Buca di Beppo Passes Out the Pasta

The restaurant chain Buca di Beppo currently has a treat for guests this September. When people dine in at their local Buca di Beppo and order an entree they can take home a choice of three pastas as a free gift. The three choices are spaghetti marinara, penne alfredo or baked ziti.

This special immediately caught my attention and encouraged me to pop in to one of the Illinois locations, Lombard at 90 Yorktown Road, a beautiful spot next to Yorktown Mall.

The surrounding decor of Buca is a whole story in itself. The Lombard location was a maze that leads to the backrooms full of memorabilia. While many decorations are a standard across the 81 locations of Buca, Inc., some restaurants also have unique knick knacks as well. It's a feast for the eyeballs that sets the mood for the Italian cuisine that is to come.

Buca di Beppo roughly translates to Joe's Basement and while that doesn't seem appetizing, there is definitely a feeling of being in a secluded world with the dark surroundings. The staff will make diners feel right at home with swift service and hospitality. The server at Lombard guided us along for a satisfying experience.

The thing to remember is the portions are meant to be served family style and very large. A small fried calamari feeds three people, the large serves five! It is easy to fill up with appetizers, so keep that in mind when ordering the fried mozzarella or meatballs. The trio platter offers a sampling of three of the favorites, such as those just mentioned, or others like the spinach artichoke dip, fried mac 'n cheese and spicy shrimp.

Go for a little ruffage with the caesar or mixed green salad in preparation for the main course. The quattro al forno was hands down a perfect choice to sample the cheese manicotti, chicken cannelloni, cheese ravioli and stuffed shells. This place knows their noodles and it shows in the rich dishes that they have presented on the robust menu.

With sizes this big, prepare to pack items to take home with you. With the carryout special there is certainly no need to cook anytime soon.

If there is somehow any room left after all this, then don't miss the housemade cheesecake. The freshness of this iconic dessert was simply divine with a delicious raspberry sauce and toasted hazelnuts.

Buca has something for everyone and will definitely satisfy a large appetite, so hurry in and take advantage of the current special before September ends. Find a location near you at BucadiBeppo.com today!