The Refrigerator Editor writes:
The twenty minute drive down Lake Avenue from the city to the lake is always interesting. Actually, you never leave the city since Lake Avenue is the city all the way. Mr. Dominic's is "At The Lake" as the sign out front says. The sign also says, "The Home of Pasta In The Cup" but I have no idea what that means. Inside you'll see Mad magazine style signs like "Beware of Pickpockets and Loose Women" and "No Service Will Be Provided To Anyone On A Horse. There is a sign over the bar that reads, "The Problem with eating Italian food is three days later you're hungary again". There is also a poster of the Sopranos in the dining where someone has put Mr. Dominic's head on one of the bodies. The little tvs with the sound off are a nice touch in the dining room. Mr. Dominic himself might seat you. You can't miss him. His profile is on on the menu. My favorite visual though, is the poster in the Men's Room . We have eaten here many times and our favorite dishes are are Manicotti Elizabeth (with mushrooms and extra cheese) and Chicken Fred.

Martin Edic writes:
A while ago I wrote a glowing review of this legendary Charlotte restaurant. For some reason things at Dominic's went downhill, possibly due to a change in the kitchen. The portions were still ample and the sauces above average but a certain zing was missing. I'm happy to say that recently the food has returned to its 'potentially best Sicilian Italian in town', a comment that would undoubtedly create a lot of discussion amongst my Sicilian-American friends.

I'm not going to review a lot of dishes. Any of the pasta dishes are good. My current fav is something called Veal Josephine. It's a combination plate with two veal scallopine done 'French' style which means sauteed in an egg batter with a lemony sauce. They're tender and the sauce isn't overly acidic, a problem with this dish elsewhere. The other side of the plate is what's makes his Josephine's special: three large shrimp done scampi style. In Dominic's this means butterflied with the shell on and sauteed in garlic butter with dried red pepper. Leaving the shells on means they're messy to eat but it makes a big difference in the flavor and texture of the shrimp. We've gotten so used to peeled, farm raised shrimp with a watered down flavor that the shell-on ones are a revelation. They're almost lobster-like in texture and succulence. In combination with the veal, the side of pasta and the excellent salad (get the italian/crumbly bleu dressing), the plate is a bargain at $14.95. Go on a Wednesday and you can add a dozen steamed clams to your entree for $3 additional. The scampi are available over Pasta as an entree and you'll get enough to feed several.

A warning about Dominic's: reservations mean little and you'll have to wait nearly every night for at least a half hour. Weekends are jammed. Have a drink in the bar in front and talk to the people next to you - you'll hear real Rochester stories from unexpected viewpoints.