BaPi Italian Ristorante in Arlington Heights

After several meals at BaPi, I checked LTH to see what others had to say and was surprised to find that there have been no postings!

BaPi Italian Ristorante is a lovely cozy northern Italian in a nondescript strip mall in Arlington Heights . It's a hangout for Italians (mostly men, but there are always several gorgeous ladies there) and owners Cristiano and Alberto can be seen hanging out at the bar with their friends speaking in Italian while watching RAI on the television.

Tonight, we had several specials of the day:
grilled octopus appetizer with mixed greens
insalata caprese with mozzarella di bufala
pasta fagioli
spaghetti with clams and garlic wine sauce
grilled salmon on a bed of sauteed spinach and vegetables

The pasta fagioli soup was excellent, but the standout was the spaghetti with clams. Though they are simple dishes, the al dente pasta and garlicky sauce were absolutely delicious.

The Japanese expat community found out about this place from one of the community magazines, so there is a significant Japanese following as well. On some crowded evenings, you hear mostly Italian or Japanese spoken in the dining room with a few English speakers (strange but true).

The service is very friendly -- Cristiano is often hanging out in the dining room chatting up the regulars, and Alberto is usually our server with the exception of the very charming Libero this evening. They have even learned some key Japanese words, to the delight of my parents. Mostly, I enjoy watching the Italians mingling with each other, giving the place an extra air of authenticity.

We finished the meal with some cappuccinos, and when I told Libero that I like Limoncello, he brought three glasses and left us the entire bottle of the liqueur. Very dangerous! My mom and I had to ask for the check before Hutch had more than two shots.

I hope more people will give this place a try and post their impressions.

asami

BaPi Italian Ristorante
1510 Hintz Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
847.253.2333

http://www.bapiusa.com/

This is the best Italian restaurant in the area. Cristiano is a "downtown Chef" in a small quaint restaurant. Ask him to make something not on the menu & you will be even more pleased than if you had ordered from the menu. I don't understand how anyone could wait to eat at Maggiano or Olive Garden when BAPI is open. This is real Italian food, not Americanized Italian.

Has anyone eaten at Bapi's on Hintz in Arlington Heights?

Tammy,

Look up for at least two impressions. If you do a search for Bapi, then you will find a few passing mentions. Asami's is the first full blown report.

I look forward to your impressions someday.

Regards,

We tried Bapi last night, and this is now our go-to Italian restaurant, or even maybe just our "go-to" restaurant. We loved it. In Arlington Heights, I was tired of Joe & Giuseppe's and Regina's, and don't particularly care for Francesca's.

Bapi's food is much more complex than Joe & Giuseppe's, and the ambiance is more intimate, but still appropriate for a casual dinner, than Regina's.

We shared:

Insalata di Spinaci con Pinoli, Pere e Pecorino (the spinach was simple and fresh, but the pecorino cheese and pear slices were a new taste combo for me and delicious)

Insalata di Asparagi, Mozzarella e Pomodoro (the asparagus, cheese and tomatos were perfect with the pesto)

Garganelli allo Speck, Zucchine e Mascarpone (homemade garganelli pasta with smoked Italian prosciutto, zucchini & mascarpone--one of the best tasting pasta dishes I have had in a while)

A special--risotto with porcini mushrooms (robust flavor, well made risotto)

Torta di Mele (Apple tart served with cinnamon ice cream--only low point, the tart was a little bland, we should have gone for the gelato or sorbet)

I am not a wine drinker, but we each had a glass of La Ginestra Chianti, which I liked and don't know how to comment on further!

As the previous comment mentioned, there was a large table of Japanese businessmen, and then two or three other tables, which is a good sign on a Monday night. The service was good, and the total was $66 plus tip, so also very reasonably priced.

Hi,

I was at BaPi last week with enough friends to allow tasting of a wide variety of appetizers, salads, pastas and main courses. Everything we had was underseasoned to the extent I almost broke my personal rule to taste first, then season. When we asked for salt and pepper, they brought out these tiny crystal shakers, which wasn't enough for all the courses needing help. Everything was so predictable, when we were considering dessert I joked, "We will need to add sugar."

Service was not as polished as I might have expected. There was a bit of impatience when we didn't decide what to order as quickly as they preferred. Tables were spaced enough you couldn't hear conversations at other tables. Everyone could easily move about. I was surprised when the waiter leaned in front of me to serve a tablemate two seats to my right. Why he didn't walk over to this person was surprising.

There were a few tables of Japanese ex-pats, though the only Italian speaking people were the staff on this occasion. Interesting potential people watching, though I just wish the food was better.

Regards,

Putting aside my discomfort over the heavy host-to-guest familiarity factor at Bapi's, I have to say that the food just wasn't very good, IMO. None of it had any 'oomph' to it. Even a salad of asparagus, lentils, beets and blue cheese came off as bland. More on the food in a moment.

This is a spot which appears to be heavily frequented by regulars. The host hugged just about everyone who came into the place and kissed just about everyone as they left. In this sense, it reminded me a lot of being in Italy, where I frequently witnessed this sort of friendly behavior. There was a genuineness to it that I could appreciate but being a first-timer, it was a bit awkward because the space is very small and it was clear that he had to dial it back quite a bit for us.

Starters we tried included the insalata di mare, which was somewhat devoid of flavor, a sub-perfunctory rotolino di melanzane and the calamari fritti, which was hot, crispy and heavy on the tentacles, which was nice. Rounding out our salads were the insalata mista, which was fresh and bouncy, the caesar, which was tasty and topped with an insane amount of parmigiano reggiano, and the fennel and orange salad with shrimp, in which the individual components were, again, somewhat flavorless.

We tried 4 pastas, 3 of which I enjoyed. The Garganelli allo Speck, Zucchine e Mascarpone was tasty and rich, and the individual flavors really came through -- especially the salty speck. I also enjoyed the Rigatoni alla Buttera, which contained some nicely-spiced sausage and a zesty sauce. While I enjoyed the Gnocchi al Gorgonzola, others at the table felt the same way about it that they felt about many of the other dishes -- it lacked flavor and punch. I personally am not a huge fan of blue cheeses, so I actually enjoyed the mild, faint hint of gorgonzola it delivered, while the others were disappointed by its blandness.

I wasn't crazy about the entree offerings, which all seemed very 'safe' to me. Several of them were simply grilled meats with very non-descript sides, like roasted or mashed potatoes. Even my 11-year-old son commented on the "basic preparations" that were being offered.

Portions were generous, though. The rack of lamb, for example, was a full 8 ribs and it was cooked well but covered in brown sauce and served atop some chopped, mixed veggies, it lacked any distinction. The stuffed chicken was typically dry breast meat with a bland filling and the Scalopine di Vitello didn't ring any bells, either. We did, however, enjoy the The Costoletta di Maiale alla Milanese, which was a better-than-average rendition of wienerschnitzel.

For dessert, we all shared a serving of the panna cotta, which was extremely firm and somewhat rubbery. Served with it were some deceptively nice-looking slices of crunchy strawberry.

I can't say I was impressed and with tax and tip, the bill was $60 per person, which didn't make it much of a value either (we did order 2 bottles of wine @ $30/each). If you're seeking Italian in the northern suburbs, I'd head to Francesco's Hole in the Wall or Cafe Lucci, which I believe, are both superior to Bapi.

=R=

Francesco's Hole in the Wall
254 Skokie Blvd
Northbrook, IL 60062
847 272-0155

Cafe Lucci
609 Milwaukee Ave
Glenview, IL 60025
847 729-2268

I have to agree with the last two posts. I REALLY wanted to like BaPi, unfortunately my husband and I were not impressed at all! I felt that the food was just average and VERY overpriced. We also were pressured to order as soon as we sat down. The salad I ordered before my meal was tiny and not worth the $6.00. I always like a restaurant that includes a house salad with my main course. It is a nice touch. I doubt we will be back, which is a shame seeing as it is such a convenient location for us. I still have yet to find an Italian restaurant that remotely compares to Hole in Wall or Rossini's, two of the BEST in the Chicago area.

I'm surprised to see a recommendation for Cafe Lucci. Granted, it has been a few years since I've been there, but I haven't been there because the veal dishes were always universally awful, with veal that reminded me of the "mystery meat" from the college cafeteria. Since I know ronnie_suburban knows a thing or two about eating, I'd be interested to know if this has changed, or if there are simply other dishes worthwhile, and just steer clear of the veal.

As for suburban Italian, my favorite place is Gusto Ristorante in Glenview (Carillon Shopping Center, at the corner of Waukegan and Lake). Outstanding fried calamari is so popular the menu actually states, "no, you can't have the recipe." Just about everything is house made (the thousand island dressing is bought, but why would you order thousand island in an Italian restaurant anyway). Great dinner rolls heavy with garlic and herbs don't really need butter, though it's served, as is olive oil and cheese, so you have lots of options even before ordering.

Everything I've ever eaten there has been fabulous. Flavorful minestrone, on those days when cold weather makes soup more appealing than salad. One of my favorite dishes is served at lunch only -- Chicken Posillipo: chicken breasts with artichoke hearts and gorgonzola. Spring special of asparagus parmesan is amazing. But I've never had a bad meal at Gusto, and I've eaten there often and across much of the menu.

Also, carry-out is thoughtfully complete -- order a main course, and you still get the soup or salad, dinner rolls or bread, pasta side, and they even put in a little container of grated parmesan for the pasta.

Of course, now I've made myself hungry. Maybe lunch tomorrow at Gusto.

Gusto Ristorante Italiano
1470 Waukegan Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 729-5444
http://www.gustorestaurant.com/

Much farther north, in Mundelein, is Mambo Italiano. I've only eaten there once, so I can't vouch for consistency over the long haul, but the one meal I did have there was very good, so it might be worth a visit, if you're that far north.

Mambo Italiano
748 S Butterfield Rd
Mundelein, IL 60060
(847) 281-9100
http://www.themamboitaliano.com/

So enthusiastic recommendation for Gusto and qualified recommendation for Mambo Italiano. Both have the advantage of being very reasonably priced.

Cynthia,

I'm a relative newcomer to Cafe Lucci and have only eaten there a few times but the last time I had veal there it was a beautiful, massive chop that was grilled perfectly. There was simply no place for it to hide. I was very skeptical about the place going in (I actually whined about it the first time) but I was absolutely silenced by my experience which, in spite of my pessimism about it, turned out be very positive.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Cynthia,

I'm a relative newcomer to Cafe Lucci and have only eaten there a few times but the last time I had veal there it was a beautiful, massive chop that was grilled perfectly. There was simply no place for it to hide. I was very skeptical about the place going in (I actually whined about it the first time) but I was absolutely silenced by my experience which, in spite of my pessimism about it, turned out be very positive.

=R=

Good to know. Thanks.

Pie Dude and I went to Bapi this weekend after a profitable day at the track. We were satisfied yet underwhelmed. The space is very cute, a little too "cozy" for my taste, but nice. We didn't order appetizers, thinking that we'd like to have enough room to finish off the entree and still have room for dessert. I brought along a restaurant.com certificate, and when I showed it to the waiter, he said, "You have to order $35 dollars in order to use that." Nice. Anyway, Dude ordered the orricchette pasta with sausage, and the sausage was just crumbled ground beef-like bits, barely browned, like you'd see on a cheap pizza. He said it was okay but was looking forward to spicy Italian sausage, and this wasn't it.
I ordered the pasta special: squid ink fettucine with bay scallops, asparagus, and white wine sauce. I don't remember him saying there were tomatoes in it, but there were a few cubes. The pasta was cooked perfectly, though in a blind taste test I wouldn't be able to tell it from plain fettucine. It was a tasty dish, but it didn't wow me; what did wow me was the manageable portion. For $16, I was expecting enough for a snack later on, but it was just enough to sate my hunger. I also thought it was nothing better than what I could make at home (minus the ink, probably). I must also mention the bread basket - they brought some longish, crumbly bread that was out of this world, especially when dipped in oil. We should have asked for more so I could bring additional slices home. (Yes, I always ask to take the bread home).
So not being stuffed and having a sweet tooth the size of Montana, we ordered dessert. Pie Dude ordered the Torta di Mele. Not being Italian, I don't know what that really means, but the description read Apple TART served with Cinnamon Ice Cream. What he received was cake. A pretty sizeable, rather tasty, slice of coffee cake studded with apples. The ice cream was laughable: not only was it the size of a ping-pong ball, it was not cinnamon. And it was served with a berry sauce on the side of the plate, which seemed out of place to me. I ordered the panna cotta. I was about to order the flourless chocolate cake served warm with ice cream, but was thankful after seeing this apple thing that I didn't; I may have gotten a brownie sundae. The panna cotta, however, was perfect. Perfect texture, perfect flavor, not too sweet with plenty of vanilla bean, just enough caramel sauce, and a ring of strawberry slices around it. Wish I was eating it now!
Sorry I don't have pictures. Next time.

Pie Lady wrote: We should have asked for more so I could bring additional slices home. (Yes, I always ask to take the bread home).

Why would you ask to take bread home?
Isn't that kind of like taking a doggie bag from an all-you-can-eat restaurant?
I'm sure most restauranteurs would be glad to "take care of the customer"
but to me, it seems kind of cheap to ask for bread that is not going to be consumed at the restaurant.

Because most places throw it out, and I don't want to waste good food. Besides, it comes with the meal, so why not. I left the sugar packets.

Gosh, really? I can think of about 20 different thing to do with day-old bread...

I can understand that bread that comes to the table and is not consumed would
be tossed for health reasons but bread that does not make it out of the kitchen
thrown out? I find that hard to believe...

mhill95149 wrote:Gosh, really? I can think of about 20 different thing to do with day-old bread...

I can understand that bread that comes to the table and is not consumed would
be tossed for health reasons but bread that does not make it out of the kitchen
thrown out? I find that hard to believe...

I wasn't talking about unserved bread, I only took home the leftovers in the basket on our table. I said I wanted to have seconds, but I didn't actually ask, I'm not that cheap. But yes, the stuff on the table gets tossed, and that's just a shame, so it goes home with me. I'm sure the day-old stuff that never made it out will either get served the next day or used to make croutons, meatballs, etc. On the rare occasion I am served a basket with individually-wrapped rolls, I don't take those home as I assume the next guest will be served the leftovers. Same goes with those twin breadsticks in wrappers, crackers, etc.

Pie Lady wrote:

mhill95149 wrote:Gosh, really? I can think of about 20 different thing to do with day-old bread...

I can understand that bread that comes to the table and is not consumed would
be tossed for health reasons but bread that does not make it out of the kitchen
thrown out? I find that hard to believe...

I wasn't talking about unserved bread, I only took home the leftovers in the basket on our table.

So sorry, I took this quote

Pie Lady wrote: We should have asked for more so I could bring additional slices home. (Yes, I always ask to take the bread home).

to mean that you had an empty basket and would ask for more bread so you could then take it home

Sorry for reading your post wrong....

mhill95149 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:

mhill95149 wrote:Gosh, really? I can think of about 20 different thing to do with day-old bread...

I can understand that bread that comes to the table and is not consumed would
be tossed for health reasons but bread that does not make it out of the kitchen
thrown out? I find that hard to believe...

I wasn't talking about unserved bread, I only took home the leftovers in the basket on our table.

So sorry, I took this quote

Pie Lady wrote: We should have asked for more so I could bring additional slices home. (Yes, I always ask to take the bread home).

to mean that you had an empty basket and would ask for more bread so you could then take it home

Sorry for reading your post wrong....

That's okay! It wasn't that well-defined. I get all sloppy when talking about bread.