Enrico's Italian Dining: Bites Nearby

Near the corner of LaGrange Road and Lincoln Highway in Frankfort, Enrico's is an interesting mix of family friendly and fine dining. The day-to-day menu offers a blend of American and Italian cuisine, while the restaurant's revolving specials cater to more refined Northern Italian tastes. And Enrico's, which has been around for 35 years, serves regular and thick crust pizza, too. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, but it does accept call-ahead seating.

Decor: The restaurant is split between a bar and an intimate dining room, with a waiting and take-out area dividing the two. Circled by booths, the dining area sports an Italian rustic look. Vintage black-and-white wedding portraits and family photos hang on the walls, wood trim accenting the entire room. But Enrico's isn't immune to the staple of all traditional Italian restaurants: the empty Chianti bottle as decoration.

Drinks: Enrico's serves a variety of wines from California, Chile, Italy and Argentina, with prices running $5.50-$8.50 for a glass and $20-$28 for a bottle. The restaurant also offers a selection of beers—Flat Tire, Blue Moon and Miller Lite on draft—and cocktails.

Appetizers: Diners can sample two types of Bruschetta antipasti: one with fresh mozzarella cheese (half for $4.95; whole for $7.50) and one without ($3.75; $5.95). On the night we went, crab cakes ($9.95) was available on the specials menu. Plus, Enrico carries standard starters, such as mozzarella sticks ($4.50; $8.50), fried mushrooms ($4.95; $7.75) and hot wings ($4.25; $7.95).

Main Menu: Pasta is at the center of Enrico's menu. Customers can choose the Pasta Enrico ($9.95), spaghetti or mostaccioli tossed with parmesan and topped with homemade meat sauce; Ravioli Con Formaggio ($10.95), six ricotta cheese ravioli served with homemade meat sauce and a meatball; or Lasagna Al Forno ($12.95), a four-cheese lasagna topped with meat sauce and served with a meatball. The restaurant also has a variety of meat dishes, such as a bourbon-glazed pork chop ($12.95) and Chicken Marsala ($15.50). The Pollo Parmesan ($16.50), baked with three cheeses and herb marinara, is hearty enough for two. On the night we dined, we ordered the 8-oz. Famous Filet ($19.95), which came with a Caesar salad and angel hair pasta in butter, and the Gulf Shrimp Toscana ($13.95), which included a garden salad.

Desserts: What's an Italian restaurant without tiramisu? Enrico's offers a substantial serving of the traditional desert ($4.75), although the server apologized for its unusual soupiness on the night we dined and took the charge off the bill. Cannoli Enrico ($4.25), a pastry tube filled with ricotta and shaved chocolate filling, garnished with crushed pistachios and served with strawberry sauce and whipped cream, and Enrico's Classic Banana Cream Pie ($3.95).

Coming Up: Enrico's has daily Red Plate Specials, which you can find on its website. Diners get a $5 discount on a bottle of wine each week during Wine Wednesdays 

Address: 21027 S. LaGrange Road, Frankfort
Phone: 815-469-4187 
Hours: 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 3-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday.
Chef: Frank Quatraro
Cost: $

Look for Bites Nearby every Thursday at 5 p.m.