"Trick or treat," a loud voice shrieked when I picked up the telephone the other day. "This must be a trick," I yelled back. "Do you know what time it is? And to make matters worse, it’s Saturday morning." "Gee, I’m sorry if I woke you," my friend Oswaldo replied. "I’ll make it up to you. Lunch will be my "treat" if you help me pick out a new suit for my job interview." With an offer like that, how could I go wrong?

My good friend and I found ourselves shopping at the Providence Place Mall several hours later, where Oswaldo must have tried on at least 25 suits in less than two hours. "I can’t find one that I like," he finally announced, desperately throwing his arms into the air. "I give up. I’m exhausted. It’s time for lunch. Let’s head downstairs to Pizzeria Uno-Chicago Grill. I know we’ll have a great lunch."

After being greeted by a friendly and well-informed host, we sank into the comfortable maroon leather booth seats, and started to peruse Uno’s extensive menu. Our wait server quickly took our drink order – two tall Cokes without ice – and told us she’d soon be back.

"Everything looks so good," Oswaldo proclaimed. "Let’s start with an appetizer. We need to have a big lunch so we’ll have the energy to look at more suits." We were soon presented with one of the most delicious "starters" I have ever tasted: Uno’s pizza skins ($7.79). The novel appetizer consisted of a deep dish crust generously topped with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese and bacon. A side of sour cream accompanied the delicious taste treat. What a unique take on such an already-popular appetizer!

"I love this billowy crust," Oswaldo stated. "Who would have ever thought of taking silky-smooth mashed potatoes, rich cheddar and crisp smoky bacon and putting them all on a rich crust to create a wonderful dish like this?" As we enjoyed our wonderful beginning, our eyes glanced over the inviting menu. While it was certainly a daunting challenge, we finally settled on our choices, and plotted our course for the afternoon while we waited for our food.

My dining companion chose chicken and broccoli fettuccine ($10.79), a generous serving of sautéed sliced chicken and fresh, verdant broccoli served in a creamy Alfredo sauce over a bed of fettuccine. "Please have some," Oswaldo urged, offering me a slice of chicken and a spoonful of the rich sauce, made from freshly grated Parmesan cheese, heavy cream and dairy-fresh butter. "I am going to need a larger suit size," he quipped, conscious of the calories the delicious entrée contained, yet undeterred from finishing the large serving.

All morning long, my thoughts drifted between burgers and Uno’s popular pizzas as Oswaldo shifted from glen plaids to pinstripes, but when it came time to choose a luncheon entrée, it was the spinach, chicken and gorgonzola salad ($8.79) that caught my attention. Needless to say, I was quite pleased with my choice.

I was presented with a large salad bowl filled with mixed greens tossed with Uno’s own tangy vinaigrette, and topped with grilled chicken, glazed walnuts and delightful Craisins (dried cranberries). This unusual salad presented an exciting blend of sweet and sour, smooth and crunchy, mild and spicy and was creatively garnished with one of the culinary world’s most recent innovations – dried cranberries. It was the ideal salad to enjoy on a perfect autumn day!

On a previous visit to Pizzeria Uno-Chicago Grill, Oswaldo and I shared a four cheese, deep dish pizza ($7.49, sm.; $14.99, lge.) that left us raving for weeks about the good food served as this popular, national chain of restaurants. This pizza is a turophile’s dream, with rich mozzarella, Romano, Muenster and feta cheeses sitting on a bed of chunky tomatoes, basil and pesto.

In addition to serving its legendary deep dish and thin crust pizzas, Uno also serves a vast selection of steaks and ribs and chicken and seafood selections, as well as several enticing pasta dishes, sandwiches and burgers. There is also a "Quicklunches" menu, served Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm, for those on the run.

One sandwich that I’d like to try on my next visit to Pizzeria Uno-Chicago Grill is the spicy melt ($8.49), which the menu describes as ham, pepperoni, melted Swiss cheese and red pepper pesto, dressed with a jalapeño Alfredo sauce and served on a toasted roll.

"That one sounds hot!" Oswaldo observed. "I can’t wait to try it, but for now, it’s time to head back to the mall and look at more suits. After this wonderful lunch, and all this food, I hope that I can still button a jacket."

Brian Lowney is a journalist for the Providence Visitor and for the New Bedford Standard Times. He enjoys the wonderful Rhode Island restaurant scene and writing about the cornucopia of outstanding dining and retail food establishments we have been blessed with throughout the region.