by Chrysa Smith

Think Andrea Bocelli, Celine Deon and Piero’s. Because this Huntingdon Valley, PA ristorante delivers on both food and atmosphere.

Step inside, take a deep breath and say aaaahhh! You’ve arrived at a restaurant appropriate for dinner– linen tablecloths, a clearly Tuscan decor, dimmed lighting and music to dine by. As you sit there you realize that this is how a restaurant experience should be. No hustle, no bustle, no noise. But certainly not stuffy.

Open the menu and be pleasantly surprised. The only problem you will encounter is what to order, because the menu is large. And from my varied experience there, quite good. It’s always a leap of faith when you find a restaurant with a lot of offerings. Usually they aren’t particularly good at any one of them. But Piero’s has done it. The Chicken Florentine: grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, spinach and melted provolone is delicious. No hard or rubbery chicken from occupying the grill far too long; and no smoky grilled taste. And although I don’t equate quantity with quality, I was pleased to bring home half of the chicken. The thought of having it again for next day’s lunch was an unexpected treat. My husband’s veal with crab and shrimp was reported to me as ‘very good’, as was a friend’s California Chicken Wrap.

Piero’s is located off Byberry Road in Huntingdon Valley, PA–a nice stopping off point on trips to and from Philly. And they are open for both lunch and dinner: a nice option for those aging Not Ready for Granny Panties girls who like to bulk up on calories mid-day rather than later.