Riganato Old World Grill Was a Pleasant Surprise

   Labor Day weekend arrived last week in full-on, full-moon mode. I don't know whether it was the lunar event itself, or the fact that the Pignotti kids had just completed their first full week of kindergarten, but whatever it was, our household was up for grabs! We parents were exhausted. Our kids were exhilarated. It seemed like a recipe for disaster, so when it came time for dinner, we decided to let someone else worry about the recipes while we worried about staying sane. Going out for a relaxing dinner would not be in the cards. Neither, it seemed, would be going out without the kids. All of our sitters were busy for the weekend, probably blowing-off their own back-to-school steam. So, we did what we do best in this situation and picked up the phone to place an order.  

   Joel and I have our usual last-minute take-out spots. We know exactly what we will get, and we know exactly what to expect. It's easy. It's good. And it's fast. But with the full, blue-moon happening on that Friday night, we felt like throwing caution to the wind and trying something new. I hadn't heard much about it, but had been wanting to try Riganato Old World Grill on the east side of Geneva. The menu looked interesting. Greek food is a favorite of mine, and I feel we are lacking in this cuisine here in the far-west suburbs. I do enjoy Munchie P.'s Greek chicken and have been known to scarf down the chicken from Just Kabobs, as well. But I miss having a "finer" Greek dining destination in our local rotation. So, I was eager to give Riganato a try.  

  We settled on Mediterranean Spreads and the Arugula/ Mozzarella salad to start, along with the Chicken Riganato and the Spaghetti with Meatballs, for which Riganato hopes to become known. Joel grabbed his keys and headed for the east side. And just like that, we were on our way to an evening in the Mediterranean. All that was missing was a bottle of Roditys. Well, that and a clear blue ocean. Instead, we settled for our screened-in porch and a bottle of Trader Joe's Red.  

  Joel arrived back encompassed in a delicious aroma, but with reports of a lackluster interior. He did say that there were a number of diners at Riganato, and that one couple on its way out was remarking about a tasty meal. These were good signs. We tore into the big, brown bags, and filled our plates. The spreads were very good. I missed the taramosalata, the fishroe-spread which is usually included in a Mediterranean Spread plate, but found the tzatziki to be pleasantly tangy, with nice slivers of cucumber throughout. The whipped feta had a peppery bite, which always pleases this palate. But the hummus was just okay. Joel's salad was perfect -- filled with artichokes and cheese and covered lightly in a pesto vinaigrette. The portions were just right, and a nice, big, crusty loaf of Italian bread accompanied our appetizers. We were off to a good start! 

  Pausing for only a moment to clear the kids' plates and re-fill our wine, we moved onto our main courses, both of which received "4 thumbs up" from the kids. The spaghetti was fantastic and the portions were huge. The meatballs alone could have fed our family of four for days. They even elicited a "Wow! Those are as big as my head!" from Cade. Beautifully browned and filled with ricotta, these were no ordinary meatballs. They were worth every cent. The pasta underneath was just as tasty, and the sauce was fabulous, as well.  

 When it comes to Chicken Riganato, or "original chicken," as it means in Greek, I am a little harder to please. I've had this dish many a time at many a Greek restaurant and, locally, I love Muchie P.'s version, as mentioned. Both Joel and I agreed that Riganato's take was good, but not the best we'd ever had. It did have a good, lemony flavor, and was nice and juicy, but the sauce at Muchie P.'s is top-notch. Riganato's potatoes and rice were both very nice, but nothing I'd find myself craving.  

 Those meatballs, though, were a different story. I will absolutely be back (or send Joel!) for more. Who knows? Maybe even as soon as tonight. And as for that blue moon? It turned out to be a really good thing.