Pomod’oro Pizza & Italian Restaurant
200 Chestnut Street
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
(610) 873-0405
First reviewed in November 2019, Pomod’oro is the younger sibling of Anthony’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Malvern, PA. Croce “Tony” Cataldo, who hails from Carini in the City of Palermo, Sicily, opened Anthony’s in 1993. This first venture was such a success that Mr. Cataldo and his wife, Claudia, decided to open a second restaurant, Pomod’oro, in Downingtown in 2015.
ike Anthony’s, Pomod’oro is a BYOB majoring in Italian comfort food and sports princely portions at downright paltry prices. And, also like its elder brother, it has proved to be immensely popular. Reservations are accepted for lunch, but not for dinner. If you’re contemplating an evening meal, it is best to come early – so I advised in my first review – but even this strategy is no guarantee of complete success. My dining partner and I recently arrived a little before six o’clock on a Friday night only to find the place already full and overflowing. Weekends here can be something of a mob scene. Your best bet…? The earlier in the week you pay a call, the less likely you will have to cool your heels waiting for a table. Consider yourself forewarned.
The interior may strike you as somewhat utilitarian – unadorned wooden tables, silverware wrapped in paper napkins, hardwood floors, bare windows – but don’t be misled by the above photograph. The dining rooms have a warmth all their own, especially when filled by the restaurant’s loyal and ever-growing clientele – which is most of the time.
The menu runs the gamut from appetizers, soups and salads, pizza, sandwiches, stromboli and calzones through entrées – baked dishes, seafood, pasta and risotto, chicken and veal signature entrées – and luscious homemade desserts.
And there are numerous choices in all these categories… The Signature Dishes, for example, offer either chicken or veal prepared Pomod’oro (artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, asparagus tips, basil, and fresh mozzarella in a white wine garlic sauce with seasonal vegetables), Marsala, Piccata, Parmigiana or Cacciatora.
The sandwiches begin with a variety of Hoagies and continue through the traditional Turkey Club to Parmigiana (chicken, eggplant, meatball, sausage, and veal), and conclude with the all-American Angus Beef Cheeseburger and Tuna Melt (pictured). The Tuna Melt may not look like much, but it is, by far, the best representative of the genre it has ever been my pleasure to ingest… Served open faced on Italian bread, the fresh-made tuna salad is topped with tomato, lettuce, and melted Swiss cheese and companioned by crispy house-made potato chips. Team that with a side order of their luscious deep-fried onion rings, and you have a casual dinner that simply can’t be beat.
During several previous visits, I had excellent opportunities to sample the various entrées, which are all carefully prepared and generous to fault. The Spaghetti Bolognese, for instance, mentioned in my previous review, is so prodigiously proportioned that it provided me with two ample dinners at home in addition to what I consumed in the restaurant. The decadently rich & creamy Tortellini Alfredo, while somewhat more reasonable in size, is still more than ample… ditto the deliciously downhome Eggplant Parmigiana (pictured), a personal fave.
Seafood also holds a prominent place among the entrées, tempting diners with a number of old favorites: Linguini con Vongole, clams in a choice of red or white sauce; Seafood Alfredo, shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat in Alfredo sauce over linguine; Seafood Ravioli, lobster stuffed ravioli with crabmeat ina rosa sauce; Shrimp Scampi, rock & jumbo srhimp in a white wine & garlic sauce over linguine; Fish of the Day, prepared according to the chef’s whim; and last, but certainly not least (a little bit of everything), Pasta DiMare, fresh mussels, clams, rock & jumbo shrimp, scallops & crabmeat in a choice of red or white wine sauce over fettuccine (pictured in red sauce).
There are numerous appetizer options… As I mentioned in my first review, the Artichoke Casserole baked in butter and garlic and topped with mozzarella cheese is not for the faint of appetite and certainly has a great deal to recommend it… ditto the Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with crab imperial in a rich butter sauce. The Mussels are steamed and served with melted butter or white wine butter sauce or marinara. In a similar vein, the Steamers are soft-shell clams swimming in either a white wine & lemon sauce or marinara. Other popular items include Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks with marinara sauce, or, my dining partner’s favorite, the Fried Calamari (pictured).
However, since the entrée portions are quite large (a doggie bag will undoubtedly be de rigueur) and most come with a house salad and well-stocked breadbasket, you might want to save yourself a few bucks and skip the appetizer.
… Saving room for dessert, however, is something of a must. Especially since the restaurant has a bakery on the premises and all items – including the gelato – are homemade. And there are plenty from which to choose… from the more traditional – Rice Pudding, Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate, Cake, and New York Cheesecake – to Italian favorites such as Tiramisu, Limoncello Cake, and Cannoli. But as I mentioned in my previous review, my absolute favorite remains the incredible Cannoli Cake (pictured). Part creamy cannoli filling, part moist yellow cake, it is both irresistibly decadent and utterly delicious. And be sure to wash it down with a double shot of potent espresso. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Highly recommended on all counts… Just don’t forget to BYOB.
Bon Appétit!
Be Safe & Stay Well
TAD
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