Old Standards
By B.A. Nilsson

JG Roman Villa
61 Duanesburg Road (Route 7), Schenectady, 355-2090. Serving dinner daily 4-10. MC, V.

Cuisine: traditional Italian and pizza

Entrée price range: $10 (many pasta dishes) to $39 (surf and turf)

Ambiance: neighborhood eatery

A party of five, sitting at a nearby table, was deep in a friendly but gesticulation-filled conversation—happy to be with one another; breaking into the various two- and three-person conversational permutations that such a group invites.

And then the food arrived: five entrée plates, neatly arrayed on a tray that the server carried high over her head. She deftly swung the tray down onto an unfolded stand and, with the help of the hostess, distributed the dishes, each to the person who ordered the item, without resorting to the “Who ordered the linguine?” line of questioning.

What was most compelling was the expression on the face of each of the diners whom I could see. Needless to say, the conversation stopped. The eyes widened. Faces brightened as the aromas, a swirl of garlic and onions and hot tomatoes, spread. One woman did exactly as I ritually do when a plate is placed before me: She rotated it slightly to better align it as a work of art to be considered before the initial gustatory plunge.

They were so delighted to see this banquet spread before them that the joy was infectious. I wanted to join them. I saw a wine bottle make its way around the table. And then they began to eat, their conversation now a series of hushed ahhs of admiration.

You have to understand that there’s nothing fancy about this restaurant. The large dining room looks pleasant, but it’s dark, and the decor is a little heavy- handed. Beyond is a bar area where you also can dine if you need TV screens as companions. Nevertheless, it’s very comfortable, which is also a factor of the very pleasant servers who never fail to attend to your table.

Originally started back in 1978, in a strip mall on Rotterdam’s Curry Road, Jerry and Leah Guidarelli’s Roman Villa moved to its present location as the moribund mall lost its anchor store, replacing a tavern called the Rustic Loft.

The business has a tripartite persona: There’s the full-service restaurant; there’s a take-out business that sends a lot of pizza (among other items) across the counter; and there’s catering available. During a couple of recent visits, we tried to get a feel for the more formal end of things, which is still comfortable-casual.

You probably want to be assured right off about the pizza: It’s excellent stuff. The homemade crust is thick and pleasantly yeasty, adding a welcome crunch to the proceedings. My daughter has yet to attain her old man’s fondness for pepperoni—or perhaps she’s simply saving me from myself. Whatever the case, she likes broccoli on a pizza, but wants it with a red sauce. So be it. I persuaded her to add sausage, and those toppings work well together (add $1.50 per to an eight-cut pie, itself $8.50).

Most of it was boxed for us because, by then, we’d consumed the better part of an order of chicken wings ($7), which are as expected, but commendably served without too much drippy sauce. Boneless wings were a special that evening for the same price, but we agreed that the gnawing-off-the-bone routine is a pleasurable part of the dish.

The menu covers a traditional array of Italian favorites, beginning with antipasto ($10 for two, $12 for four), and ranging through soups, other salads, the usual appetizers, pasta dishes (featuring, in some cases, homemade pasta), seafood, chicken, veal—you know what to expect.

A basket of Italian loaf and garlic sticks hits the table once you’re seated, and there’s garlic-infused olive oil, as well as butter, as an accompaniment. Salad or soup comes with most entrées, and the salad is an especially good mix of greens that even included beet greens during one of my visits.

An $8 order of steamers was no surprise—a nice array of clams served with drawn butter on the side. Another seafood starter, this one pure dietary evil, is scallops wrapped in bacon ($7)—plump sea scallops drinking in the bacon fat, and served with honey mustard in case you need more. I sampled a very seasonal special of broccoli rabe ($7), the pungent bitterness of the greens tempered with garlic and vinegar.

Nothing is more satisfying (again, let’s forget the diet for a moment) than fettuccine Alfredo, that wonderful mixture of pasta and cream and cheese ($13). Homemade fettuccine made it even better. The cream and cheese combo was a little thick for my taste, but it didn’t stop my enjoyment.

Homemade linguine accompanied an order of veal Francaise ($16), featuring tender scalloppine cuts that are breaded and sautéed, and served in a lemony white wine sauce laced with garlic. Textures were good, but I wouldn’t mind some bolder flavoring in the dish. You could call it undersalted, but I don’t think salt is always the answer. Experimenting with herbs and pepper usually leads me to the flavor I seek.

One of the evening’s specials was a pork roast dinner ($12), an excellent value. A generous array of pork slices is presented, prepared as promised. Again, it was lighter on flavor than expected, but its context—a wonderful medley of carrots and celery and some big slices of roasted potatoes—made it a toothsome meal.

There is an accommodating wine list to help you flesh out the meal, and a serviceable selection of outsourced desserts to finish. Service, as noted, couldn’t have been friendlier, and it’s clear that this restaurant is a boon to its community.

Click here for a list of recently reviewed restaurants.

We want your feedback

Have you eaten at any recently reviewed restaurants? Agree or disagree with B.A.? Let us know what you think...

Your Name:
E-mail Address:*
Location:
Rate It:
Comments:

	Send A Letter to Our Editor
	Back Home