John and Peggy Weigel have been regulars at D'Imperio's Restaurant in Monroeville since it opened more than 25 years ago. John Weigel usually gets a beef dish, while his wife dines on chicken. They do agree on one thing, however: D'Imperio's is a great place to eat. "It's good food and great service," says John Weigel, a retired doctor. "It's a nice, casual atmosphere, and we enjoy it." D'Imperio's has been an institution on William Penn Highway in Monroeville since 1977, when Tony D'Imperio opened his restaurant inside the Jonnett Building. Five years later, he moved down the street to the present location. D'Imperio's is decorated in comforting earth tones, with lovely, ornately framed paintings on each wall. Soft Italian music plays in the background. There is a lot of room. Two dining rooms and an outdoor courtyard can seat 250 customers. The cocktail lounge has another 90 seats, while the well-stocked bar has seating room for 32. D'Imperio's is popular for banquets, rehearsal dinners, business meetings and private parties. D'Imperio is a native-born Italian from the province of Molise. He moved to America in 1954, when he was 10. The youngest of seven children, he is a self-made entrepreneur who keeps customers coming back for more. "Success is a very relative term," he says. "We gauge it by satisfaction of a job well done. A great joy is when a customer says, 'It was wonderful, and I'll be back.'" His staff of 37, including chef Joseph Schilling and cooks Rita Tommasino and Ginny Dunkle, is well-versed in food preparation and service. "We try to instill in the staff basic human courtesies and respect for others," D'Imperio says. "We try to be attentive and punctual and make sure the food comes out on time." The menu is traditional Italian, with lots of antipasto appetizers and pasta, veal, seafood, chicken and beef dishes. One of the most popular items is the shrimp and scallops kebab teriyaki special, which D'Imperio shared with "Cooking Class." If you don't have a grill -- which is preferable for this recipe -- you can cook these kebabs in a saute pan. The scallops, bought dry (not soaked in water or chemically treated to extend shelf life) from Benkovitz Seafoods in the Strip District, are succulent and tender. They are marinated in a light and flavorful teriyaki mixture. D'Imperio also shared two asparagus recipes, a recipe for Oriental salad dressing and one for a tantalizing crepe basket with fruit and rum whipped cream. Asparagus al Vapore 36 fresh asparagus spears 3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper, to taste 1 clove garlic, chopped Crusty Italian bread Trim the dry, brittle bottoms of the asparagus. Immerse the spears in boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness. Drain and shock in ice water to chill thoroughly. Drain again, then toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. Arrange on plates and serve with the Italian bread. Grilled Asparagus and Prosciutto 12 asparagus spears, parboiled to al dente, drained and chilled 12 extra-thin slices imported prosciutto ham Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste Balsamic vinegar, to taste Crushed black pepper, to taste Heat the grill. Roll each asparagus spear up in 1 slice of prosciutto (see Photo 1). Place the asparagus on the hot grid. Grill, turning quickly as the prosciutto cooks and curls at the edges. Plate 3 spears per person. Drizzle them with olive oil, dot with balsamic vinegar and season with the black pepper. Serve. Makes 4 servings. To serve, place the skewers over saffron rice, pasta Aglio e Olio, caramelized onions and zucchini, or your favorite salad mix tossed with Oriental dressing. Shrimp and Scallops Kebabs Teriyaki 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 12 large sea scallops (dry, 20 count) 12 button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed 12 random cuts of sweet red peppers (about half-dollar size) 12 random cuts of sweet onion (about half-dollar size or 1 to 2 layers thick) 12 (12-inch) stainless steel or wooden skewers (if using the wooden, soak for 30 minutes in water first) Olive oil (optional) For the Teriyaki Marinade: 1/2 cup light soy sauce 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 3/4 cup dry sherry 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger root 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Mix all ingredients for the Teriyaki Marinade. Alternately thread a shrimp, scallop, mushroom, sweet pepper piece and sweet onion piece onto each skewer. Marinate in the teriyaki mixture for several hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally (Photo 2). Heat the grill or a saute pan, adding olive oil to the pan to saute the shellfish and vegetables. Remove the skewers from the marinade and place each on the hot grid for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally to avoid burning. Serve as desired. Makes 4 servings. Oriental Salad Dressing 1/2 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped fine 1/2 cup honey 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup dark sesame oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Combine all ingredients in a blender until well blended. Serve on a green salad. Crepe Basket with Fruit and Rum Whipped Cream 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup heavy cream 2 large egg whites Rum Whipped Cream (recipe follows) 11/2 cups raspberry sauce (about 4 half-pints fresh raspberries, pureed, strained) Fresh fruit, to taste, such as melon, berries, peaches, pineapple, kiwi, mango, papaya, cherries or figs Mix the 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and the flour. Add the 1/3 cup cream and whisk. Add the egg whites and whisk again thoroughly so there are no lumps. Place 11/2 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) of batter onto the bottom of a cold, oiled 6-inch nonstick crepe pan. Place the pan over medium heat and heat until the crepe sets up. Flip the crepe and cook until done, for about 30 seconds. Chill the bottom of the pan in ice water for 30 seconds or so. Repeat 5 more times or until all the batter is used. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drape each crepe over an inverted cup-sized stainless steel or aluminum container, such as small Jell-O molds. Place the molds on a cookie sheet and put the sheet in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crepes turn golden brown and hold their shape (they will look like scalloped bowls or baskets when removed from the oven and turned upright). Prepare the Rum Whipped Cream. Place a large dollop of the flavored whipped cream inside each cooled "bowl." Place each on a dessert plate onto a 1/4-cup pool of raspberry sauce. Decorate with fresh fruit (Photo 4) and serve. Rum Whipped Cream 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup light rum Mix the confectioners' sugar, cream and rum. Whip the mixture until stiff. D'Imperio's Restaurant is open at 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays except for certain holidays and for parties of 50 or more. The address is 3412 William Penn Highway, Monroeville. Details: (412) 823-4800. Send requests for your favorite restaurant recipes to Cooking Class, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Building, 503 Martindale St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Fax: (412) 320-7966. Or e-mail: tribliving@tribweb.com .

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