Manda C.
Yelp
I have to attribute this review to Richard S. because I was intrigued when I read his review earlier this year. It was because of that review that I recognized the name of this place when passing by a couple of weeks ago and becoming entranced by the pictures they had up!
Since then it's been on my mind, and since my husband could eat pizza every day, I knew it was just a matter of time before I returned to try the food. That day has arrived!
Considering they are in the mall, I was expecting mostly pizza and apps. They certainly have pizza, the line was full of it and they were varied and huge! However, the pasta on the menu really got my attention, the ravioli and tortellini were both things I wanted to try and the prices were so good! Short of ordering an entire pizza, everything is $7 or less.
We took advantage of the lunch special they told us about- 2 slices of pizza and a medium drink for $8.69. I went with the beef and my husband went with some sort of stuffed-like-a-sandwich concoction that I was surprised they allowed to be included in the deal. It was a pepperoni pizza stuffed with pepperoni, ham and sausage. This thing was huge and so thick! It was at least 3 times as heavy as my slice!
Anyone who has read my other reviews knows I'm not a huge pizza fan. I generally rate my pizza reviews from general expectations since I'm so picky. This is a review that I can honestly do from my own opinion and taste buds- it's good!! I was REALLY digging their crust, sooo good and crunchy, it was way better than any of the other places in town! The toppings were pretty good, but that cheese would be my second favorite thing about it. I also liked that my slice wasn't greasy, nicely done!
Though I believe these slices are well worth $3.69, I am very interested in trying other items on their menu. They have salads, sandwiches, strombolis and calzones too, but I am locked on to their pastas- ALL of them. Can't wait for the next time I'm in the area, definitely going to get a pasta next. I saw someone with a salad and it looked good too!
If I'm being 100% honest, I wouldn't have even given this place a second thought without Richard S. simply because they are in the mall food court. Who wants to eat mall pizza?
Well, this place doesn't belong in a mall, they are a real deal Italian restaurant and pizzeria and I'm ashamed of my stereotyping! This is a perfect example of how awesome the Yelp community is, getting me to try things I just assume aren't very good. Thanks Yelp friends!
So I hope I have gotten across the point that the food is great and way beyond expectations. Now, service shot mall food court expectations out of the water!!
We were immediately greeted, the two gentlemen there consulted with us on options and deals. When I was telling my husband I had narrowed it down to a couple of choices, they even asked me how hungry I was and made suggestions based on portion sizes! The woman there that does the cooking did a fantastic job!
We received our drink and found a table. They call out by the order, so be mindful if someone ordered the same thing you did! There were three orders in front of us and we still got our food in 5-6 minutes.
At one point, I tried to take pics of the menu, but it's posted high and I'm short so I was bummed I couldn't get a closer shot. When I went to retrieve our order, the gentleman who had rung us up said he noticed I was trying to take pictures and I might want a to go menu. Not only is that observant and thoughtful and really cool, he took the time to tell me they take call in orders and that the pizzas are 20 inches and come with up to 4 free toppings! I was loving the level of service and attention I got, and not just for a food court, for any restaurant! They were really kind and friendly and attentive and I was surprised to learn they actually offer the first refill free!
The only thing that might be confusing is since they have other locations that do offer delivery, the cups may seem misleading. The cups say 'We cater * We deliver' and also lists out all their locations. Delivery applies to the stand alone locations, not here. I just wanted to clarify that before someone gets on here and gives them a bad review for 'false advertising' or something. They were very quick to explain when I asked them about it.
When we first arrived, there were only a couple of people finishing up. However, it didn't take long for other people to arrive and swarm. This required some multi-tasking on their part and I think they did a really good job of managing the crowd. I saw another crowd form as we were leaving the food court (okay, I admit it, I was going to Le Macaron) but everyone was served by the time we returned. I was personally impressed.
So pleased with our first visit- the pizza, the options, the service and the price- all fantastic! I would absolutely recommend! Damn... writing this review made me crave another slice of pizza... thanks a lot, Yelp.