Review: Tuccio's Fresh Italian Kitchen

Just barely off the beaten path near downtown Mount Prospect (in the Clock Tower Place strip center) there exists a cute little Italian restaurant called Tuccio's Fresh Italian Kitchen. Beth and I have been there a few times and have never been disappointed.

The dining room, with seating for about 35 people, is open to the kitchen where you can watch owner John Messina and his small staff cook up each meal to order. There seems to be enough wait staff for one for every 3 tables (they have approximately 12), so the place is constantly moving. Every time we have been in there "Grandma," John's mother, has been in clear sight, either sitting at the counter, or walking around making sure everything is to your liking. The pictures and memorabilia on the wall appears to all be of and from family as the people bear striking resemblance to grandma or the owner.

The food is outstanding. The one time we had the calamari it was grilled to perfection. I haven't had the same thing twice, and haven't had a bad meal. The lasagna is stuffed full of cheese, the ravioli fresh--I could go on, but I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. The portions are huge, and we usually end up taking some home with us so that we save room for dessert. Speaking of desserts--grandma bakes them fresh each day--if you have room, I highly recommend the lemon bars. Regardless if you get dessert or not, when you get the check, there is a pizzelle for each member of your party on a plate.

We have not yet tried their pizza or calzones, which apparently are rated #1 in the NW suburbs. The atmosphere is casual; they will cater a party and/or deliver tasty goodness to you. Sadly, their website is no longer up--it appears they didn't pay the hosting bill and someone squatted on it. The best I can do is provide a pdf of a copy of their menu--click their logo to get it.