It was a meal of highs and lows. This casual sit-down eatery had no shortage of Chicago memorabilia or senior citizen patrons. It's like they're going head-to-head against NY54 Pizza over in Sun Lakes.
The mussels in red sauce were a FANTASTIC appetizer. The spicy, garlicky (sp?)sauce was a great complement to the perfectly cooked mussels. I wish I got the full pound instead of the half. I also wish they served bread or even another bowl for the shells.
My wife's pasta fagioli was not nearly as appetizing. It tasted like Campbell's tomato soup with a few noodles and cannellini beans thrown in.The house salad was standard, but at least it was fresh and crisp. The vinagrette was a little tart for my taste.
We split a pizza. The subtle notes of the crispy thin crust and tangy tomato sauce were solid, but they were totally overwhelmed by a thick layer of bland cheese. Toppings were sparse.
The homemade tiramisu was good, but not great. It was a little too whip creamy, and am I the only one who doesn't like chocolate sauce over tiramisu? I want to savor the coffee flavor, not the Hershey's syrup.
In summary, I'd go back. Anything in their tomato sauce is bound to be good, especially the spicy version. Try the mussels. Pass on the pizza and the pasta fagiole.