I'm not exceedingly fond of the fast-casual concept, but Go Roma! Italian Kitchen takes it to the next level.

Sure, you place your own order, pay upfront and get your beverage (free refills on soda, by the way), but the chocolate is Valrhona, the lady fingers are from Belgium and the beer and wine are imported, some of them, anyway.

This one's definitely a cut above -- goat cheese pizza, smoked chicken salad, prosciutto pasta. Even the paper napkins are higher quality, and there's no plastic cutlery.

Like Abuelo's Mexican Restaurants, Go Roma! is corporate owned, meaning no franchises. The Merrillville location (across from Showplace 12 at Westfield Southlake Mall) is the only one outside the Chicago area.

The brainchild of four former Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises executives, Go Roma! debuted in Warrenville, Ill., in 2004. There now are six others in Illinois (or soon to be) and three opening soon in California.

The pasta is from Barilla but the pizza dough (hand stretched) and garlic bread are made from scratch daily as are the authentic-tasting tiramisu (no sweetened condensed milk in this baby), warm chocolate cake and apple crostada (a rustic apple tart).

In fact, everything is made from scratch inhouse. The recipes were developed by chef Russell Bry, a veteran of many top-notch Chicago restaurants, who uses no trans fats in his cooking.

Pizza on a plank is a rectangular affair and the Oven-Roasted Vegetable half plank ($6.99) was a delightful mélange of spinach, tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms, red pepper, mozzarella, goat cheese and pesto drizzled on a thin crust.

The Smoked Chicken and Pear entrée salad ($7.79) sported impeccably fresh baby greens, smoked chicken, pear, goat cheese, grape tomatoes, candied walnuts, dried cranberries and balsamic vinaigrette.

Fettuccine Alfredo Roma ($7.69) was a creamy blend of garlic sauce, prosciutto, mushrooms, peas and good-quality Parmesan cheese.

The portions are large but not obscenely so. Most entrées are in the $5.99 to $8.99 range and tipping isn't required, although many people do so.

Orders are said to take less than 10 minutes. So if you're planning on a movie after dinner, you can time it to a T.

There is a children's menu ($3.99 including beverage), and takeout, catering, delivery ($50 minimum), and curbside pickup are all in place. Open for lunch and dinner daily, call (219) 769-9646 for soup of the day or visit www.goroma.net to see what awaits.

The booths are not for the generously proportioned. But, no worry, there are tables and banquettes aplenty.

Look for alfresco dining when the weather gets warmer.

If they manage to keep up the quality, I say, Go Roma!

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. She can be reached at brolek@nwitimes.com or 219.933.3256.