Roman Bistro Pittsburgh: Classic Italian Dining & Wine Bar

I love Italian food — melted cheeses, lasagna, pasta, red sauce and meatballs. I hadn’t heard of Roman Bistro on Ardmore Boulevard until recently, so I was eager to discover a new neighborhood Italian spot.

Roman Bistro is a roomy restaurant with seating for about 150 guests. When you walk in, a long bar runs along much of the front dining area. Beyond the bar there’s a more private dining space that’s well suited for gatherings and special occasions.

The décor is modern Italian and understated. Oversized floor tiles and real linen napkins give the dining room a simple, elegant feel. Walls are kept minimal with a few tasteful accents. Several large flat-screen TVs are mounted around the space, suggesting the owners enjoy a lively, sports-friendly atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available in summer.

We were seated in a large booth near the bar, which provided a good view of the dining room. Shortly after ordering drinks, the server brought warm slices of Italian bread accompanied by a sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade. The soft bread soaked up the flavorful tapenade and olive oil — a delicious start.

I began with the house salad dressed in blue cheese. The mixed greens were fresh with a pleasant balance of bitter and sweet. Yellow tomatoes, pickled yellow and red beets, shaved Parmesan and thinly sliced red onions enhanced the salad’s flavors.

For the main course I ordered the arugula and prosciutto pizza. My companions chose the baked lasagna and the breaded cod sandwich without the bun.

The pizza was served in an elongated rectangular shape and sliced into six pieces. It looked appealing, topped with fresh mozzarella, slices of Roma tomato, peppery arugula and prosciutto. The toppings were enjoyable, especially the arugula, but the crust disappointed: it was chewy and undercooked on top, with a bland dough that lacked the character I expect from a good pizza base.

The breaded cod was well seasoned and properly cooked. It arrived with sliced tomatoes, lemon, homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. The fish was fresh and flaky, and the portion was generous enough that most of it came home with us.

The baked lasagna was prepared in a nontraditional rolled style: large sheets of pasta were filled, rolled, and baked with sauce and cheese. The sauce tasted fresh and flavorful, and the filling was satisfying. However, some of the pasta that hadn’t been coated with sauce was firm and less enjoyable.

For dessert we shared salted caramel gelato served with fresh cream and raspberries. The texture was silky and the sweet-salty balance was spot on — a pleasant finish to the meal.

Roman Bistro is a welcoming family-owned restaurant in a great location. The space, service and some menu items are impressive. With a few adjustments to cooking technique and some refinement of dough and pasta execution, it could easily become one of Pittsburgh’s notable Italian restaurants.

Chef Chuck Kerber

[email protected]

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