Out to eat: Germano's

Germano's seasonal blackberry pie shouldn't be missed. (Credit: Sam Greene | Metromix)

For 25 years, Domenico Germano has been serving Italian classics, first in a tiny space in Springdale, and since 1996 in three classy but comfortable dining rooms in Olde Montgomery. You can count on a tried-and-true list of Italian dishes, but taking a chance on the specials pays off, too.

Antipasti choices include fried calamari and a caprese salad, but our server suggested that we let him put together a platter for us. He promised a moderately priced version. It was a good idea: a platter of cheeses, meats, olives, and crostini was fun to graze on together. People share their dishes in restaurants these days, anyway - why not just go ahead and order something designed for it?

I would have liked crustier bread for the crostini, but the toppings were good, including a nice smoked salmon with capers, another with cheese and roasted peppers, and one with portabellas (his choices added up to $32.95).

We could have taken the off-the-menu approach with our entrees. The server recited at least five specials, mostly seafood. And Germano is happy to make your favorite Italian dish. You could even just trust the kitchen. Germano's makes a point of flexibility.

I found it hard to break my usual restaurant-reviewing habit of mostly ordering from the menu, though. I generally do that, in the interest of trying things that other people will be able to order. We did get one special: large, perfectly seared scallops that circled a salad of arugula with fregola, a tiny pasta that was used almost as a garnish. It was $34.95, and it would have been nice to have been told that price, but the quality did justify it.

From the menu, we had a rich, rich gnocchi ($18.95): perfectly tender, in a cream sauce with prosciutto and peas. There are a couple of veal scaloppini: We tried them piccata style ($26.95), which is such a good idea when kept simple - just lemony enough with a few mushrooms, artichokes and capers. I had chicken marsala ($24.95), of which I could say the same thing: cooked to tenderness, simple in its sauce made with sweet wine, but balanced and not overly sweet.

There is a soup or salad choice with entrees. The Caesar salad (with an extra charge) is crisp and pungent and cheesy, and I had a nice corn chowder - more American than Italian.

I wasn't sure there could be a better pie than the raspberry pie, made by Angiolina Germano for many years. But I've discovered one. It's the blackberry pie ($8), also made by Angiolina. A tender crust, a layer of pastry cream, mounded up with blackberries in a filling that's thickened without being at all starchy or gloppy, topped with real whipped cream. I love it with bright-flavored raspberries, but the dark purple blackberries have a richer, deeper flavor that's amazing with the custard and cream. It's available as long as blackberries are in season.

Never fear, the raspberry pie is still on the menu, along with the perfect tiramisu ($7) and the delicious and unusual amaretto soufflé ($6) that have been there just as long.