With its closely-spaced tables and booths and its name prominently displayed throughout the restaurant, DiSalvo’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Davie has an atmosphere more institutional than cozy. Restaurant news, capsule reviews.11

But excellent service and superior food make diners feel at home.

This 9-year-old chain boasts locations in Davie, Plantation and Hollywood. We visited the Davie eatery on a recent Saturday night. Although the restaurant was busy and had constant turnover, we had good food and service.

Our waitress was friendly and warm, keeping our courses well timed and refilling beverage orders without being asked.

And from beginning to end, our meals were delicious.

Immediately after being seated, we were brought hot garlic rolls, brushed with oil and butter and topped with minced garlic and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Oscar ($8.95), a special that night, consisted of two boneless chicken breasts, sauteed to a golden brown and topped with chunks of crab-flavored surimi, Hollandaise sauce and two crisp, steamed asparagus spears. The chicken was moist and tender and the flavors of the sauce perfectly blended. Although I am not a big fan of crab-flavored surimi, it worked well in this dish. A tangle of sun-dried tomato fettucine accompanied this special. It was cooked al dente and served with a tempting chunky tomato sauce that had slivers of garlic in it.

Pasta & Meatballs ($6.25) was a large serving of al dente spaghetti (fettucine and ziti also are available) topped with the same tomato sauce as the fettucine. The two large meatballs had good flavor and were made with more meat than filler.

Other entrees include Eggplant Parmigiana; Eggplant Rollatini or sausage and peppers ($7.95 each); Chicken Cacciatore or Parmigiana ($8.25 each); Veal Francese, Marsala or Parmigiana ($9.95 each); broiled chicken ($7.95); Shrimp Scampi ($11.45). Subs range from $3.50 for a meatball to $4.99 for a steak special.

All dinners include a salad, a bounty of fresh iceberg lettuce, red cabbage strips, whole green olives, tomato wedges, cucumber slices, grated carrots and raw onion rings. The house dressing, a vinagrette, was nutty with olive oil and featured lots of herbs.

We finished our meal with a slice of cappuccino cheesecake ($3.50) and an order of spumoni ($2.25). The richly flavored cheesecake was topped with a drop of chocolate. The spumoni, Italian ice cream, rested in a pool of tasty vanilla sauce laced with raspberry puree. A delightful way to end a meal.

DISALVO’S

5945 S. University Drive

University Creek Plaza

Davie

1-305-434-1505 or 1-305-434-1506

2090 N. State Road 7

Hollywood

1-305-989-7110 or 1-305-989-7119

1895 N. Pine Island Road

Jacaranda Square

Plantation

1-305-424-7100 or 1-305-424-7109

4190 N. 46th Ave.

Emerald Woods Plaza

Hollywood

1-305-962-1115