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| - I originally saw La Piazza on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri and visited on one of my first trips to Arizona a few years ago. I was out driving around town today and decided to stop back in. There was no wait when two of us arrived at 11 AM on Saturday. I recall a line forming before the place opened for dinner on my original visit, so it is probably good to think about timing.
The restaurant is rather small, but does have a good number of tables. I noticed that they have revamped their decor. It is now darker, sleeker, more modern in style, rather than more of an Italian deli/pizzeria as it was before. Our server was friendly and observant. The chef came around to ask everyone about the meal after it was finished.
I am a fan of the pizza at La Piazza. The crust is extremely thin, while the border is light, fluffy and airy. It has a clean, fresh, semi-charred flavor. The tomato sauce is relatively plain, but adds a light vegetable flavor to every bite. I highly recommend the Italian Stallion pizza, which has pepperoni, salami, and sausage. The meats are high quality and the brick oven really brings out their flavors. This pizza manages to have a little bit of spice to it as well, which I really enjoy.
I have also tried a few other things. The stuffed shrimp appetizer consists of shrimp and crab over bruschetta-style bread. It is rich and flavorful. The herbs give you a nice pop with every bite. The cannoli is a nice traditional dessert, with flavors of cream cheese, cinnamon, nuts, and chocolate. I have only tried a bite of the baked spaghetti, but it is a massive hard to be believe cube of Italian food, just like on the show.
It is a little bit of a trip to get to La Piazza. I wish it were closer, so I could visit more often. I do recommend going, especially for people who like brick oven pizza and a casual, adult environment.
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