Storefront City Chicago

Archive for the tag “thin crust pizza”

08 Apr 2013

Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria

WHAT: Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria
WHERE: 8433 S. Pulaski Rd.

OUR RATING: Do It!

Feel like a road trip? If you’re on the Southwest Side, or perhaps on your way out of state via I-55 S, make sure you stop in for your last taste of Chicago before the rolling cornfields. Vito & Nick’s (the first location opening in 1932) has been locally owned and operated ever since, and serving extremely thin crust Chicago pizza and cheap beer. Plenty of foodies have been here before us, so this might be old news, but we’re fairly sure this pizzeria deserve a few more photons from us.

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

Adam: Bustling and traditional, Vito & Nick’s is a staple of any Chicago experience. Since it’s located slightly outside the city-proper, in the Ashburn neighborhood, it might not be on everyone’s docket list, but I can assure you that pizza doesn’t get more Chicago than this. Conviviality brims over here, with the owner, Rose, personally bringing your order to the table and trading jokes as you pass.

(vitoandnicks.com)

Of course, this being Chicago, the pizzas are HUGE and a large can easily feed four. Uniquely, they take into account that you might all have different tastes, but not want to order four pizzas. Thus, you can order a half-and-half pizza, customized as you choose. The simple cheese pizza is thin and juicy, and with a good sprinkling of red pepper, cannot really be faulted.

(vitoandnicks.com)

A selection of toppings can be added to your pizza for an additional charge of $1.75 each (shrimp $3.50). A good combination you can try: sliced beef and giardiniera. Beef is generously layered with the spicy and sumptuous giardiniera to create what should be an American classic.

Alicia: Owner Rose has pepperoni and personality, and will definitely take care of you as soon as you walk through her family’s doors. My family has frequented this establishment a few times over the last year, having heard of it last summer. This is the perfect place for a casual friend/family night out, especially if you are on the outskirts of the city. Ashburn doesn’t quite feel like the city, but who cares when you can grab a large pizza and a pint of beer for under $20?

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

We went splitsies on both of our large pizzas, and I was more than happy to dig into to a half pepperoni and half mushroom. To be honest, I was underwhelmed with my toppings, with the pepperoni being nothing special and oh-so-normal, and with the mushrooms tasting canned and a bit slimy (so I wasn’t so disappointed there weren’t many on the pizza). But it was the cheese and the ultra thin and crispy crust that made the whole experience delicious, and I was loving both centers and outside crust pieces alike.

Service was great and made me feel I was in the friendly-welcoming suburbs, and with $7 for an accompanying pitcher of beer, you can’t really go wrong.

(vitoandnicks.com)

(vitoandnicks.com)

Final Thoughts: You have to come prepared for Vito & Nick’s. With no delivery option, you have to be ready to trek out to Ashburn, and you have to have some cash in your pocket, as they don’t take cards or checks. Oh, and come super hungry, because really, that’s the only way to go. And if you’re not a proponent of the saying “Pizza’s not for breakfast,” you’re in luck: they even serve an egg pizza with five sunny-side eggs cooked right into the cheese.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 Jan 2013

La Gondola

WHAT: La Gondola (Italian Cuisine)
WHERE: 2914 N. Ashland Ave.

OUR RATING: Skip It!

(lagondolachicago.com)

You don’t have to travel to the boot of Western Europe to enjoy some amazing Italian food. Chicago is jam-packed with restaurants serving this popular cuisine, and not just in Little Italy. But next time you’re craving some homemade pasta or some thin crust pizza, stay far, far away from La Gondola.

La Gondola has two Lakeview locations, one at 1258 West Belmont Avenue and the other at 2914 N. Ashland Avenue. We don’t understand why they would place their two locations so near to one another and cannibalize each other’s market, but frankly, we couldn’t care less.

(tripadvisor.com)

(tripadvisor.com)

We made reservations at La Gondola hoping for a relaxed and intimate evening, enjoying one another’s company. When we arrived at the Ashland site we were a little surprised at its strip mall location, but undeterred. Some of the best foodie spots are off the beaten path.

The interior of La Gondola is extremely tiny, fitting a little more than half a dozen tables. Intimate? Yes, we suppose it’s pretty cozy, albeit a bit claustrophobic. The decor is nothing particularly special, but you’re able to get away from the parking-lot exterior rather well.

(lagondola.com)

(lagondolachicago.com)

Once we sat down, our night quickly got off to a terrible start, with our waiter bringing [warm, fresh] bread to our table and speaking to us in a horribly annoyed and condescending manner. We’re not entirely sure what his problem was, but again, we don’t care–just know that we were immediately put off. We’ve had our fair share of poor service (or lack thereof), so we tried to move on and instead focused on their gigantic and delicious sounding menu.

(lagondola.com)

(lagondolachicago.com)

Despite usually ordering two different things to try new flavors, we both loved the sound of the Mostaccioli Salmanate with fresh sliced mushrooms and smoked salmon in a tomato and cream sauce over mostaccioli. After ordering with Mr. Horrible Waiter, we waited what seemed like ages, only to receive two [heapingly] cold plates of salt with salmon pasta. Don’t get us wrong – we love our salt, but this was the saltiest dish we’ve ever tasted, and almost sent it back. However, after waiting such a long time and having to deal with Mr. Horrible Waiter, we really just wanted to eat and get through the dinner.

Soon ready to leave, we presented our waiter with a Groupon we had purchased. However, apparently, we were $2 off the necessary amount ‘needed to use the Groupon’ (we’ve never had that problem before), so we ordered a cannoli to try to round out the night. What did Mr. Horrible Waiter bring instead? Basically a few tiny dry rolls stuffed with minimal pistachios. Yum.

This place is way too pricey (entrees average around $20), way too rude, and way too unexceptional for you to even step foot in their parking lot, unless you plan to shop at another store in the strip mall.

It’s a perfect way to ruin a date though, if that’s what you’re after.

Posted in Eat It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
24 Dec 2012

Pizzeria Via Stato

WHAT: Pizzeria Via Stato (Part of Osteria Via Stato)
WHERE: 620 North State St.

OUR RATING: Do it!

(photo courtesy of osteriaviastato.com)

If you want to enjoy a casual meal in an intimate and traditional setting, Pizzeria Via Stato, the lunch section of Osteria Via Stato, is the perfect combination of downtown dining at lunchable prices. From delicious pizza to healthful salads, we’re sure this pizzeria will pique the fancy of even the most seasoned traveler of the Italian peninsula (and, trust us, we’ve both trekked through it).

The room was a bit dark, but tread a nice border between being intimate and fun, almost with an upscale tavern feeling. Your table, made from recycled wine boxes, is laid in a simple style, with the essential Mediterranean garnish of bread (crusty and warm!) and olive oil. As far as prices go, salads averaged at around $8, sandwiches around $10 and pizzas around $12.

Adam chose to order the simple mushroom tavern pizza. Topped with tomato sauce, mushrooms, vidalia onions, and mozzarella, this pizza’s crisp and light crust proved a welcome change from the heavy (and, might we say, stodgier) offerings of the deep dish available elsewhere in town. Although not identified specifically, the mushrooms seem to have been the common white variety and added an earthy level to the overall flavors. This was complemented by the sweet vidalias that lent this uniquely Italian dish a hint of the American. The mozzarella brought the whole confection back to its Italian routes. Overall the pizzas were generously sized and more than enough for one person (we would consider either splitting or taking some home in the future).

(photo courtesy of osteriaviastato.com)

Meanwhile, Alicia ordered the chopped salad with romaine, roasted chicken and a sweet mustard vinaigrette, which was amazingly delicious. The salad was gigantic and the roasted chicken practically melted in your mouth along with the sweet mustard vinaigrette, which fortunately did not overdress the romaine. All of this was complemented by the lovely crunch of fresh celery. They went a little heavy on the parmesan cheese, but other than that, it was definitely a must-order.

Experience an Italy more intimate than Little Italy and try Pizzeria Via Stato!

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