Piatti is a Pleasing Bit of Italy in Cherry Creek North

Favorite foods and congenial atmosphere in this Cherry Creek North restaurant

If I hadn’t eaten at one of the several Piatti Restaurants in Marin County before visiting Denver’s one and only for lunch a few years back, I would not have pegged it as part of a chain. I would have thought that it was an independent. This is a compliment. Piatti has a balanced menu featuring northern Italian favorite dishes. Founded in 1987, Piatti, which is Moana Restaurant Group, has hit upon a winning forumla but does not squeeze every location into a mold. Every one features an exhibition kitchen, stone hearth pizza oven reflect the warm charm and a simple, rather rustic menu but with white-linen festiveness.

My latest visit for dinner confirmed that initial impression. Six of us gathered at the Piatti at Cherry Creek North for a girls’ night out, the reason/excuse being our friend Laura’s birthday. It is a fitting place for such a celebration. The waiter did not act put out when we ordered minimal alcohol (a few glasses of wine, a couple of cocktails and no adult beverage at all for the birthday girl), salads to start, (mostly) moderately priced entrees and one large compliments-of-the-house tiramisu for all of us to share. It is the sign of a good restaurant when the quality of the service is not linked to the bottom line on the check or the speed with which the table turns over.

A basket of good bread and herbed olive oil are a good start to an Italian meal.

Instead of captioning every single dish this time but just grouping related dishes by course — both menu items and specials. It is efficient for me, but please tell me if this works for you as well.

Salads