Bearing an uncanny resemblance to a gray haired Dean Martin, Giovanni Dominic Galati works the room at Dominic’s, his classic Italian restaurant in St. Louis.
Obviously enjoying the work he has done there for the last 30 years, the personable Galati greets and seats arriving customers and occasionally checks on each table to make sure everything is going smoothly.
“I am having a lot of fun doing this,” Galati says in Sicilian-accented English . “What do I most like about it? I like the people.”
Believing that a restaurant’s owner should be a visible presence, Galati is there almost every night, often pitching in with whatever chores need to be done, from answering the phone to helping with tableside service. There’s no task, no matter how menial, in the 160 seat restaurant that Galati won’t do when necessary.
Practicing what he preaches to his employees, he treats customers as he would want to be treated, he says, describing his style of service as “personal, but yet professional.”
Galati says he routinely turns down offers of tips from customers seeking to get a good table. “When someone tries to give me $10 for a table, I say it’s not necessary. We will do our best no matter what.”
Like most of his employees, Galati worked his way up from the bottom when he first came to the United States from Sicily in 1964. He began working in restaurants to support himself, and by 1971, he and his bride, Jackie, were able to realize their American dream of owning their own restaurant. Their daughters Maria and Gina now also are involved in the business.
Located on The Hill, St. Louis’ close-knit Italian neighborhood, Dominic’s is one of the few fine dining restaurants in the vicinity. The two-story post-World War II structure built as a home previously had been a restaurant owned by the Berra family of Yogi Berra fame.
“We took it over, and we lived upstairs, which was a disaster,” to the dismay of his wife, who much preferred the house they sold in order to buy the restaurant Galati says, “I told her not to worry, and I would buy her another house in a few years.
“I had a lot of confidence, and I knew I would succeed,” he says. “We were young, and we took a chance.”
“We worked very hard and made it what it is now. Now it’s one of the oldest restaurants on The Hill that hasn’t changed hands.”
The Galatis decorated the four-room restaurant themselves in tasteful Florentine fashion, without benefit of a professional designer. Over the years they amassed an enviable collection of original oil paintings, statues, stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers and other luxurious accouterments to create an elegant restaurant.
Galati repeats a true story explaining how his industriousness once got him in trouble with the law. “When we were young, we saw a demand for good wines, and we didn’t have room to store the wine,” he says. “So I got some of the employees together and we dug a hold under the kitchen to make a wine cellar.”
When a building inspector got wind of the project, he noticed the now unsupported kitchen floor was almost collapsing. Galati got some professional construction help, and that wine cellar – and the kitchen – still stand today.
The attractive decor in the front of the house often surprises guests who expect a more modest atmosphere. “When people walk in from the outside for the first time, they are so delighted to see a restaurant like this because there are not too many places like it anymore.” Galati says. “There are no windows, so it’s like you are away from everything.”
The romantic restaurant, where classical or opera music plays softly in the background, has been the scene of countless marriage proposals and anniversary celebrations. Yet it also serves as a destination for business dinners, especially for entertaining special clients.
Tuxedoed servers finish all dishes tableside in the classic style that ensures that all foods are served at the right temperature. It also adds a touch of showmanship to the occasion.
Galati deliberately does not describe preparation details on the printed menu because he wants the servers to communicate verbally with the guests. “It keeps the waiters in contact with the customers,” he explains.
The dishes represent all regions of Italy. “If a customer doesn’t see something he especially likes, the kitchen usually can make it,” Galati says.
Best-selling items include a combination of the old and the new – pastas such as tortellini in broth with spinach; osso buco, veal saltimbocca, finely sliced veal sprinkled with sage, topped with prosciutto and braised in white wine; and daily fish specials. Everything is made from scratch except the ice creams, Galati says.
The good reputation Dominic’s established attracted many celebrities to the restaurant in the years when they performed in St. Louis at the Muny, a 12,000 seat outdoor musical theater. Among Dominic’s guests were Dean Martin and the rest of the old Rat Pack; Liza Minnelli; Tony Bennett, who has become Galati’s friend and tennis partner; Gene Kelly; Yul Brynner; Rock Hudson; and Jane Powell.
“I used to stay open just to get them in my place,” Galati says. One year around Thanksgiving he honored a request from Sammy Davis, Jr. to make a turkey dinner for himself and about 15 friends. “He was so delighted,” Galati recalls.
Sports greats, especially from the St. Louis Cardinals, continue to dine at Dominic’s. Galati recalls one special night when his idols Stan Musial, Tony La Russa, Red Schoendiest and Joe Torre all were dining in the restaurant the same night. “That was the thrill of my life,” he says.
Galati makes a point of thanking everyone who comes to Dominic’s for choosing his restaurant. “People have to drive here,” he says. “We make sure it’s worth their while.”
“I make sure that everyone knows who I am,” Galati explains. “It gives them a sense of security when they see that someone who owns the business is there. They know that somebody is watching.”
Although Galati has promoted many employees, he keeps control of the kitchen as his own responsibility. “That’s what really made me a success,” He says.
Rather than turn away patrons who don’t adhere to Dominic’s dress code, Galati says he bends the rules and allows men who are not wearing jackets to dine there. “It’s hard to get people to dress up today, and you can’t keep enough jackets on hand,” he notes.
However, if a man comes in wearing shirtsleeves on his first visit, the next time he is likely to be wearing a jacket, Galati says, after seeing how the others are dressed.
Another change is that most people are eating lighter. “We do more grilling and make sauces lighter,” he observes. “We have changed. But it’s amazing that there are still some people who want the old-fashioned dishes, like lobster in cream sauce. It’s rich, but people love it.”
The wine list now totals close to 300 wines, primarily from Italy and California. Galati seeks out small vineyards that offer good values. He also looks for wines with Wine Spectator ratings above 90.
Tony May, owner of San Domenico in New York, who knows Galati and has been to Dominic’s comments that Galati is to be commended for his staying power and for his efforts to update his menu continuously. “He serves the type of food that Italians eat today, not the way they used to eat,” May says. “He has not remained behind like so many Italian restaurants in this country.”
While Galati is keeping Dominic’s a classic fine-dining restaurant, he hopped on the casual bandwagon four years ago by opening Dominic’s Trattoria in suburban Clayton, which is open for lunch as well as dinner.
To keep on top of contemporary Italian food trends, he visits Italy and other European countries every year. “We always bring back something new,” he says.
