Il Forno

Great Italian in Fitchburg

by Jim Johnson

Il Forno Restaurant
25-27 Airport Road, Fitchburg
(978) 345-2511
Sun. 4 p.m.-9 p.m.
Mon. closed
Tues.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4 -10 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4 -11 p.m.
Sat. 4 p.m.-11 p.m.

Major credit cards
BYOB
Not handicap accessible

Two friends -- a couple -- urged me to make the short trip up Route 190 to join them at Il Forno, their favorite dining spot. I'd heard good things about the restaurant, but I'd underestimated just how good it would be. If you like the East Park Grille, you'll definitely enjoy Il Forno. The food's great, the portions huge, the prices low, and the service -- well, even better than the somewhat hurried, harried, frenetic feel I often get at the East Park. And, though I love the East Park (and its neighbor, Mac's) dearly, I found Il Forno's food even better and certainly with broader options.

We arrived just ahead of our 6 p.m. reservation and were told our table was being cleared. Although the vacant foyer started filling, we were seated by 6, with our BYOB wine bottle opened and bread (fresh, oven-crisp, and loaded with garlic) served by 6:03. I could see right into the wide-open kitchen with its wood-burning brick oven. Organized confusion reigned. Flames flared, pots clanged, and pans sizzled, as the kitchen crew filled plates and handed them off to the waitstaff. The servers in turn burst through swinging, saloon-style doors, carrying their laden trays to the tables. The frequent calls of "Behind you!" and the non-stop motion of the staff seemed almost choreographed, and the mood was surprisingly calm. It was obvious that pros were at work -- the ones who make hard work look easy.

Owner Michael Mohammed had wanted to open an Italian restaurant since he was a teenager. That wish came true in 1992, when Il Forno was less than half its present size. Today, the Old World cuisine and cordial setting keep packing them in. A message from Mohammed on the menu gives an idea why: "At the Il Forno we all work as a team and are dedicated to providing you with the best possible service, so do not hesitate to ask any of us for assistance. It would be my honor to visit your table and suggest a house special not available on the menu and prepare it just for you." Indeed, when our primary server was busy, a coworker didn't miss a beat in making sure our meal was paced perfectly and our water glasses were filled.

We started with three appetizers. The mozzarella spedini ($3.95) were a delicious variation on the ubiquitous sticks. These were significant wedges that were fried crisp on the outside and firm (rather than gooey or stringy) on the inside. A full-bodied marinara dipping sauce came on the side. The eggplant rollatini ($3.95) were equally tasty and different. Thin slices of juicy eggplant were layered with mozzarella and marinara sauce. But the stuffed jalapeño peppers ($6.95) were perhaps the best of the trio. Unlike the usual "poppers," these came stuffed with cream cheese and shrimp, which served as holders. Even the peppers seemed especially potent.

Entrees are varied. Pasta dishes average a mere $5 to $6 and include basic spaghetti and meatballs as well as homemade potato gnocchi, tortellini pesto, and vegetable lasagna. Rolls, calzones, and grinders fall in the same price range. Eleven pizza styles (including a first for me: clams pie) plus make-your-own top out at $11.95 for "Mom's Favorite," made with pesto sauce, chicken, and mushrooms.

Veal, seafood, and chicken come in a number of traditional treatments such as Francese (dipped in egg), cacciatore, picatta (cooked with lemon, wine, and capers), fra diavlo, and parmigiana. Prices range from $9.95 to $14.95. I devoured a shrimp special ($13.95) served atop jumbo ravioli stuffed with shiitake mushrooms. The marinara sauce was practically saturated with chunks of garlic, which seemed to permeate every square millimeter of the butterflied shrimp. The mushroom filling in the firm ravioli was almost sensuously smooth and delicately earthy. One dining companion ordered the chicken picatta ($10.95), wonderfully tender pieces of chicken breast that had been dredged in flour and sautéed with lemon, butter, wine, and capers. The balance was perfect between the sour lemon and salty capers, and the wine cut the butter nicely.

Her husband ordered one of his favorites -- cheese ravioli ($7.95) -- and deemed it "stunning. You can always tell good cheese ravioli when it's not gritty," he noted. "When it's smooth, it's fresh."

The entire dessert tray was tempting, but we limited ourselves to three ($3.50 each). Each was great, from the smooth, tart, and creamy key-lime pie, to the apple-raspberry cheesecake (with plenty of tart apple chunks) to the "Magnificent Seven" (or something like that) with seven different kinds of chocolate, including two kinds of cake, two kinds of frosting, and chocolate chips.

Dinner for three came to $60, including ample leftovers, but you could get away full for a fraction of that. Lunch offers many identical items at even lower prices. It's an easy drive from Worcester. I highly recommend it.