Romeo's Restaurant Melds Greek, Italian

Restaurant review Romeo's Famous Pizza and Restaurant, 21110 Ave. W., Edmonds, 771-7955. Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 10 p.m. Checks and major credit cards accepted.

EDMONDS - Romeo's Famous Pizza and Restaurant features a mixture of both Greek and Italian foods that have been "Americanized."

Owner Alex Loukas and a partner opened Romeo's two years ago. Loukas recently bought out his partner, and for the past six months he has been on his own. Before that, Loukas ran a steakhouse and a gyros shop in Montana, and another gyros shop in Lynnwood.

Romeo's features several tempting pizza choices that range in price from $5.20 to $16.85 for a 10-, 12- or 16-inch pie.

Loukas makes the pizza dough fresh daily, and he makes a batch of sauce every two days.

The Romeo's special pizza is the one to choose ($9.95, $14.45 or $16.85). Toppings include pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, black olives, mushrooms and tomatoes. For something traditional but with a Greek influence, try the house special ($9.95, $14.45 or $16.85) that includes pepperoni, Canadian bacon, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and feta cheese.

Yanni's special is a tasty choice ($10.25, $12.25 or $14.95). It's topped with mushrooms, chicken, feta, green onions and pesto. With the cheese and olive oil from the pesto it's a little on the oily side, but it's especially flavorful with a few red peppers sprinkled on the top.

If you're a cheese lover, try Taki's special ($10.25, $12.25 or $14.95). It has three cheeses, feta, Parmesan and mozzarella, plus garlic and mushrooms.

Of course there are pastas on the menu, from spaghetti to lasagna to manicotti. They range in price from $5.95 to $6.95.

The baked manicotti ($6.25) is savory and filling. Two crepes are stuffed with ricotta, cottage cheese and parmesan, then topped with Romeo's secret sauce and mozzarella cheese. It is then baked, and it is served piping hot. It's definitely cheesy, and the sauce is mild and sweet.

The house salad accompanying the entree is fairly basic. A plate of iceberg lettuce, pre-grated mozzarella cheese, a few black olives and one cherry tomato. What makes it good is the salad dressing.

For a not-so-ordinary appetizer try the tyropita ($2.75). Feta and cottage cheese are seasoned together and wrapped in filo dough.

Desserts are made there every day or two, but diners should come early in the day if they want to try one. The two times I visted Romeo's was out of the galaktoboriko ($1.75), a sweet custard with filo dough topped with a sugar syrup.

On my second trip I tried the baklava. Baklava ($1.75) is a traditional Greek fare, and it is a light and pleasant ending to the meal. The paper-thin Greek filo leaves are flaky and crisp, full of nuts and drenched with honey. Baklava and a cup of coffee are a nice way to end an evening.