You have probably never heard of Roio Del Sangro, Italy. So you couldn't know that this tiny community in the Apennine Mountains, 75 miles east of Rome, has a history of producing world-class chefs. The chefs of Roio Del Sangro have spread around the world, taking their Italian cooking skills with them.

Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Luciano More, left, owner and chef of More restaurant in Oakland, with chef Brian Pail. Click photo for larger image. More 214 N. Craig St. Oakland 412-621-2700 Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; dinner, 5-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 5-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 4:30-8 p.m. Sundays. Basics: Appetizers, $2.50 (soup) to $9.95; entrees, $11.95 (pasta) to $23.95; desserts, $4.50. Wines by glass: $5.75. A Pittsburgh legend that has changed little in 31 years and has a loyal following among devotees of homemade Italian classics. The white linen and Italian decor add to the decidedly European ambience. Separate bar with entertainment on weekends. Vegetarian friendly. Smoking and nonsmoking rooms. Wheelchair accessible. Parking, for dinner, $3 in lot across Craig Street. All major credit cards accepted. Reservations accepted.

Luciano "Louie" More landed in Pittsburgh in 1961 as a teenager. For generations, all the men in his family have been chefs. His father came here to work in the old Park Schenley Restaurant, and his uncle Dominick was a founding partner of Le Mont. Over the years, the More family members in Pittsburgh have also been involved in Frenchy's, The Gaslight, Hollywood Social Club and Tivoli restaurants. When Louie was drafted into the U.S. Army, it is not surprising that he was channeled into a cooking speciality. Upon returning to Pittsburgh after his military service, More worked at the Park Schenley, the Fox Chapel Country Club and Laurel Mountain Country Club in Ligonier before accepting a job as sous-chef for the opening of Nino's on North Craig Street in 1971. Little did he dream that he would eventually own Nino's (now More's), and that he would spend most of his working years in that kitchen.

The More restaurant that exists today is a Pittsburgh institution and a nostalgia trip back to the heyday of an Italianate decor one rarely encounters in the 21st century. The paintings, statues, and accessories in the restaurant date from the opening of Nino's and, at that time, were a reflection of interiors found in such meccas of Italian cuisine as Mama Leone's in Manhattan.

The habitues of More's have changed as little as the interiors. The majority of the clientele have been loyal customers since the opening 33 years ago. On one of the days I was in the restaurant, there was a retirement party for a University of Pittsburgh employee who had lunched at More every day of her working life.

A friend of mine is also among the More core customers. He, too, has been dining there at least once a week for more than 30 years and claims that a week without an order of More's Veal Marsala is even worse than a week without sunshine! (He will settle occasionally for the Veal Daniela.) One of the things the regulars most appreciate about Louie More's cooking is that all his sauces are classics and all are made by him in the time-honored, slow-food Italian manner.

The menu has changed little from opening day. The appetizer menu offers a perfect chance to see what was popular in the '70s, before fat was an issue. Escargot du Bourgogne ($7.95), drowning in garlic butter, has a non-Burgundian addition of anchovy butter. Seafood Coquille a la Louie ($7.95) is an assortment of seafood and sauteed mushrooms in hollandaise sauce. Shrimp Scampi ($9.95) is sauteed in garlic butter. For vegetarians there are Fried Provolone sticks served with marinara or tomato sauce ($4.95) and French Fried Zucchini ($4.50). Shrimp Cocktail ($8.95) is a good low-carb selection.

I enjoyed the Baked Deviled Crab ($9.50). The crab meat was partly lump and well seasoned. Although there was mayonnaise in the binding, this dish was primarily crab and much lighter than the Seafood Coquille. There is also soup du jour ($2.50) which changes daily; it was Italian Wedding Soup the night I ordered it. Although the broth was tasty and the meatballs too, I would have to say that the overall impression was that I happily could have skipped the soup.

The French Onion Soup Gratinee ($4.50), on the other hand, was everything I had hoped it would be. The onions had been nicely caramelized before being steeped in a good broth and gratineed with a generous portion of Emmenthal cheese.

The fish menu has 12 entrees that go from the usual shrimp or crab to such unusual offerings as Broiled Boston Scrod ($19.95). I was told that Louie is famous for his Virginia Spots Amandine ($20.95), so naturally I had to try it. I would never have guessed it, but what is served as Virginia Spots are really Black Sea Bass. Because Virginia Spots is not available all year, Louie began substituting Black Sea Bass many years ago and found the texture more to his liking, so that is what you will get. It is a delicious, mild-flavored and firm-textured fish which he filets and dips in egg batter before sauteing. The result is a fish that would be hard not to enjoy.

Of the eight veal entrees, only one (Parmigiana) comes with a red sauce. The others feature wine sauces and mushrooms. Veal Daniela ($20.95) is scaloppini sauteed with hearts of palm, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and toasted pine nuts. The Veal Marsala ($19.95) is scaloppini with mushrooms in a light Marsala wine sauce. My partner could not resist the Calves Liver ($19.95), which came with a choice of onions, bacon or both. He chose both, with no regrets. The two generous slices of liver were sauteed to a perfect rosiness and smothered in well browned onions and crispy bacon. He claimed that even his mother's recipe for liver could not have topped it.

For diners who arrive between 5 and 5:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, there is an early-bird menu that changes daily. This reasonably priced menu last week offered such choices as Baked Ham with raisin sauce for $11.95 or Baked Manicotti Casserole for $9.75 or Tilapia Almondine for $11.95. These specials come with soup and salad and a choice of one side dish.

Ten different pasta sauces can be combined with a choice of three pasta shapes and range in price from $11.95 to $16.95. Pasta dishes are served with a crisp salad and warm bread.

The luncheon menu is a composite of More's most popular entrees served in slightly smaller portions and a selection of sandwiches. One of the more sought-after luncheon entrees is the Hot Devonshire Sandwich ($9.95). This Pittsburgh speciality of sliced turkey and bacon blanketed with a cheddar sauce has never won my heart, but aficionados claim that More makes one of the best. I prefer the Chicken and Tuna Salad Sandwich on two mini-croissant buns with soup of the day for $8.50.

More makes all desserts in-house. There is always cheesecake in several variations ($4.50) and cannoli ($4.50), plus two specials that change continually. Last week there was Sweet Potato Pie ($4.50) and Spice Cake.

The wine list is adequate if not remarkable. House wine is available for $5.25 a glass, and bottles range from a low $17 for Bolla Pinot Grigio to $45 for Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. Vintages are not given on the wine list.

If you make it to More's on a Friday or Saturday night, you will want to pop into the piano bar next door before departing. This long-time favorite of Pittsburghers brings out the romance and the musical talent in all of us.

If there is a secret to keeping restaurant patrons happy for 33 years, Louie More has found it. You should go and discover it for yourself.