Here’s the Best Bites column that appears in today’s edition of The Daily Journal.

Catalina’s opened last month inside D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.’s bar at 226 W. Broadway Ave. in Bradley.

The tip came from an anonymous reader via e-mail. “I’ve gotten carryouts of pizza and it is delicious,” the reader wrote. “Lots of cheese! They also have sandwiches and appetizers, but I like the pizza so well that’s all I have ever gotten.”

When I stopped in Monday, a regular customer also recommended the tenderloin sandwich. It’s “real thick — really good,” he said. “Better than any I’ve had at any restaurant in town.”

The pizza is an “old, secret recipe,” according to owner and sole chef Catherine Mau-Corona, who goes by the nickname Catalina. She starts with a made-from-scratch, never-frozen crust, brushes on garlic and homemade pizza sauce, then tops it with provolone and mozzarella cheeses, plus the fresh toppings of your choice. On Sundays, large one-topping pizzas are only $6.

Catherine said she plans to expand the menu in the fall and add homemade pasta dishes, including lasagna.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Catalina’s is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, hours are noon to 7 p.m. The restaurant is closed Tuesday.

Food is available for dine-in, carryout or delivery, which is provided by To Your Door for a $3 to $5 fee, depending on where you live. Cash is the only form of payment accepted at the restaurant.

Call (815) 936-9944 to place an order or for more information.

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A reader named Jane called recently to recommend Big Fella’s Eatery (116 Depot St.) in Gardner. “The pizza is really awesome,” she said of their specialty, which can be ordered with a thin, hand-tossed or deep-dish crust. The dough is homemade and the vegetables are cut fresh. Jane also likes the bread, olive oil and Parmesan cheese that are complimentary with dinner orders.

In addition to pizza, the Big Fella’s menu features stromboli and sandwiches. They offer several daily specials, including all-you-can-eat fish Friday for $10, prime rib Saturday, two-topping medium pizzas for $5 Monday and a half-dozen jumbo wings for $5 Wednesday.

The restaurant is open for dinner daily except Tuesday. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Delivery is available to most areas within 10 miles of Gardner for $2. Within Gardner, delivery is free.

Call (815) 237-8335 to order.

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A reader named Susette told me to try Amoré Ristorante in Crown Point, Ind. “I ate there last week and it was beyond awesome,” she wrote. “I had the scallops. … It is right on the downtown Crown Point Square, which is very quaint. They also have outside dining.” After that note appeared on Facebook, a reader named Kathy commented that “Their seafood risotto is one of the best things I’ve ever had! And the upstairs is fun, too!” Amoré is at 109 W. Joliet St. in Crown Point. The phone number is (219) 663-7377.

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The new owners of Club Irwin (4460 Main St. in Irwin) are finally able to begin work on a planned addition, after waiting several weeks for Nicor to disconnect a gas line on the property. That was done Monday, so they’re now hoping to open the first week of August, barring any more surprises. I’ll update you when I hear of an opening date.

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Steve Dolinsky, the “Hungry Hound” restaurant reporter from ABC 7 in Chicago, was in town last week filming at One Sixty Four North in Kankakee. The episode is scheduled to air at 10:30 p.m. July 30.

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The Best Bites e-mail list recently reached a milestone. There are now more than 200 people signed up to receive a note from me when the weekly column is posted online and when I get big dining news. For example, last week I sent out an e-mail as soon as I learned that the Hungry Hound would be in town the following day. If you would like to sign up for the list, all you have to do is e-mail me at drenckens@daily-journal.com. Or, if you prefer to follow the Best Bites blog on Facebook, fan the i57life.com page and you’ll receive the blog posts, which include breaking news, in your news feed.

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Denise Renckens Olszewski is general manager of online operations for The Daily Journal. She can be reached at (815) 937-3374 or at drenckens@daily-journal.com.

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