Managing a successful restaurant requires a broad skill set. Joe and Lainie Petrou, of Harding Street’s Roma’s Grille and Pizzeria, seem to command them all.

Joe’s got an eye for burgeoning hot spots. He opened the Italian bistro, Primo’s, when Shrewsbury Street was just an ethnic enclave, growing into a restaurant destination; he opened Union Station: The Restaurant when the city sought a tenant for its local architectural centerpiece; and now, he and his wife, Lainie, are back on the scene, just as Harding Street is coming into its own as part of Worcester’s Canal district.

In this latest incarnation, the Petrous have simplified, turning to a smaller space (an adjacent function room is to open soon), a wide open California kitchen, and a straightforward, two-page menu of Mediterranean treats.

Approaching from a street side parking space, in the former industrial neighborhood, and later, seated in the busy dining room, full of natural light from a facade of floor-to-ceiling plate glass, it felt like Manhattan, joining local metropolitan nightspots, like Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, The Dive Bar and Armsby Abbey.

The interior is classic Joe Petrou: oversized oil prints in ancient frames, antiques and eclectic furniture, and dim table and floor lamps, throughout. The tin ceilings are high. Variously sized and arranged tables seat about 75.

Being BYOB, we carried in a bottle of red wine.

From nine appetizers, like onion rings, mini burgers, mussels, and coconut shrimp, ranging from $4 to $9, we chose fried calamari ($8), a healthy portion of carefully breaded rings and tentacles, banana peppers, and a chunky, home-style marinara.

We followed with a fantastic version of the Greek salad ($7) - one of seven offered, including iceberg wedge with ranch dressing and antipasto, $5 to $12 – a lettuce-free bowl of crispy red onion and bell pepper, chunky feta, tomato slices, and herbal dressing.
Entrees include five “House Specialties” pizzas, for $13 each, and a list of “create-Your-Own” options, starting at $10; 11 sandwiches, including a burger and BBQ pork with gouda cheese, from $7 to $12; six traditional pasta dishes, from $11 to $14; six poultry dishes, including a free-range grilled airline chicken breast, from $14 to $16; seven seafood dishes, including lobster pie, from $14 to $16; and five meat dishes featuring pork, lamb, and steak, from $14 to $16.

My wife enjoyed grilled salmon over braised spinach salad ($16), a nice salt and pepper seasoned fillet, crisp outside and moist inside, over a huge portion of vivid, wilted spinach, roasted eggplant, lightly sautéed mushrooms, tomato, cucumber, and red onion, in vinaigrette, and some lobster meat tossed in for good measure. She loved it, and still had ample leftovers the next day.

I opted for a classic: chicken piccata ($16), after flipping mental coins over several other tempting dishes. Roma’s rewarded me with a great recipe of perfectly cooked linguine in a buttery lemon sauce, topped with loads of capers, numerous creamy, moist pieces of chicken breast, and heaps of lightly sautéed mushroom slices.

The Petrous demonstrated a knack for enticing menu items and attentive, skilled preparation; moreover, they convey a love for hospitality, ever-present on the floor and dropping in at tables frequently.

If that weren’t dessert enough, we finished with two excellent, made-in-house sweets: apple crisp and cheesecake with chocolate drizzle. Then, our friendly, attentive server brought the check: $50.40 before tip. Knowing Joe Petrou, Roma’s is the harbinger of Harding Street’s development, and sets the bar high for all who follow.

[read another Worcesterite users reviews of Roma's here]