Food, music, art please at Tivoli

It was impossible not to think of the Rat Pack while dining recently at Tivoli Ristorante in West Chicago.

Jazz musician Frank D'Rone, who frequently opened for Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas, and his trio entertaining a nearly packed house in the spacious music lounge -- along with the classic menu and the mirrored room -- emitted a retro Italian charm.

Had the dining room contained booths, I would have expected to see the ghosts of Ol' Blue Eyes and Dean Martin cavorting over a piping hot plate of gnocchi.

Tivoli opened just more than a year ago. With a Romanesque fountain and lighted patio out front, Tivoli appears to be its own building when it's really nestled next to a hair salon in the Tower Station shops on Route 59.

Despite the strip mall address, Italian charm warms the interior with archways leading to the music lounge and into the kitchen, coppery ceiling tiles and ornate chandeliers. Pen-and-ink and watercolor prints adorn the walls; the featured piece of art is a colorful and striking depiction of celebrants at carnival time in Venice.

The night of my visit Tivoli emitted its own carnival-like atmosphere, as people who no doubt saw Sinatra and pals in their prime drove from miles around to take in two D'Rone shows. My companion and I definitely brought the average age down a few notches.

The mirrors on the back wall give the illusion of a large space, but, in reality, the dining room is rather intimate (you might even say crowded). One table sits a few feet from the hostess stand, putting the diners there awkwardly on display for those waiting to be seated.

The waiter warned us that the restaurant was unusually busy and asked for our patience. We braced for the worst, but in retrospect didn't wait an inordinate amount of time for our food. The pacing seemed fine. The kitchen kept up, but the bus staff did not: Water glasses went unfilled, and plates were not cleared and utensils not replaced in a timely manner.

The kitchen did run out of the tempting sea bas special, but we were content to order off the menu. Several of the items have been named for musicians who perform often at Tivoli, like the Bruce Oscar Trio, an appetizer plate of three varieties of bruschetta that tickle the palate like I can only imagine the jazz pianist tickles the ivories. The caponata version with eggplant and capers was particularly pleasant.

The fried, cornmeal-crusted calamari wasn't the best I've had, nor was it the worst. A punchier dipping sauce could have made the difference.

Other antipasta options include clams baked with pancetta, shrimp scampi and beef carpaccio.

All entrees come with a house or Caesar salad. I suggest opting for the Caesar for the crisp parmesan tuille alone.

Tivoli's menu doesn't contain many surprises. Chef Stephanie Kuti, an Addison native who studied at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, stepped into the kitchen about seven months ago. She previously cooked at Don Schula's steakhouse in Itasca.

I found her marinara sweet and evenly spiced and quite nice with the baked penne. Mild ricotta cheese hid inside this hearty mozzarella-topped dish. Linguine with shrimp, pappardelle with a sausage ragu and goat cheese and fusilli carbanara also are on the pasta menu.

Kuti prepares chicken and veal in expected ways (marsala, picattao, Vesuvio, scaloppini) and offers a veal shank braised in tomato broth and served with truffle-infused whipped potatoes.

We couldn't find fault with the veal parmesan. The thin fillets were coated in a light breading, expertly fried and smothered under a layer of marinara and mozzarella. The menu also holds "Tivoli favorites," a category that includes a parmesan-and-herb-crusted filet along with salmon Vesuvio and pork chops topped with sauteed peppers. The portions were generous without crossing into obscene.

The wine list offered a fair number of by-the-glass options, but the prices might catch some people off guard as several rang up at more than $10 a glass.

We left room for dessert, only to be disappointed with the tiramisu. The normally moist ladyfingers were dry, as if not left to sufficiently soak in espresso. The hazelnut gelato was much better. Maybe next time I'll try the cannoli.

Despite the music filling the lounge, the glass doors that separate it from the dining room do a great job of muffling the noise and keeping out the cigarette smoke. You do need to navigate the crowded room to find the bathrooms. There's no dance floor, but that doesn't stop some from kicking up their heels.

If I had warned the baby sitter I'd be home late, it would have been fun to kick up mine. I recommend calling ahead or checking the Web site for the music schedule so you can plan your visit accordingly.

Tivoli Ristorante

956 Neltnor Blvd. (Route 59), West Chicago, (630) 957-6500, http://tivoli-ristorante.com

Cuisine: Italian with an American flair

Setting: Mirrored room with bright art; adjoining lounge with full bar and live music

Price range: Antipasta $7 to $10; soups $5; sides $5 to $7; pasta $12 to $16; entrees $16 to $42; desserts $6 to $7

Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday; 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

Accepts: Reservations, major credit cards

Also: Lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday; live music (no cover) Wednesday through Saturday; last call in lounge midnight Sunday and Tuesday, 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday