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| - I've wanted to try this Italian restaurant since reading a list of glowing reviews on Yelp. During our visits, the modern interior included a semi-closed patio, a full bar, TV, open kitchen, and a spacious dining area with natural lighting and wooden décor. The atmosphere was cozy and conducive to all occasions.
During our initial visit, we tried the 8-inch Funghi pizza ($7) prepared with roasted mushrooms, goat cheese, truffle oil, and chive. The generous amount of mushrooms was impressively stacked with great textures. The minimal amount of goat cheese was perfect for this particular pizza, as the light truffle oil and chive provided depth of flavors to accompany the crispy crust that came with a consistent crunch on every bite. Terrific combination of earthy flavors, it was by far the best mushroom pizza I have tried so far.
We also had the Puttanesca pizza ($7) that came with calamari, shrimp, capers, spicy tomato sauce, olives, fennel, and calabrian chile. Wow. The firey spicy flavors gave a great balance to the sweet cheeses, salty capers and olives. The fennel added texture, and the handful of calamari and shrimp were delicious. The crust again, was crispy with a light crunch, and flavorful. I wished there could be more seafood added to the pizza, but the combination of flavors were unsurpassed.
Next, the Vine Ripe Margherita pizza ($7) made with fresh vine ripe tomato, house made mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. Unlike other pizzerias, the flavor of basil was persistent and well integrated into every bite. I absolutely loved the taste of the olive oil on this pizza, and the melted thick mozzarella cheese was another that highlighted our meal.
On our second visit, we wanted the 8-inch Funghi pizza ($7.50) again, but this time the experience was not as outstanding as the previous. The toppings were excellent and full of flavor, but the crust was unexpectedly soft and rubbery. Since their crust was just a touch thicker when compared to Bianco, Cibo, Federal, and Pomo, it should have cooked with a little more time to bring out the char and crunch in the flavorful crust.
We also tried the Pesto pizza ($7.50) accompanied by roasted tomato, house made mozzarella, basil pesto, and pine nuts. Like the Funghi, the crust was disappointing, but this turned out to be my favorite pizza. The roasted tomato was juicy, flavorful, and came with a nice char. The house made mozzarella was excellent, especially when combined with the basil, garlic, and olive oil infused pesto sauce, and a handful of pine nuts. In subtle ways, the use of the olive oil was a good unifier to bring together an array of ingredients and flavors.
For dessert, the Tiramisu ($4 with Yelp check-in) was moist, airy, with crushed toffee added for texture in-between each bite. I wished the Tiramisu could come with a hint of liquor, but it was still a wonderful way to end a meal. Santi seemed to enjoy the White Sangria ($5) much more than the Red.
Their happy hour goes from 3-6pm daily, and the restaurant recently raised their prices by about 50 cents. Despite some inconsistencies in our experiences, I still consider this a viable option for those looking for gourmet pizzas at happy hour prices. Service was helpful, attentive, but distanced on the first visit, and lukewarm on the second. Interested diners should consider coming during the first half of the happy hour when there is ample parking available. Good for groups, families, and date nights. Reviewing this restaurant is making me to want to return soon. I would love to try their brunch items and other pizzas in the near future.
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