Geneva's Monterey Place emphasizes traditional Italian

Diners who wish they had an Italian grandmother cooking in the kitchen can imagine the same when sampling the homestyle fare at Monterey Place in Geneva.

Owner Tony Andrews chose the name of one of his favorite towns, Monterey, Calif., where he spent time when on shore leave from the Navy. He wanted to set the tone of a relaxing home away from home at the restaurant he opened in the space formerly occupied by Sanfratello's.

With new chef Eric Olsen, formerly of Maggiano's in Oak Brook, the menu will be getting some tweaking, but the best-selling honey-crust pizzas will not be changed, according to general manager Simon Kearney.

Decor is understated and comfortable, with a combination of upholstered booths and tables around an L-shaped bar. A smaller 40-seat room off to one side is used for overflow or can be reserved for private gatherings. Changing artwork displays by local artists and photographers warm the walls.

The menu features mainstream pizza, pasta, mostly fried appetizers, salads and Italian-American dinners — no nouvelle cuisine here. Portions are generous and often large enough for several meals, so plan on taking doggy bags home.

Our meal began with the sausage and peppers appetizer, sautéed with sherry wine marinara. The sherry accounts for the initial blast of sweetness, with cayenne pepper adding a slight spicy kick at the end. Overall, it was an excellent sauce, and the roasted green bell peppers and fennel-accented sausage were a great marriage.

Soup or salad is included with all dinners, an especially welcome value these days. The minestrone was chock-full of vegetables and herbs, coming together to create one of the better versions around. The house salad also was good; it featured romaine, tomato, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, red onion, cucumber and crumbled mozzarella cheese. The accompanying balsamic vinaigrette added the perfect tangy touch. The only ingredient lacking was fresh-ground pepper — none on the table or offered by the server.

Pizzas to please every taste are offered, including honey-crust thin, pan and stuffed. A dozen signature topping combinations are on the menu, plus plentiful choices to make up your own, including gluten-free options. Pizza comes in 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch sizes.

We ordered a 13-inch honey-crust meatball and mushroom pizza. The crust was crisp, lightly browned and done just right. The marinara sauce was flavorful and not overly salty. The toppings we chose, however, left a little to be desired. The meatball slices were rather dry, and there weren't enough mushrooms. The pizza would have benefited from some herb seasonings.

A thin-crust spinach pizza fared better, with the fresh spinach, cheese and tomato sauce blending nicely.

In looking over the menu, I'd opt to order one of the house specialty pizzas next time, such as Chicken BBQ Bacon (self-explanatory) or Blue Flame — topped with spicy sausage, green pepper, jalapeños, black olives and mozzarella.

The eggplant Parmesan over angel hair pasta was a successful, hearty entree, fitting most people's idea of the kind of food they wish their grandmother had made. Definitely comfort food, this oversized portion of breaded eggplant layered with mozzarella and Parmesan and baked with marinara sauce could feed several hungry folks.

Other entrees include spinach lasagna, chicken Vesuvio and, for steak lovers, center-cut rib-eye and sirloin, both with potatoes and grilled vegetables.

Saving a little room for dessert, we tried a cannoli, which turned out to be perfect for the two of us. The pastry shell was properly crunchy, and the whipped ricotta cheese filling accented with chopped pistachios was creamy and luscious. Other choices are cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake, tiramisu and a chocolate chip cookie sandwich.

The wine list is small and contains mostly familiar California vintages, with a few Italian ones sprinkled in. The restaurant also features a long martini list and a variety of beers — always good with pizza.

Service was appropriately attentive, with proper pacing between courses and timely refilling of coffee cups and water glasses.

There is a separate takeout area in the back, conveniently fronting the parking lot, indicating an efficient kitchen. Delivery also is available, as are catering trays.

<b>Monterey Place</b>

7 W. State St., Geneva, (630) 845-9999

<b>Cuisine: </b>Pizza and Italian-American

<b>Setting: </b>Contemporary cafe

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

<b>Entrees: </b>$12-$25