When I stay in Chicago near O'Hare International Airport, I'm doing my best to try all of the Italian restaurants that are located in Harwood Heights, a small community on Chicago's west side. I've hit a couple three so far and was impressed with all that I've had. My next restaurant on my list to try was a small family owned place located in a strip mall along Lawrence Ave. - DiMaggio Cafe. I went there on a recent trip to Chicago.
For over 30 years, the DiMaggio family has been serving up Italian food in Harwood Heights. Specialties are pasta dishes, chicken entrees, seafood dishes, thin-crust pizza and house-baked Italian treats. Today, the restaurant is run by Francesco (who also goes by Franco or Frank) DiMaggio, the son of the original founders of the restaurant.
DiMaggio Cafe is located west of the corner of Lawrence and Harlem Avenues in the heart of Harwood Heights. (see map) It's tucked back in on the north side of Lawrence in a strip mall that also featured an authentic Polish restaurant and a sushi bar.
Inside the restaurant, they did their very best to simulate a warm and cozy Italian restaurant complete with checkered table coverings, subdued lighting and a laid-back feel. I found it to be welcoming and very unpretentious.
There was a small bar area in front of the kitchen. Franco DiMaggio was seated at the bar talking in Italian to another man when I found a seat in the restaurant. They had a rack of wines available for take out along one of the walls.
As you come in the door, there is a bakery case full of Sicilian cookies, cannoli and other baked goods. I understand the restaurant does a brisk business with their baked goods, especially in the morning.
I was greeted by a young lady who would be my server that evening. I looked through the menu and found a number of Italian specialties including Chicken Vesuvio, grilled calimari, and a number of pasta dishes. DiMaggio Cafe also has a number of sandwiches including Italian panini sandwiches. And they are also well known for their Sicilian-style pizzas.
For my starter that evening, I got a house salad that was served with a house salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It came with a tomato wedge, sliced cucumber and sliced red onions. The greens were fresh and the balsamic vinaigrette had a thick consistency with a forward tart taste. I also got a glass of a Malbec wine to go along with my meal. It was a healthy pour with the wine going nearly all the way to the rim of the glass.
But the highlight was the fresh-baked bread that came with the salad. It was served with a bottle of DiMaggio Cafe's house-brand extra virgin olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese. The bread was soft and very flavorful on its own. Dipped in the olive oil with some parmesan cheese and black pepper, the taste of the bread was heightened even more. Thankfully, there was a lot of bread that they served me. But I had to watch it as I didn't want to get so full on bread that I couldn't enjoy my entree.
I ordered the meat ravioli - ground beef and pork tucked inside ravioli pillows - topped with a marinara sauce. And for good measure I got a couple meat balls to go along with it. It took a little time to get the meal, but I was told that they make everything from scratch at DiMaggio Cafe. The ravioli looked like they had just cut the pasta in the kitchen, filled them with the meat and then quickly boiled them. The marinara sauce had a great sweet tomato flavor that went great with the ravioli. The meat balls were a tad underwhelming for me. They were a little bland in their taste and had a lot of breading in them. Still, they were good in the marinara sauce.
Franco DiMaggio came over and asked in a very thick Italian accent how my meal was. I let him know that I was very happy with what I got. I told him that I was thinking about getting the chicken parmigiana, but I was happy with the meat ravioli. "We make great chicken parm," he said. "You try it your next time in."
And I probably will. DiMaggio Cafe was a great little find in my quest of trying the Italian restaurants in the Harwood Heights area. While it did take a little longer than I thought it should have taken to get my dinner to me, that's a sign that most of the items they serve are made from scratch. The meat-filled ravioli appeared to be made moments before it was served to me, the marinara sauce was wonderful, and even though I thought the meatballs were a little disappointing, they were still good in the ragu meat sauce. But the bread with the house-brand virgin olive oil was outstanding. I was happy with the service I received and the atmosphere was laid-back and friendly. I may have to go back to DiMaggio Cafe before I try some other Italian restaurants in the immediate area.
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