Business & Tech
Calamari: So Much More Delicious Than Squid
On the menu: Fried Calamari. As usual, we visited one restaurant in New Lenox, one in Mokena, and one in Frankfort.
Editor's Note: This week, we're debuting a new giveaway with Chowdown Showdown. Simply put: See next week's food at the bottom of this column, comment below and enter to win a $50 gift card to a local restaurant. For more rules and details, see the guidelines.
Squid is eaten in many parts of the world, but in the U.S., unless we're eating sushi, we prefer our squid with a Mediterranean influence. Thus, it makes sense that in the English language, we tend to refer to squid as "calamari," the Italian translation, when we're talking about it as a food. (It's like "pig" vs. "pork"). A plate of calamari comes with rings (sliced segments of the hollow body) and tentacles. Calamari gets a bad rap for being tough or rubbery, which does indeed happen when it's overcooked.
, 1938 E Lincoln Hwy Ste 110, New Lenox
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The calamari at Gatto's is offered in two sizes; the small order (see photo) was so big that I can't imagine how many people it would take to polish off the large order. Keeping in the generous spirit of a large order, the slices were big and the tentacles were aplenty.
The good: A big, tasty order of calamari was served with two juicy lemon wedges and a big side of cocktail sauce.
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The bad: While the cocktail sauce was a nice complement to the calamari, a second sauce for dipping variety would have been welcomed.
, 19634 La Grange Road, Mokena
Nick, a mainland Greek, told me he would prefer to "saute the whole creature in olive oil with lots of herbs" but since "over here" we like it sliced up, that's how Nick's serves it (the menu offers a choice of sauteed or beer battered and deep fried). For the sake of an even contest, I ordered it deep fried, although I was curious to try it sauteed. It was served with a side of cocktail sauce and a lemon wedge.
The good: The calamari rings were tender and tentacles were crisp.
The bad: The order was surprisingly small and the cocktail sauce they serve is very strong.
, 40 Kansas St., Frankfort
The calamari at Francesca's comes in an adorable bowl with a lemon wedge and a large side of warmed marinara. I liked that I could see flecks of parsley in the batter and the marinara was a nice change.
The good: Delicately seasoned calamari was served with warm, tasty marinara.
The bad: Doesn't anybody serve calamari with aioli or some other kind of dip around here?
THE WINNER: All three restaurants served up craveable fried calamari without a hint of rubbery texture, but because of its generous size and overall tastiness, my pick is Gatto's.
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