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| - I think I may have discovered pizza nirvana.
I am a firm believer that a restaurant should pick something- and do it well. Il Bosco embodies this philosophy completely. The place is small and cozy, with a warm, rustic environment. The menu is simple with very few options- which I appreciate. It's even written by hand by an Italian calligrapher (then copied, but still!)
We were immediately served a small plate of olives upon being seated. I hate olives, but I appreciated the sentiment! I even worked up the nerve to try one, but it just confirmed that I do, in fact, still hate olives. The homemade bread and seasoned olive oil that followed was fantastic though.
My beverage of choice was sparkling water, which even that is made in house! It was served in a pretty glass bottle, tastefully etched with their logo. It was a little spendy at $4, but it was nice to have the bottle at the table to refill my cup as needed. The drink really was the only thing that was a little high priced, the pizza and appetizers were VERY reasonable- low even.
I opted for a plain cheese pizza with red sauce and basil. I had sort of high expectations after seeing that this place only had 5 star reviews, but even still I wasn't disappointed. I've had wood fired pizza at a number of places in Arizona, and this one really stands out to me. I think I could safely say that this is my favorite pizza in the valley. The crust is perfect. Not too fluffy, not too thin. Crispy parts, with doughy bubbles that are chewy in the center. The sauce was the perfect balance of savory and sweet, and I could taste a hint of red wine. The cheese was out of this world. I actually meant to ask the owner (who was waiting on us) about what made the cheese so fantastic. I will next time for sure.
They knew my dessert weakness, and had creme brulee with berries on the menu. I couldn't resist. I went against the owner's recommendation of the Lemon dessert, and I'm glad I did. The creme brulee was amazing, and each berry on top was ripe and sweet.
Seriously, I have no complaints about this place. It was a great date night dinner and I enjoyed my experience from start to finish. I can't wait to go back!
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