When you enter Firenze To Go, the chic and sophisticated space makes you wonder if you’ve entered a high-end salon (“salon” as in Champagne, caviar and artsy conversation, not bobby pins, rollers and old issues of Ladies Home Journal). The muted lighting, sleek blond wood, and subtle signage don’t exactly scream “takeout joint!”–even though that’s what it is. Firenze has a specific mission: to sell homestyle, mostly Italian dishes for takeout. Customers pick up the fare cold and ready to pop into the oven or they can order ahead and pick up dinner hot and ready to eat.
The lineup is small but comprehensive: salads, some sandwiches, lots of pasta dishes and dessert. Fresh soups also are offered. If the costs seemed a bit steep and the quantities occasionally paltry to us before we ate, the protests stopped–as they always will–when quality exceeds expectations. High-quality ingredients are generously used in rich, well-made dishes.
Though Firenze recently has started selling individual portions, at the time of our visits most items were made for a crowd. So I invited four friends over, picked up dinner and heated the entrees in my oven.
We started with the large garden salad ($11.50; $5.95 for small), a beautifully arranged assortment of iceberg and romaine, plump cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots. Two small containers of dressing, one a peppery Italian and the other a subtler ranch, also were included; both are fine accompaniments to this super-fresh salad.
The antipasto salad, on the other hand, disappointed on a few counts. We expected the small, which costs $6.95, to serve at least two. But one person could easily finish this salad, with its one lonely pepperoncini and only a few small cubes of salami and cheese scattered among the fresh greens. The large costs $13.50.
The situation improved dramatically with the two entrees. Like all the meals sold here, they were well packed in microwave- and oven-safe containers. The directions accompanying entrees are clearly printed on the containers and easy to follow, but as always your oven will dictate the cooking time. The meat lasagna ($19.95 small, for four to six; $28.95 large, serving 9 to 12) and the stuffed shells ($14.50 small, serving two to three; $22.95 large, for four to five) both took about 30 minutes in a 375-degree oven. Microwave instructions also are offered; some dishes, however, should not be microwaved.
About the sizes: We didn’t think the lasagna, about the size of a bread loaf pan, was going to feed five of us–but that it did, with a lot left over. The entree is loaded with ground beef, a sharply seasoned tomato sauce and a substantial amount of mozzarella, so a little goes a long way. The stuffed shells earned an even better reception, coated as they were in a tangy marinara sauce that mixes it up with fresh spinach, creamy ricotta and mozzarella, all oozing out of nicely cooked shells. Both dishes really did look and taste homemade.
Entrees are accompanied by a round of fresh, rustic Italian bread (supplied by an outside vendor) with a crusty exterior and lusciously soft interior.
Appearances were deceiving on the turkey-provolone sandwich ($4.95), which looked quite ordinary. But once the plastic wrap was off and the sandwich was able to regain consciousness, a few bites yielded a well-textured combination of turkey breast, thick slices of cheese, fresh lettuce and juicy tomato.
For dessert, skip the ordinary tiramisu ($4.95) for the big, soft chocolate-chip cookies (six for $5.95) with chunks of chocolate. The fudgy brownies (six for $5.95), dusted with confectioners’ sugar, deliver a sinfully rich finale too.
Service is friendly and efficient. There are a couple of tables, but this spot is definitely geared to those waiting for their orders.
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Firenze To Go
(3 forks)
106 W. Chestnut St., Hinsdale
630-920-8646
Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 3-6 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M,V
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
