Naperville, IL. 60540
630-548-9800
www.rosebudrestaurants.com
wheelchair access, ample parking, valet
Story and photos by Dwight Casimere
Rosebud
22 E. Chicago Ave.
Naperville, IL 60540
wheelchair access, ample parking, valet
moderate pricing
Rosebud is an authentic Italian American dining treasure in the heart of Naperville's bustling downtown area, near the Riverwalk. With its spacious sleek, modern dining room, cozy bar area and outdoor patio, its an ideal place to enjoy traditional favorites with a modern flair. The service is quick and courteous, and the atmosphere is lively. The bottom line, however, is the food. Long-time favorites such as Shrimp Scampi, Homemade Cavatelli, Eggplant alla Parmesan, or Chicken Vesuvio, are front and center on the expansive menu.
The food is delicious, with copious portions and reasonable prices. The appetizers are large enough to share. There's almost enough variety there to make for an entire meal, but don't cheat yourself out of the flavor bonanza to follow with the main courses.
A glass of Prosecco, that northern Italian bubbly that is champagne's lighter, slightly sweeter cousin, got things off to a delightful start. Appetizers of Fried Calamari and Fried Shrimp arrived within a flash. The seafood was perfectly cooked, crisp and crunchy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside with a spicy marinara sauce and a healthy slice of lemon wrapped neatly in a cheese cloth to prevent seeds from dropping onto the plate. Nice touch!
Fried Calamari and Shrimp with Chopped Salad and Prosecco
Besides the wide array of pasta dishes, meat and seafood of the day is prepared any way you like it from a list of Italian specialty preparations; Picatta, Vesuvio, Marsala, to name a few.
There are also a number of specialities of the day, which are well worth asking for. On a recent Valentine's Day menu, a featured item was Medallions of Filet Mignon prepared three ways; with a mushroom and brandy suace, bearnaise with fresh crab and artichoke on top and with a cap of flavorful Guyere cheese. It was delicious served with a glass of Palazzo Della Torre Red Sangiovese wine from the magnificent Allegrini estate in Verona in northern Italy. The flavors of the wine, redolent of rich, ripe, red berries and a hint of baking spice and black pepper from careful oak aging, made for an excellent flavor combination. A side of the house speciality Rigatoni with rich, house made marinara sauce, rounded out the flavor medley. The fish of the day, Salmon, was prepared with a simple dusting of olive oil, mushroom and herbs and topped with fresh Shrimp. The salmon was pristinely fresh.The portion was large, meaty and perfectly cooked, with the salmon flaking under the pressure of the fork. It too paired well with the flavorful red wine.
A Trio of Filet Medallions with Palazzo Della Torre wine from Allegrini
Artisan Pizzas are made by hand and served with a variety of toppings. The pizzas are perfect for a shared starter or for the main event. They are truly outstanding and, prepared in the brick, among the best in the area.
The freshly made Artisanal pizza dough is hand rolled and trimmed
The restaurant features a spot-on Tiramisu for dessert that is as close to the original that I had in Treviso. I was too full from the main courses and opted instead for just a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream to cleanse the palate. That just calls for a return visit! For reservations and information, visit rosebudrestaurants.com
Rosebud Naperville: www.rosebudrestaurants.com
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