Sweet spot: Evanston bistro finds new home

Six years ago, the only thing Lorenzo Mascherini and James Watson were frosting was glass.

The two first went into business together in 2006, designing linens and small household furniture items, but were quickly discouraged by friends and family members who voiced concerns about the sluggish housing market.

After renting an Evanston storefront, the two discussed their prospects in the furniture market and decided to reassess their decision.

"What can we do that people will enjoy all year round, no matter what the economic conditions are?" Watson said. "Food. Good food."

The next day, I Dream of Sweets was born and this past Monday, the bistro relocated to a bigger space at 824 Noyes St., just a half mile from campus. Now operating with a fully functional kitchen, Mascherini and Watson are able to offer Evanston a restaurant with a mix of travel and home. The dining area offers interior design reminiscent of your neighbor's living room: creatively mismatched stools, chairs, tables and couches. The walls are lined with gleaming mirrors, vintage radios and childhood games. While familiarity characterizes the feel of I Dream of Sweets, Mascherini and Watson mix it up by offering comfort food from faraway places you've only seen in coffee table books.

The menu is a fusion of Southern comfort food and European influences from the Florence-born Mascherini. It boasts delicacies like homemade sweet potato poundcake and baked mac and cheese.

It's a small operation with fewer than 10 employees; Mascherini and Watson do most of the cooking themselves. And although neither of them attended culinary school, both are sure they learned all they need to know from growing up watching their mother in the kitchen.

Mascherini and Watson are dedicated to their business, looking to offer the Evanston community a gathering place that feeliks like home. They spent months perfecting the decor, each piece specifically selected and arranged to create the most welcoming vibe.

"We're here several hours of the day," Watson said. "So it needs to feel like home to us."

Leslie Luning and her four-year-old daughter, Jenet, snacked on a chocolate chip cookie while waiting for friends.

"It's great!" Luning said. "We really could use a place like this."

Although they had not visited the old location, Luning expressed her excitement about having a new option for ice cream.

Over the next few months, Mascherini and Watson are planning to offer events to the community such as an exhibition by photographer Hugo Forte. As the discussion turned towards community outreach, the two became enthused with the prospects of live music, Monday night movies and Flamenco performances. They voiced dreams of the walls being covered with local artistry, not the uniform variations of brown seen in other coffee houses.

Mascherini and Watson eventually realized their dreams, though the tools they used to get there changed from hammers and screwdrivers to pastry bags along the way. Hoping to become an integral place in the Evanston community, the two offer a piece of their home with each pastry from I Dream of Sweets.

- Liz Steelman