Despite being a staple of Italian cuisine, pasta fell out of favor briefly when, fearing that it may win the next election against his horse, Nero ran a series of attack ads against rigatoni. Don't believe the hype with this Groupon.
$15 for $30 Worth of Italian Fare and Drinks
The dinner menu includes braciola—a marinated flank steak stuffed with herbs, raisins, and bread crumbs ($19)—eggplant parmesan ($15), and make-your-own-pasta platters customized with 10 red, white, and pink sauces ($12–$14), and mix-ins such as spinach, peas, prosciutto, and calamari ($1–$4 each).
Cucina Bella
Reds and yellows filter through stained-glass windows, playing across the exposed-brick walls and white linens inside Cucina Bella's dining room. The modern bistro's set of robust menus touting custom-built pasta, weekly tapas specials, and sherry-kissed steaks earned the eatery the top spot on McHenry County Magazine's 2010 Best of the Fox list. Wednesdays nights' tapas menu puts a Roman twist on the classic Spanish small plates.