soft opening right now, so it is a little slow, but we've had a lot of positive feedback and we were full here last weekend," Jeanette DiPasquantonio said.

"We didn't want to advertise too much too early because we wanted to make sure everything was right," she added. "Every day brings a new challenge, but so far we are hearing good things from our customers."

The DiPasquantonios have experience in the restaurant business, as they have owned and operated Urban Grille in downtown Geneva for the past three years.

Bob DiPasquantonio said there was not much concern on his part regarding opening another restaurant in a weak economy because of two major factors.

"First, this is just a great location and great piece of real estate, and it is just two blocks away from our other restaurant," Bob said. "And second, the city needed something different, and this is the only place like this in the Geneva area, and to find something similar, you'd have to go to Chicago."

In addition to a menu that features "all of tried and true classical dishes from all of the Latin American regions," Bob noted, the restaurant also offers wines from South America.

"We are planning a Puerto Rican pig roast next summer, and in a few weeks we will be offering a Sunday brunch, and Salsa dancing on weekend nights," Bob added.

During warm weather months, Eñye will have outdoor dining with seating for 100 to go along with seating for 100 in the main dining room and for 25 at the restaurant bar.

The Eñye chef is Joshua McConnell, who previously worked at the Hotel Baker.

"This is something new for me," McConnell said. "I am originally from North Carolina and much of my past experience was with Italian food."

Diners are already labeling the "Lomo Saltado" as the house specialty, which is a Chinese-influenced stir-fried beef tenderloin with Peruvian peppers served on a bed of french fries.

McConnell sears seafood on one of only two "plancha" ovens in the area. The plancha is a flat cooking surface that reaches 1,000 degrees, Bob DiPasquantonio said.

"The only other restaurant to have one is the Purple Pig in Chicago," he added.

With an expansive dining area, salsa dancing, and moderately-priced Latin dishes not seen in any other local restaurant, the DiPasquantonios are counting on a successful run.

But Jeanette has one reminder for future customers.

"This is not Mexican food," she said. "There are enough Mexican restaurants in town, and this is something completely different."