Stuff to eat. Mostly around St. Louis.
Noto Pizza
Pizza is the best.
It’s probably my favorite food, really. There have been very few occasions in my life where I’ve said, “no thanks, I won’t be eating that slice of pizza.” (I actually can’t think of a single one, but I’m sure it’s happened). I’ll willingly admit that I’ve eaten the worst of the worst—Cici’s Pizza—and found at least a little joy in it. I know a lot of you have a favorite type of pizza, whether that be a New York slice, Neapolitan, St. Louis-style, and so on. I do not. I like to change things up, keep it fresh—except for Chicago-style deep dish: that is not pizza, it’s a stupid, worthless casserole.
As with pretty much everything in life, simple is often best, and almost always the hardest to achieve. I believe that’s why we see so few places attempting to do a Neapolitan-style pizza. There’s not a lot of room to hide your shortcomings. If you suck, it’s obvious.
I was obsessed with Randolfi’s wood fired pizzas. That fermented dough. The perfect toppings. All of it was just magical. Then it was gone from this world. Taylor Hamilton, the pizza wunderkind, moved on to Union Loafers (which, obviously, I also am madly in love with). The Randolfi’s oven remains in that empty restaurant space, just begging for someone who gives a shit to come in and make pizza greatness.
Sorry. I started getting pizza nostalgia.
While Randolfi’s may be dead, Noto Pizza is very much alive, just like Tupac.
Calling Noto a food truck is unfair. It’s a mobile restaurant. As you can see from the photo below, it’s a trailer with a full-size wood fired pizza oven attached to it. I told them they should start a next-level pizza delivery service where you order it and they literally come to your house and make it, but they told me it was “outrageously stupid” and to “please get off our truck right now before we call the police.”
Instead, they’re just going to open a brick and mortar restaurant. Hooray! More details on that can be found in this Feast Magazine article.
Now, for the pizza nerds.
For the dough, Noto uses Italian 00 flour, high hydration (about 72%), and a 36 hour ferment. The crust is exactly what I want in a Neapolitan-style pie: it’s light and flavorful with a nice chew to it. It puffs up in the oven and gets the highly sought after leopard spotting and slightly crisp exterior, but it never loses the moist interior. The sauce is simply crushed tomatoes that have been imported from Italy. All of the ingredients, minus the fresh mozz, are Vera Pizza Napoletana approved.
There’s no question in my mind that this is one of the best pizza shops in St. Louis. They are so good. I want to throw a party where this truck rolls up to Balkan Treat Box and we all just have a great time eating wood-fired foods.
The truck typically goes out with its six classic pies, then does about four specials—many of which are never repeated again. They’re rocking that scarcity model. I loved the specials (particularly the Capo, which you’ll see below), but my favorites are in the classics category: Classico, Sophia, and American Honey. The Classico is, as you might have guessed, the classic marg—fresh mozz, tomato sauce, basil, EVOO. The Sophia is topped with fig jam, gorgonzola, caramelized onions, prosciutto, arugula and a balsamic glaze. American Honey is a standard pepperoni, finished the the extra fiery Calabrese chili flakes and a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey.
The truck is typically at the Tuesday Tower Grove Market and often at Six Mile Bridge Brewery. Find it. Eat this pizza. Report back.
CLASSICO
FRESH MOZZARELLA
BASIL
TOMATO SAUCE
EVOO
AMERICAN HONEY
PEPPERONI
MOZZARELLA
CALABRESE CHILI FLAKES
MIKE’S HOT HONEY
TOMATO SAUCE
corn Crema
LOCAL CORN & ZUCCHINI
RED PEPPER AIOLI
GARLIC CREAM SAUCE
BASIL
Capo
CAPOCOLLA
ORANGE ZEST
BEET GREENS
MOZZARELLA
Peachy
LOCAL PEACH
PROSCIUTTO
GOAT CHEESE
ARUGULA
HONEY
BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
City House
Here’s how I ended up at Nashville’s City House: a friend told me to go. I didn’t look at the menu. I didn’t even ask him what to get. He told me to go, I made a reservation. I didn’t even know that chef/owner Tandy Wilson was Nashville’s only James Beard winner.
For those who don’t know but plan on visiting, City House is in what appears to be an old house in the city (Germantown, to be specific) without much signage out front. Yes, we walked right past it like total Nashville n00bs. A local couple saw us looking for it and pointed us in the right direction. It was all very embarrassing.
We ordered a a couple dishes to start: tomatoes with cottage cheese and scrapple (I cannot resist ordering scrapple) with cucumbers, ranch, and cornbread croutons. For entrees, we picked the delightfully unique bowl of corn, rice, smoked catfish, fish sauce, cider vinegar, and peanuts—it seems like someone like Thai food—and a homey, comforting smoked chicken sugo with grits ‘al forno’.
While all of those were good to very good, there was one true stand out. Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately while I eat salads and chicken breasts to help mitigate a growing belly.
The pizza. My god, friends. The pizza. Had I known how good that damn pizza was going to be, I would have taken 30 more photographs. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have even ordered the other two entrees. I’d have just ordered more pizza.
The toppings were quality, but nothing wild and crazy: belly ham, mozzarella, Grana Padano, oregano, and chilies. Nothing outside what you’d find at Pastaria or Melo’s here in St. Louis. But that crust…
For you St. Louis readers, it comes out looking similar to a Pastaria pizza, but the main difference is the how crispy it is. You get a crunch with your bite, but you still get that nice chewy dough when you finally get to the crust. It has a unique flavor profile too—I’m not sure if it’s the flour they use, how long it’s fermented, or what.
But it’s glorious.
Tomatoes
cottage cheese
Scrapple
cucumber, ranch, cornbread croutons
Catfish salad
corn, rice, smoked catfish, fish sauce, cider vinegar, peanuts
Smoked chicken sugo
grits al forno
Pizza
belly ham, mozzarella, grana padano, oregano, chilies
Pie Hard
“We wanted to dedicate our truck to the greatest hero this nation has ever known: John McClane,” chef/owner Michael Pastor tells me. “The documentary about his actions, Die Hard, has been my favorite film since the day it came out—almost exactly 9 months after I was born.”
I tried to explain to Pastor that Die Hard was fictional, to which he responded like so:
Every time his partner, Megan Keefe, myself, or the other cooks got on the truck, he’d yell “Welcome to the party, pal!” It was funny at first, but concerning after the first few times.
Anyway, he sees the Pie Hard pizza truck as a mobile tribute to McClane—it’s American-made, it’s saving people from hunger, and it’s pretty much unstoppable (it is a modified shipping container with a full-sized wood fired pizza oven in it, after all). He says the revelation came about a few years ago when he was re-watching the film doc and McClane tells the police supervisor, “No fucking shit, lady. Does it sound like I’m ordering a pizza?!”
“When he said that, I thought, whoa, John McClane likes pizza too?”
Pastor spent a year developing his recipes, especially the crust. What ultimately won out was a slow, cold fermentation process using Antimo Caputo flour from Naples, Italy—the result is a bubbly, chewy dough, in the same vein as Pastaria and Pizzeoli here in town.
The menu has classics, like The Queen (a.k.a. a margherita) and The Vladi, a vodka sauce and meatball pie dedicated to Vladi Tarsenko, but it also has a good amount of more inventive pizzas, as well.
The Veggie, for instance, has a celery root puree based, that is topped with cherry tomatoes, preserved lemon, grana padano, and an infused honey. The Al Pastor uses a Mexican mole for its sauce, plus a queso fresco mix, slivers of pickled pineapple, and shavings of pork belly. With their reasonable prices ($9-12), it’s easy to get a couple pies to share—or, in my case, a couple pies to eat on your own.
As my night on the truck came to an end, I found myself getting more and more uncomfortable with Pastor’s obsession with Bruce Willis John McClane lines. Every few pizzas, he’d blurt out, “I’m gonna fuckin’ cook you, and I’m gonna fuckin’ eat you!”
I opted to hop off the truck with my pizzas and join local legend Mike Emerson for rosé and…uh, 5 pizzas. The last thing I heard Pastor say before I was out of earshot was, “happy trails, Hans!”
Pie Hard pizza food truck gets two thumbs up from this guy.
The Cuban
mustard bechamel, white cheddar, porchetta, prosciutto, house pickles, salsa verde
Veggie Special
The Queen
classic red sauce, mozzarella, basil
The Vladi
vodka sauce, mozzarella, meatball, pickled shallot, rosemary
Union Loafers' Pizza
Hey Spencer, didn't you already write about Union Loafers' pizza? I sure did. Back in the old days (this summer), Loafers only made pizza once a week. If you were busy on a Wednesday, you missed out. Lines were long. Life was hard. Then pizza stopped all together. Ted giveth and Ted taketh away.
After installing a new walk-in fridge and perfecting his already perfect pizza, Teddy Wilson and BMan have re-launched pizza night—and now it's Wednesday through Saturday. Lemme walk you through this menu.
You're going to start off with BMan's Italian salad. It's the only non-pizza item on the dinner menu, so you don't have much of a choice, but it's worth your dollars. This is another salad from the inventor of their lunch time Little Gem. Have faith. BMan loads it up with garbanzo beans, fennel, olives, pickled peppers, fior di latte (no provel ropes, sorry), and a delightful vinaigrette. Pair that with some bubbles or beer.
On to the star of this show: the pizza. They're wonderful. They're enormous. I've yet to have a single person tell me they didn't enjoy them, and this includes other chefs who own pizza joints. I'll go so far as to say that if you don't like the pizza at Union Loafers, you're probably better off eating Lunchables at home.
You have six options for pizza, excluding any potential specials. First up, the Classic: tomato, mozzarella, basil & extra virgin olive oil. It's a classic for a reason.
Next, the lactose-intolerance friendly Marinara. Tomato, garlic, basil, oregano & chili oil. It's like a more grown up version of their pizza rossa, available at lunch.
Pepperoni, the love of my life, is paired with Calabrian chilis, tomato sauce and mozzarella. 9 times out of 10, this is the pizza I'm getting. LOOK AT IT.
The sausage, a simple herbs, tomato & mozzarella pie.
For the more adventurous, try the mushroom. Pickled shallots, Tuliptree Creamery's Foxglove, mozzarella & oregano. Foxglove is a funky, intense cheese, so if you can't handle that, don't order this. Weakling.
Last, but certainly not least, is the spinach pizza. This is probably my second favorite, behind the pep. Maybe it's my favorite. I don't know. As I look at this picture, I think it's my favorite again. Thick cut bacon, garlic, lemon, parmesan, mozz, and a mountain of spinach.
Go eat it. You can call it in and take it to go, you can sit there, whatever. I don't care what you do, as long as it involves Union Loafers pizza.
italian salad
classic pizza
marinara pizza
pepperoni pizza
Sausage pizza
Mushroom pizza
spinach & bacon pizza
Union Loafers Pizza Night
There are a lot of things to love about Union Loafers: its bread, its lunch options, its modern-yet-classic decor, its proximity to La Patisserie Chouquette, and the adorable duo of Ted Wilson and Brian Lagerstrom (aka BMan). What I love the most is pizza night. One day, in a better world, Loafers pizza night will be every night, but for now, it's just Wednesdays. And how glorious those Wednesdays are. At 6pm, the doors fly open and the tables fill. If you're not there right at 6, whip out your phone and get in line on NoWait—because you're definitely going to be waiting. Besides pizza, your only option is alcohol and an Italian salad, which I would consider a must-order. Brian's the salad and soup whisperer, and this one—chock full of garbanzo beans, fennel, olives, and pickled peppers—proves it.
You have a choice of 5 pizzas, with prices for the classic Classic (tomato, mozz, basil) starting at $17 and running up to $25 for their spinach, garlic, lemon, bacon, and mozz pizza. Whoa, that's expensive! you're thinking to yourself right now. No, you are wrong. These pizzas are 16"+ (the same size as a Domino's/Imo's x-large) and can easily feed 2-3 people each. The first time I went, I got a single pizza for myself and ate it for almost 3 days.
Ted and BMan let me hang out during pizza night prep so I could watch the magic happen. Ted is camera shy, or possibly is in witness protection, so BMan was my focus—though that shouldn't much of a surprise, since Lagerstrom is Swedish for 'sex appeal'.
Come, let's see them in action:
After getting prep completed, BMan takes a break to listen to music, check out Instagram, and prepare his body for a three-hour pizza onslaught with a can of Perrier. This post is not sponsored by Perrier, but I wish it was. Perrier—call me.
Ted prepares the first pizza to go out. All is calm and quiet as the master gets to work. He steps back, approves of his work, and puts it in the oven. What comes out looks and smells like a pizza dream. I try to steal a piece, but Ted slaps it away with his strong, manly hands.
The crew.
Oh, and if you're going for lunch any time soon, make sure to get the chicken and rice soup and/or the rare roast beef sandwich with pickled peppers, gruyere and 'bistro sauce'.
I feel like you readers should send me cash for improving your lives so much.
Union Loafers
I'd heard the rumors for nearly two years: Ted Wilson is going to open a bakery, they'd say. It's going to be by La Patisserie Chouquette and Olio, they'd whisper. Ted's bread is better than any bread you've had before, they assured me. Years went by and not once did I see this mysterious Ted Wilson, nor did I find his bread anywhere. I'd sit at Chouquette staring longingly at the empty shop across the street while Patrick and Simone consoled me with caneles and frangipane. I gave up hope. I moved on. I filled that calorific deficit with fried chicken.
Then the flood of texts and tweets came: Ted had appeared in our time of need, much like Jesus or Gandalf, and he had bread in tow. Union Loafers was here!
It took me 2 weeks to get over to Loafers—leave off Union, like the cool guys do—which gave my chef and 'foodie' (I hate that word) friends plenty of time to ridicule me for not going there immediately.
To be honest, I didn't rush because I just didn't see how a bakery and sandwich shop could be that good.
union loafers st.louis interior
union loafers st.louis bar
It is that good. I don't know what Ted (and Brian Lagerstrom, formerly of Niche) do to their bread, but they've got me carbo-loading like I've got a race to run.
union loafers st.louis menu
union loafers st.louis bread
union loafers seasoning pork
union loafers chef ted wilson
union loafers st.louis bakery
Loafers offers six bread options at the moment—I bought them all. I've never walked out of a bakery with a bag that not only was big enough to fit a toddler in, but weighed as much. They also have a constantly evolving lunch menu made up of salad, soup, and sandwiches.
I had just watched Brian prepare a batch of pork for the oven in the back, so I had to go with the Roasted Pork Sandwich, served on a small ciabatta roll (ciabattini, son). It may sound like any sandwich you'd get at Panera or Whole Foods—roasted pork with country ham, gruyere cheese, pickles, mustard, and a garlic mayo—but it's not. It'd be like saying a Toyota is the same as an Aston Martin just because they both have wheels, doors, and an engine.
This is a lumberjack sized sandwich with meat piled up high. If you're new to eating sandwiches without processed meat or vegetables that had been vacuum sealed weeks before, you may be shocked at the wonderful flavors and textures, but don't be alarmed. This is what a ham sandwich should taste like.
Other sandwich offerings include turkey & swiss, ham & cheddar, smoked beets, and almond butter and raspberry jam. I got serious order envy seeing one of the nut butter sandwiches get delivered.
Of all my food weaknesses, few can compete with what happens when I'm near sweet, sweet carbs. In my earlier days as a fat youth, I'd come home from school and chowdown on a bagel or whatever bread we had in the house like there was no tomorrow. Coming home with pounds of bread and trying to hide it from myself had the same result.
First off, the Rye bread: organic whole rye, organic sifted wheat, caraway seeds (there's something about caraway that sings to my Jewish soul, much like Neil Diamond), sea salt and water. It's airy and hearty, screaming to be sliced and covered in some kind of meat. I felt myself morphing into a New York Jew as I ate this, looking for chopped liver or smoked tongue to put on.
The Light & Mild is what I'd describe as an everyday bread. It's base is nearly the same as the rye, just omitting the caraway and using whole wheat instead of rye, but that makes all the difference in the world. It's...well, lighter and milder.
Ciabatta is much less exciting than the other two to me, but still—tasty.
While the breads above are wonderful and perfectly suitable for expanding your waistline and thighs, the bakery's 'snacks' are much, much sexier. The comically sized pretzel didn't even make it home. I started eating it as soon as I walked out the door and by the time I walked in the door, I was just flicking the salt flakes off my shirt. It's soft. It's pretzely. It goes fantastically well with their housemade grain mustard. If they add a cheese sauce to the menu, I'll have to bring a change of pants with me every time I go.
The pizzas, formally known as pizza rosa and cheesy bread, give the pretzel a run for its money. I watched Ted make both as I slobbered on the floor of the bakery like a dog. He foolishly set them in front of me to let them cool. I had visions of just taking the whole pie (loaf? sheet?) and running out the door, but Ted seems like he's fit enough to catch me.
Pizza rosa is simple tomato and chili oil slice, while the cheesy bread is a lot like the breadsticks you get from Dominos/Papa Johns if they were fucking unreal. When I got home, I tried every bread. I cut myself a slice of the cheesy bread. I cut myself a slice of the rosa. I triumphantly put the cheesy bread in some tupperware and set it aside.
One hour later I snuck back downstairs and finished both the rosa and cheesy bread.
I've never been hungrier writing a post. Brb. Heading to Loafers.
Union Loafers
1629 Tower Grove Ave
St. Louis, MO 63110
314.833.6111
Motorino
Motorino Singapore
If you follow me on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Tinder, you know that I'm in Singapore. I've been here for just over a week and won't be back to the US until August. I've been like a kid in a candy store, hopping from hawker stall to hawker stall, restaurant to restaurant. I don't want to shock anyone with these strange Far East treats, though, so we'll start things off with something more familiar: pizza. Motorino, a New York City based Neapolitan pizza shop, has spread its wings in recent years and expanded to Singapore, Manila, and Hong Kong. After eating so much good pizza in St. Louis, I had to try it out and see how it compared.
Motorino Singapore is located in Clarke Quay, a touristy area with restaurants like "Wings", a US Air Force theme chicken restaurant, Hooters, and, in years past, a hospital themed restaurant. It's the place to go to see drunk Australians playing in a fountain made for children. The restaurant itself is small, about 10 tables inside and nearly the same on the patio.
Tables at Motorino Singapore
Interior at Motorino Singapore
Seating at Motorino Singapore
Cooks at Motorino Singapore
Like any good pizza place, the oven is the focal point, the beating heart of the restaurant. It also helps to keep the restaurant warm on cool nights - something that doesn't exist in Singapore - so it just served to make the restaurant nearly unbearably warm. You've got AC! Turn it on!
Oven at Motorino Singapore
Cooking at Motorino Singapore
We started the meal with their meatballs, baseball-sized balls of juicy pork coated with a thin, slightly sweet tomato sauce, basil, and a hint of pecorino. I could have done with more cheese (who couldn't?), but these were a big hit at the table. One of the pizza customization options was to get these on top, something I'll do if I return.
Menus at Motorino Singapore
Meatball at Motorino Singapore
Our first pizza was the Soppressata Piccante, a spicy salami pizza with chili peppers, oregano, and sea salt. (There was a yellow spotlight behind us, shining onto our table, which meant that after sunset, the pictures started looking a little wonky. Just pretend they look perfect.) I liked this one - the mix of good tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, and the salty & spicy soppressata gets my approval. I thought the topping to crust ratio was a bit off, though. You can see that the crust pieces are pretty substantial.
Their dough is, by design, breadier than I prefer, so I actually ended up not eating most of the crust. Sacrilege, I know! It was all so I could eat more of the next pizza, though! I had good intentions.
Soppressata Pizza at Motorino Singapore
Tiger Beer at Motorino Singapore
Mushroom Pizza at Motorino Singapore
Our second pizza was the Cremini Mushroom and Sausage. From the description - Gaeta olives, garlic, sweet sausage, thyme - I thought it was going to be bursting with flavor. Somehow it ended up being very one-note, essentially a cheesy mushroom toast. Everything else was overpowered (or there simply wasn't enough) to counter the mushrooms. I only had one piece of this.
Aside from the mushroom pizza, I liked my meal at Motorino, but wasn't blown away. St. Louis wins this round, without a doubt in my mind. Next up for my global pizza tour will be Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza. It's been almost two years since I've had it, but it was my #1 favorite up until I left Singapore. Will it take down St. Louis' finest? We shall see in the next few weeks.
Motorino
Merchant's Court #01-01A
3A River Valley Rd
Singapore 179020
6334-4968
Avec/Pastaria Collaboration
Pastaria doing a collaboration dinner with chef Perry Hendrix of famed Chicago restaurant Avec was bound to be a success. If you combine two great things, you're bound to create something extraordinary. Everyone knows that so well, in fact, that by 5:15 on a Wednesday, Pastaria already had a 30+ minute wait. I had expected that, so I was there early and ready to eat. I take no risks when it comes to pizza. The avec menu was available in addition to Pastaria's standard menu. I noticed a number of people around me eating only the regular items, which was surprising; you can have that any day! Get the specials!
After I finished yelling at them in my head, I checked out the avec options. The menu was 3 courses for $30, including an appetizer, pizza, and gelato.
The first of our starters was the Charred Sugar Snap Pea Tabbouleh, which was a lot like the grains you make yourself at home, except with flavor. The freekah was cooked perfectly, and the combination of the peas, radishes, olives, and oranges gave it a fresh flavor. I loved the tahini drizzled over it, adding a tang and almost bitter note. I will definitely be copying this in the future.
Menu at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration
Farro at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
Baked Squid at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
This was a wild dish: Wood oven baked squid. I actually thought we were given the wrong dish when it was set down on our table, but what they did is mix thinly sliced pieces of squid and small fideo noodles with a tomato sauce, making it hard to discern noodle from squid. That was topped with aioli and morcilla - blood - sausage and all baked together. The bottom and edges of the pasta and squid mix got nice and crunchy. I'd love it if this showed up on the Pastaria menu from time to time.
Honestly, I just came for the pizzas. If I hadn't been required to do the 3-course ordering, I would have just gotten all three pizzas. The pizza that didn't make the cut was the Deluxe, topped with taleggio cheese (wonderfully stinky), ricotta, truffle, and fresh herbs. Instead, I went for the Salt Cod Brandade pizza. I've seen a lot of unique pizzas around the world, but I have never seen a salt cod pizza.
It was so out there that I knew it was going to be good. God, the flavor of this thing. I don't know exactly what they did, but it seems like they mixed salt cod, roasted garlic, olive oil, and cheese together and spread it onto the dough. After it was baked, artichoke hearts, red onion, and arugula were put on top. This knocked my socks off. The texture of the toppings was perfect - very similar to your standard white pizza - and the flavor was a subtle mix of fish and garlic. It reminded me of something I'd see Anthony Bourdain eating in Spain and enviously lust after.
Brandade Pizza at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
Salt Cod Brandade pizza at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
As good as the brandade was (and, in case you already forgot, it was really, really good), this Chorizo-stuffed Medjool Date Pizza was better. If this was a full time menu item, I think it might even knock the Salume Beddu Nduja pizza out of the top position. Let's talk about the dates first. You can look at the pictures and see it's really hard to tell where the chorizo ends and the date begins. It's like avec has some been able to grow dates filled with chorizo (Monsanto can probably get that done for us here, Gerard!). When you bit into them, you got the sweetness of the date then the spice of the chorizo all at once. I'd marry that pizza.
If you still don't believe me, you should also know that it had bacon and a sweet & smokey piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. So many amazing layers of flavor.
Date Chorizo Pizza at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
Date and Chorizo Pizza at Pastaria-Avec Collaboration Dinner
The next time you see there's a Pastaria collaboration dinner, you need to be there. I will.
Pastaria
7734 Forsyth Blvd
Clayton, MO 63105
314.862.6603
Katie's Pizza & Pasta
As 2014 came to a close, I took some time and reflected on old posts I'd written and the photos that accompanied them. One that stood out as deserving of a revisit was Katie's Pizza & Pasta (KPP) in Rock Hill. I still remember that day vividly: it was my first time at the new Katie's and mere minutes after making my first major camera purchase (a Nikon 7100). I've been back numerous times since last February, but I'd yet to write another post, so this one actually consists of two different meals there within a span of a week.
Bar at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Inside at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
KPP has gained a lot of popularity for their weekend brunch options, and from I've heard, that is well justified. When we ate there for our Saturday lunch, they served their warm bread with a housemade strawberry balsamic jelly. Really good stuff.
Bread at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Their charcuterie board is a fun mix of local, imported and homemade ingredients. Both times I've had it, all the meats had come from Salume Beddu. Brilliant choice.
I like that they took a St. Louis staple and made it into something that fits their style with the Artichoke Toasted Ravioli. The ravioli have a nice creamy artichoke filling, but that pine nut pesto is what really sets the dish off. I straight up spooned that into my mouth after we finished with the ravioli.
Charcuterie at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Artichoke Ravioli at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Bruschetta at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Tart and bitter are two flavors I am not wild about, so the Radicchio Agrodolce Crostini wasn't really my thing. Other people I ate with enjoyed it, but the bitter flavor of raddichio and tartness of the agrodolce didn't do it for me.
The fried artichoke salad has become a staple for me since that first visit and my thoughts on it haven't changed: The mix of pistachio, goat cheese, spring greens and balsamic vinaigrette worked together brilliantly, but the best part of it were the little fried artichoke bombs. It's still true. Those artichokes are perfect.
*Your eyes are not deceiving you: there are anchovies (by request) on the salad below.
Artichoke Salad at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Before I talk about the pizza, I have to go back to my first post on KPP. I praised their dough, but as I ate there more, I realized I wasn't a huge fan. It was too bready for me. Fast forward a few months and their dough has become totally different. It's more Pastaria than A Pizza Story, which is absolutely a good thing. Look at the difference between this pizza and the two below.
Pizza at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
After seeing KPP's Corn Pizza mentioned a number of times online, I decided I had to weigh in. I was worried about the amount of toppings listed, as well as the topping choices themselves. See for yourself: roasted corn, zucchini carpaccio, goat cheese, pecorino, honey, mint, balsamic, and serrano peppers. The mint and honey threw me off, but they were barely noticeable in the finished pizza.
I can see why people like it. It's very summery and, even with the cheese, has a light taste. And you're getting all your veggies in for the day! I would recommend asking for more serranos - the heat really helps it.
At the chef's recommendation, we also tried the wood roasted chicken pizza. They took all the best parts of a roast chicken dinner - sweet roasted garlic, caramelized shallots, flavorful roasted chicken - and toss it on a pizza with some goat cheese, gorgonzola and balsamic reduction. Pretty killer non-traditional pizza right here, folks.
Corn Pizza at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Corn Squash Pizza at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Roasted Chicken at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
It's called Katie's Pizza & Pasta, so I had to try that too. All pasta is handmade by the KPP team, which seems pretty impressive considering all of the different types available. I am admittedly not a big pasta eater, but the black spaghetti stood out immediately. Squid ink spaghetti - which has a slightly fishy, slightly salty taste - is tossed with butter and garlic, then topped with prawns, scallops, clams, ikura (salmon roe) and chili flakes.
The prawns and scallops could stand on their own as delicious entrees, something many restaurants don't care about. To make sure every aspect of the dish can stand on its own is a testament to the dedication the KPP team has to turning out high quality osteria cuisine.
Black Spaghetti at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Seafood Spaghetti at Katie's Pizza and Pasta
Katie's Pizza & Pasta is a good example of a modern-day neighborhood restaurant. I don't get the feeling it's trying to be something it's not. The restaurant's fun decor and constantly changing artwork (made by Katie's husband, Ted Collier) give it a personality that make it memorable. Every time I've gone, regardless of the food's quality, the staff has been helpful and, beyond that, unwaveringly outgoing and friendly (especially Grace!). It's the kind of place that would feel comfortable for a romantic date, a friend's night out or just a place to grab a bite when you don't feel like cooking.
9568 Manchester Road
Rock Hill, MO 63119
314.942.6555
Pizzeoli Neapolitan Pizza
I told you in my A Pizza Story post that I'd be getting to Pizzeoli next and here we are. Housed in a small Soulard space, Pizzeoli has 6 or 7 tables and a small bar, but turnover is quick thanks to the lightning speed at which pizzas cook.
Pizzeoli offers a simple menu: pizza. Yes, there's a simple side salad and gelato, but the rest of the menu is just the world's greatest food, pizza. Their oven is a Marra Forni beast that sits right in the dining room, letting you watch the whole pizza making process. The set up reminded me of The Good Pie's original space, just condensed.
This picture was taken from our table, so you can see just how close to the action you can get. Hypothetically, the pizza could have been taken out of the oven on that peel and throw directly into my mouth.
Scott Sandler at Pizzeoli in St. Louis, MO
Oven at Pizzeoli in St. Louis, MO
Owner Scott Sandler manned the oven while we ate, continuously turning and moving the pizzas around for the 60 seconds or so they were in there. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a video of the whole process. For an impatient millennial like me, it's a dream come true to order something and have it come to the table 5 minutes later.
Perhaps the most important difference between Pizzeoli and St. Louis' other Neapolitan pizza shop, The Good Pie, is that Pizzeoli is vegetarian. That's right, there is no meat here. There are even a few Vegan options, which I can't remember seeing at another pizza shop in town.
We started with the Funghi, topped with crimini, shiitake, and yellow trumpet mushrooms, plus fresh mozzarella, thyme, grated parmesan and...vegan sausage. I didn't love the vegan sausage, which tasted vaguely mushroomy itself, but I didn't hate it either.
They don't skimp on the mushrooms, so if you're into them, this is a solid choice. I would get it again (without the sausage).
Yeah, this next one tasted as good as it looks. I'm getting hungry just looking at it again. Their classic Margherita gets no complaints from me. The simple combination of fresh tomato sauce, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella is unbeatable.
Margherita pizza at Pizzeoli in St. Louis, MO
15622444933_5f00f4a79c_c
Bianca Pizza at Pizzeoli in St. Louis, MO
This pizza let me get a good look at the crust and I must say, I was quite pleased. It's strong enough that you can hold it up, which may not be traditional for Neapolitan pizza (no goopy center), but that doesn't stop it from tasting good, which is what I really care about.
Our waitress emphatically recommended the Bianca, so we got that. I didn't like it.
I loved it (you got Gordon Ramsay'd!). The base is a light béchamel sauce topped with fresh mozzarella, garlic, and rosemary. When I was a youngster, I loved the more out there and creative pizzas. The kinds you see at California Pizza Kitchen. Now, as I've gotten older and wiser, I really prefer simple pizzas executed perfectly. This is one of those. I don't even normally go for white pizzas! I don't think I can resist getting this again when I go back.
Pizzeoli did not disappoint. Our waitress was super friendly and gave good recommendations, and the owner is clearly passionate about his pizza making. With a great crust and simple but high quality toppings, you're going to be getting a tasty pizza. I would add this to the upper echelon of pizza spots in this pizza-heavy town.
1928 South 12th Street
St. Louis, MO 63104
314.449.1111
Pastaria
I will use any excuse I can think of to get over to Pastaria. Birthday? Check. Promotion at work? Yep. Splurging on a very expensive new camera and wondering if I've made a huge mistake? You bet.
With my new Nikon D750 in hand, I made my way over and hopped up to the pizza bar for dinner. It's like sitting in the front row of a hockey game: all the action is happening just few feet from you. It's brutal sitting up there having pizza after pizza put down in front of you to rest. You know those videos all over Youtube of dogs balancing treats on their noses but not eating them? That was me at the counter.
Our pizza choices for the evening were the fennel salami and the day's special: béchamel, pear, gorgonzola, pancetta cotto, sage. Both were good, but the Nduja is still #1 in my heart and stomach.
The Italian Store
Arlington, VA
When my friend recommended that we eat lunch at a local sandwich shop called "The Italian Store", I was agreeable. I'm always game for a good sandwich. What I wasn't expecting was that this place would be so popular that we'd have a 20+ minute wait. This is what we saw when we walked in:
The Italian Store
So many people! Rather than being aggravated or deterred, this only made me want the food more. If some little Italian grocery in Arlington is going to have over 30 people waiting for sandwiches and pizza at any given time, I want to know why.
We grabbed numbers for sandwich/pasta ordering, then squeezed down to the other end of the store to get some of their homemade pizza. The smell of freshly baked pizza is what I imagine heaven smells like. I ordered a slice of the supreme looking one below, but all my friends got the cheese. I should have copied them. They knew what they were doing. My slice was good, but their slice was very good. Obviously this isn't any fancy pizza; this is a New York style slice. To put it in Missouri terms, it's like Sbarro but with flavor. It was gooey and cheesy, which only a fool wouldn't like, but also a little on the oily side. It would be very good football watching pizza.
pizza Italian Store arlington
meat Italian Store arlington
Italian Store arlington groceries
I went halfsies with my brother for the sandwich portion of the lunch. We picked out [symple_highlight color="blue"]The Milano[/symple_highlight] and [symple_highlight color="blue"]The Napoli[/symple_highlight], which were $7.99 & $7.69, respectively. Each of these was the "small" option, which means the large sandwiches were probably the size of a baseball bat.
The Milano, below, is their most popular sub. It's packed with two types of Italian ham, Genoa salami, provolone cheese and all your typical sandwich toppers. You have the option of a soft or hard roll, and we picked soft for both of ours. We also got both sweet and hot peppers on both sandwiches.
The Napoli was my favorite of the two. Lean capacola ham, mozzarella cheese and some delicious, spicy pepperoni put this sandwich's flavor profile closer to pizza territory than submarine sandwich, so it should be no surprised I liked it.
milano sandwich Italian Store arlington
Napoli sandwich Italian Store arlington
I didn't love the Milano, but I'd get the Napoli again. I would also get them without the veggies and dressing, because with them on, the sandwich just got too messy and unwieldy. If I ever went back to The Italian Store, I'd probably just stick with the pizza and perhaps some of their prepared pasta dishes. A big Italian sandwich like this just doesn't do much for me. I'd much rather eat the equal amount of calories in Mexican food, pizza or perhaps a really huge Bahn Mi.
3123 Lee Hwy
Arlington, VA 22201