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The village of Oswego has changed so much over the past 30 years or so.
Two-lane highways have grown into five-lane highways. The farm fields that once separated the village from neighboring towns have been developed for shopping centers and new subdivisions. Places like Foxy’s Burger Bar and Scotty’s Drive-In are now but distant memories as the village’s population has grown from less than 2,000 in 1980 to more than 34,000 today.
Despite all the changes, the Mystery Diner is so very pleased to report that one of his favorite local restaurants – Danelli’s Italian Ristorante and Pizzeria – continues to serve fine homemade Italian meals just as it did way back when.
Back in the early 1980s when the Mystery Diner first discovered Danelli’s, the family-owned restaurant was operating out of a small storefront in what the old-timers around town will remember was called the “Silver Wheel” commercial building on Route 34, about one-quarter mile west of the Fox River. By the middle years of that decade, Danelli’s had relocated to its current location at 226 E. Washington St., just north of Ill. Route 71.
The move to Washington Street was a fortuitous event for the Mystery Diner, who at that time lived just a few blocks away from Danelli’s new location. Suddenly, he was able to phone in an order and stop by Danelli’s within minutes for a pizza or – if the mood struck – his favorite sandwich: The Godfather, an Italian beef served on a garlic roll with melted mozzarella cheese.
When the Mystery Diner and a friend visited Danelli’s for dinner a few evenings ago, he was pleased to see how little the restaurant has changed over the years. The wood-paneled dining room with the bright red checkerboard-patterned table coverings remains just as it was all those years ago: warm and inviting. With the rich aroma of baking pizzas and other Italian dishes filling the room, we found a cozy booth against the wall.
While perusing our menus, we enjoyed Italian bread served with Danelli’s own label olive oil. For the main course, the Mystery Diner chose his Danelli’s favorite: “The Best” homemade baked lasagna while his companion ordered a special that day: jumbo shrimp and penne pasta. Both dinners were served with fresh, chilled and crisp salads. In a nice touch, the dressings were served separately, allowing us to season our salads exactly to taste.
Soon, the large lasagna portion, filled with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and topped with Danelli’s own homemade sauce, arrived at our table piping hot along with a large bowl of penne pasta in a sweet sauce topped by Parmesan cheese and jumbo shrimp.
While we savored our meals, we made sure to save some room for what all too many Danelli’s diners may overlook: an item off the dessert menu. Here is some valuable information to the savvy diner direct from the Mystery Diner: Danelli’s desserts are every bit as good as the main course. Though the Mystery Diner has previously revelled in the chocolate tort (when available), on this visit, he opted for a slice of rich chocolate layer cake. His companion enjoyed a slice of “Death by Chocolate,” a super rich chocolate cheesecake-like creation sure to satisfy the palette of any chocolate connoisseur.
Yes, the 1980s Oswego of the Mystery Diner’s youth was a long, long time ago, but it’s so nice that one small part of the village – Danelli’s – remains exactly as it was back then: a fine restaurant offering authentic homemade Italian food served in a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. In Oswego you can indeed go home again and enjoy a great Italian meal.
• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.
If you go
What: Danelli's Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria
Where: 228 E. Washington St., Oswego
Information: Call 630-554-2990 or danellisitalianrestaurant.com.