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Dentico's is a friendly, informal family restaurant. You
generally won't find trendy food here, just good basic Italian
fare. Check the specials, though. The chef is capable of
turning out some interesting dishes. Stuffed escarole, for
instance, involves escarole sauteed with bread crumbs, olives,
plenty of garlic, and a hint of anchovy (which wouldn't be
apparent if you didn't know it was one of the ingredients).
It's offered as an appetizer special occasionally, but the chef will make it anytime, if requested.
The clam sauces, both red and white, are extraordinary, as are
most of the seafood dishes. People who've accompanied me have raved about the stuffed shells. Desserts are a weak point, though. They're not made in-house, which isn't necessarily bad, but the source is rather uninspired. Veal French or Chicken French are quite good, according to dining companions. The pasta e fagiole is wonderful. They also have a fish fry on Friday nights, if you're goofy enough to come to an Italian restaurant for such a dish. Salads are fresh and well-chilled, and they make a
spectacular lemon-gorgonzola dressing. All portions are sizeable enough that you'll end up taking some home in most cases.
I think Dentico's suffers from the same malady as many Italian restaurants in Rochester. They have to cater to a population that considers everything Italian to be red. And, most Italians here are so out of touch with their heritage that chefs are
afraid to be too adventurous. If diners requested more
authentic regional dishes, perhaps we'd get them.
By the way, all the wait staff here are wonderful. In particular, Andy, an Italian import, is probably the best, as well as being a wealth of interesting Italian cultural information.
All in all, this is a place to stick with over time. But, ask for things you want, and perhaps the chef will grow with his
audience. Reservations are a good idea from Thursday through Saturday.
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