With the arrival of Homecoming on Oct. 16, students attending the dance will be scrambling to meet hair appointments, straighten ties, pose for pictures and of course, sit down to a pre-dance meal.
However, don’t fret if you are a picky eater and are afraid you won’t find anything enjoyable on the menu. Since I moved to Naperville seven years ago, I have found that it is teeming with restaurants that range over many tastes and styles.
Although there is no right or wrong restaurant to go to for Homecoming dinner, there are certain hot spots around Naperville that definitely draw in a crowd.
A popular restaurant among Central students is La Sorella di Francesca located at 18 West Jefferson Ave. in the old City Hall.
Francesca’s is an elegant, classy restaurant that really gives off an air of sophistication. Dining rooms are located on the first and second floor, the second floor providing a more private dining space that can be reserved for groups of 15 to 100 people.
Serving a wide-range of zesty, Italian cuisine, the meals are diverse and reasonably priced. The majority of entrees, from pastas to pizza, can be ordered for less than $20.
The design of the restaurant and the attentive manner of the waiters gave me the overall feel of really being at an upscale, Italian restaurant. If you’re a fan of fancy, well-dressed dishes, I highly recommend Francesca’s.
For someone looking for an exotic restaurant but still looking to maintain a bit of control, Kiku Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge is the perfect match.
Located at 2764 Aurora Ave., Kiku is perfect for groups or just couples. Parties from two to twenty can sit around the hibachi-style dining tables as Japanese chefs prepare your meal right before your eyes.
With a personal chef, meals can be prepared specifically to meet your taste. Their menu has a wide variety of seafood, such as sushi, crab, shrimp and fish, but also provides options such as steak or a vegetarian dish.
The prices are greater than that of Francesca’s; however, most dishes could easily be split between two people. Prices for main course dishes are mainly between $15 and 35, depending.
Being a fan of seafood, Kiku was one of my favorites. Everything was very modern and clean looking and the chefs were extremely skilled. I was kept entertained the whole time, as the chef made shapes out of rice and tossed shrimp in the air to whoever could catch it in their mouth. Like Francesca’s, it was sophisticated but not overly fancy. It was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat: I didn’t know what that chef was going to do next!
Depending on your price range, downtown Naperville has many upscale restaurants such as Rosebud’s and Catch Thirty-Five. For those looking for something less expensive, Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant that serves famously delicious breadsticks and doesn’t require reservations in advance.
Yet another idea for a Homecoming dinner is to just get your group together and have dinner at someone’s house. It’s cheaper and can be just as fun. You can order pizza, Chinese or enjoy a home-cooked meal. Not to mention you can avoid the fuss of making reservations and being on time for them as well.
Naperville supplies a vast amount of possibilities for those looking for a great place to dine prior to the Homecoming dance. Finding the perfect restaurant starts an eventful night out right.