The first weekend of March was slated to be a good one with a scheduled evening of dining with friends and a trip to the Elgin Symphony for an excellent performance of quality Baroque music. The dining experience was accomplished at Francesca’s by the River in Saint Charles, IL (http://www.miafrancesca.com/restaurants/river/), and overall it was a very pleasant event that is more than worthy of a ‘repeat’ when the opportunity presents itself again.
The evening began at about 5:30 PM on a Saturday, which looks like the onset of ‘busy time’, so I would have to say that reservations are a must at this fine dining establishment. The décor is simple, tasteful and chic, and the energy of the room was very high. Conversation was a bit difficult considering the background noise level, but if you select a table off of the ‘main path’ of traffic and away from the bar area, odds are you can converse without too much difficulty.
Service was initially only fair, but I will attribute this shortfall to the ‘rush’ that seemed to happen just as we arrived. Once we were settled and the initial spurt of frenzy was over, the waitstaff fell into rhythm and more than compensated for its earlier failings. Dining began with a good, stiff cocktail. All four of us fell back into old habits; my wife with her Dirty Martini, our guests with Perfect Martinis and I with a simple, ice-cold Vodka Martini… Cheers.
It was at this point that we discovered our only major ‘negative’ of the establishment, namely the menu… Not the contents mind you, but the format. The ‘artsy, hand written, artisanal-style' may indeed be effective, however its effectiveness is a direct reflection of the quality of the handwriting on the menu... which we all found lacking, thus the menu was difficult to read; yet we did manage to muddle through!
It was at this point that we discovered our only major ‘negative’ of the establishment, namely the menu… Not the contents mind you, but the format. The ‘artsy, hand written, artisanal-style' may indeed be effective, however its effectiveness is a direct reflection of the quality of the handwriting on the menu... which we all found lacking, thus the menu was difficult to read; yet we did manage to muddle through! When it came to our nibbling time, I opted for the Carpaccio Platter. As expected, my wife and our guests took a pass on this delicacy and opted to go their own way. Moresthepity, but since it left all the more for me, I am content! Delicate, aromatic and subtle bordering on the sublime… this one is worthy of a repeat!
My main course consisted of the Pesto and Cheese filled Ravioli in a Tomato Béchamel. The sauce had just the slightest hint of tang and the ravioli were cooked to perfection (past experiences at other locales have jaded me a bit on raviolis, since they tend to over-cook them, thereby making them mushy, bordering on inedible.) but in this case, Francesca’s chef got them right!
My wife chose the Shell Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce. This was a very interesting dish, since the lemon gave it a level of brightness usually lacking in pasta dishes and while I wouldn’t make it my first choice, she greatly enjoyed it and would order it again. 
So, would we return to the confines of Francesca’s by the River in Saint Charles, Illinois in the future? Most assuredly! Sublime food and a great value for the dollar are always a killer combination. Make a reservation there and see for yourself!
- Chez
