Takeout treasure | Illinois Times (2024)

When you think of takeout, the options that usually come to mind are cartonsof Chinese food, a pizza, or a bucket of fried chicken. Homemade eggplant Parmesanand stuffed artichokes probably aren't the kind of dishes you usually pick upfor dinner on the way home from work -- but they should be.

A tiny business in a strip mall on Springfield's west side is one of the city'stakeout treasures. Carmelo and Catherine Maggiore and their two sons, Michaeland Joseph, operate Buon Appetito in Fairhills Mall. The eatery has a few smalltables for dining, but it's mostly a takeout business for customers who wantto sample family recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

What makes the restaurant special, besides its delicious food, is that theMaggiores serve up a rich history and tradition with each dish to customerswho take the time to listen. "We share with the public," says Carmelo, a nativeof Sicily.

The family focuses on providing food that is fresh and old-fashioned, Carmelosays. He and his wife, a Springfield native, moved here eight years ago afteroperating a similar restaurant in New York.

"It's a disgrace how people eat," says Carmelo, referring to the popularityof fast-food meals loaded with calories and preservatives but, in his opinion,lacking in taste. He's as passionate about the way his food is prepared as heis about how it tastes. He explains that he uses only fresh produce and heart-healthyingredients such as olive oil, low-sodium cheeses, and fresh vegetables. Carmelosays he tries to educate customers about the importance of eating homemade dishesprepared with the finest ingredients.

"We offer traditional dishes that go back 3,000 years. Behind each dish thereis a story and a history," he says. "Our cooking comes from the heart."

Son Michael notes that the wreck of a 2,000-year-old Roman ship laden witholive oil, wine, and honey was recently discovered off the coast of Sicily.The vessel apparently sank while transporting these goods. "These are all ofour traditions that go back 2,000 years or more. You have to be from the Mediterraneanto know our food. Olive oil, eggplant, cauliflower, and broccoli are all fromthe Mediterranean. Many of our dishes go back to the Roman Empire. Nobody knowsthe history behind each dish, so we explain to our customers," Michael says.

"The success of our business is two things: the food we serve and the peoplewho come here. We really appreciate it," he adds.

Indeed, a customer who asks about any dish on the day's menu is encouragedand, if need be, enthusiastically persuaded to try samples as descriptions ofthe ingredients are given. The menu, which changes daily, generally includesfour pasta dishes, two meat dishes, a few side dishes, and three desserts. Dishesinclude spinach, beef, and eggplant lasagna; spaghetti with fresh artichokes,garlic, wine, and olive oil; broiled and breaded chicken breast served withpotatoes; penne noodles with meatballs; handmade rustica fettuccine with homemadesausage, fresh tomatoes, and olive oil; stuffed peppers; ravioli; stew; stuffedartichokes; eggplant Parmesan; or pizza. Gnocchi is offered each Saturday. Allof the food -- even the sausage, ravioli, and pizza dough -- is homemade.

Buon Appetito's menu reflects what the Maggiores are in the mood to prepareon any given day. It also reflects what produce is in season. This time of year,several artichoke dishes are being offered -- stuffed, fried, tossed with pasta.In the summer, more dishes featuring eggplant, peppers, cauliflower, and broccoliare offered.

Desserts, which include cannoli, tiramisu, pies, and cakes, are displayedin a glass case. There's no written menu, so seeing what's available each dayis always a pleasant surprise.

Customers can order takeout dinners in one-pound containers, which are filledwith one chosen option or several. Each container costs $10 and holds enoughto serve two people. For $12 you get a complete dinner, including a salad. "Itcosts you less than breakfast," says Carmelo says. Homemade rolls are includedfree with each entrée.

During a recent visit, I sampled each of the day's entrées, which includeda spicy pasta dish with sausage and a lightly breaded chicken breast. EverythingI tasted was delicious, and the menu offered a nice variety of options. I decidedon two versions of spaghetti. In the first, the pasta was tossed with garlic,olive oil, cauliflower, and broccoli rabe. This simple dish was wonderfullyexecuted, with just the right amount of oil, cheese, and garlic to bring a burstof flavor to each bite. In the other version, the spaghetti was tossed witha tomato-and-artichoke sauce, which was richer. Both were delicious.

For dessert, I tried the lemon and orange sponge cakes, which were so moistthat they melted in my mouth. The cannoli was divine. The traditional Italianpastry, made with smooth, creamy ricotta cheese filling inside a tubular crust,was the perfect way to end a meal -- and I didn't even have to do dishes. Isn'tthat the point of takeout?

Buon Appetito is located at 1941 W. Monroe St., in the Fairhills Mall; 217-698-9844.Hours: 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Ice break

There's a reason that the corner of Durkin Drive and Lawrence Avenue is crowdedin the afternoons these days. It's because the Ice Deli is open for the season.

The tiny stand offers 54 varieties of flavored ice, such as coffee, coconut,cotton candy, cinnamon, cheesecake, brandy, kiwi, grape, blackberry, tangerine,tutti frutti, spearmint, sour cherry, praline, peppermint, lime, and orange.Several sugar-free flavors are also available.

More than 180 specialty flavors are offered. Some are named for movies andaction heroes, such Little Mermaid, Lion King, Harry Potter, Wolverine, andSuperman.

There are also creamy ice treats, made with milk, aimed at adult customers.Those flavors include Irish cream, Kahlua, key lime, and brandy Alexander, madewith brandy, chocolate and vanilla velvet flavorings.

Ice Deli is located in the Chateau Village parking lot (home to SoccerWorld) at the corner of Durkin and Lawrence. Hours: 3:30-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and2-9 p.m. Sat. and Sun.