Omnivore - Gio's Chicken Amalfitano: shockingly good

• Cliff Bostock's iPhone
• Chicken Scarpiello at Gio's Chicken Amalfitano

I finally made it to Gio's Chicken Amalfitano last Friday. The new restaurant is from Giovanni di Palma, already famous for Antico Pizza, which most critics believe serves the best pizza in town. Now, many are saying the same about di Palma's participation in the latest food fad - roasted chicken.

I avoided the restaurant its first month, because it was takeout-only and attracting crowds. Now, it has opened a roomy dining room of wooden communal tables lit by overhead henhouse lamps. There's another less-decorated, large dining room in the rear. It wasn't in use the night I visited with four friends.

The building's exterior itself, next door to Antico, is about as inconspicuous as it could be. Imagine you've stumbled onto a hideaway where the terrorists are web-footed. But don't worry. Once you're past the windowless brick facade and the uniformed guard in the parking lot, you'll find a friendly staff taking orders at a counter just inside the door.

The chicken ($15-$17) is just plain shockingly good.