Wake &Bake Donuts - Carolina Beach, NC

I always meticulously plan our meals while on vacation so that we don't go out for any meal too often. If you pay for breakfast every morning, that adds up quickly. I always plan on going out for at least one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner throughout the week-long vaca. Everyone from the area, or who's ever visited the Cape Fear/Carolina beach area will give you a fire-and-brimstone speaech about how great Britt's donuts on the Boardwalk is. I've never had them, so I can't say either way - but they only serve plain glazed yeast donuts, and that doesn't appeal to me. As with cupcakes and french fries, you better get pretty creative in terms of a flavor profile for me to blow calories on some donuts. the other option that popped up in my Yelp! app, though, was Wake & Bake, which had opened fairly recently. Good choice! The flavors were as colorful as the staff themselves, and my son almost had blacked out when he saw a trough of donut holes o the counter, just there for the taking. We got the cinnabomb, fruity pebbles, Wake & Bake (maple bacon), peanut butter sriracha, s'mores and strawberry cheesecake. I fully expected to swoon over the maple bacon. It was good, but the cinnabomb blew it away with all of it's buttery goodness - like the very last inner bite of a cinnamon roll when you eat it from the outside in. 5/5


Island Hots - Carolina Beach, NC
Stopped by here for a quick lunch after a visit to the Port Fisher Aquarium (which is awesome, by the way). Hot dogs w/stuff on them. Think Zombie Dogs, but slightly less adventurous with their flavor profiles. Served on a coney-style bun with all beef franks, they offer toppings like chili, pulled pork, baked beans and slaw. We all enjoyed our dogs, but my only wish is that the frank was a little bigger. Service was counter-style, quick & friendly, and your kids might go apestuff because their combos will be served on a frisbee that they get to keep. 4/5


Frank's Pizza - Carolina Beach Boardwalk, NC

New York style pizza, but a little overpriced and not impressive. Maybe we caught it on a bad night (or I was butt-hurt about the claw machine eating my money and management not offering to refund it), but it just wasn't good. The FvF family REALLY likes pizza, but this didn't do it for us. Lil FvF still had no problem polishing off a whole slice as big as the paper plate it was served on, but the grown-ups thought it was overcooked. You should be able to fold a slice of NY-style pizza. When we attempted to fold our respective slices, it crackled and the top of the crust just crumbled like a cracker. 2/5

Island Ice Factory - Carolina Beach Boardwalk, NC
Finally got the kid the damn sprinkles ice cream he wanted. For a beach, the place isn't exactly overrun with ice cream shops and for a place that makes fresh ice cream and rotates flavors, we were really rolling the dice that we could score rainbow sprinkle anything. But lo, birthday cake ice cream. I got a scoop of salted caramel, and while the flavor was just okay - the texture was rich & dense. Reminded me a bit of frozen custard. Won't be on my "MUST revisit" list next year, but that's not to say we won't go back.  3.5/5

Fish Bites - Carolina Beach, NC
Let's be very clear: I don't like fish. I'm always a sport to try it when my husband orders it, but rarely do i taste something that I like enough to order myself. That is, until my son ordered the fish sticks here and I was trying to convince him that he was full so I could have the rest. You're right on the beach here, so the first score is that you're eating fresh fish. Their fish sticks are hand-battered north Atlantic cod pieces as big as a Twinkie. I wish I would have taken photos, but I didn't expect it to be this good. You can find plenty on Yelp, though.  I ordered a margarita chicken dish that was good, but not nearly as memorable as the fish or the side I ordered - zucchini fries. I don't mean the bullshit ones you bake up at home as a healthy side to your grilled chicken. I mean julienne-cut, perfectly seasoned, batter fried goodness. I've thought about them weekly ever since. Mr. FvF also raved about his Old Bay broiled grouper and cajun shrimp. Oh, and he insists that I mention that they have Cheerwine on tap. That pushes them to a full 5/5. Also, while none of us are lobster eaters, the lobsters served here appears to be roughly the size of a cat.

The Basics - Wilmington, NC
Half a smoked chicken with a hoppin' john. That's all I'm sayin'. I mean, I'll say some more, but just gaze upon it for a minute.

Mr. FvF and I were lucky enough to be invited to the pre-opening friends & family event at the new Dewey's Pizza at Austin Landing. For you suburbanites that tend not to venture too close to downtown Dayton - I can sum Dewey's up pretty easily by just telling you it's killer pizza. Perfectly chewy crust from a Hades-hot brick oven, high quality (and several locally sourced) toppings, a few calzones and a handful of good salads. They keep the focus where it should be - on the pies. With some quirky names (like the Dr. Dre) and nicely profiled flavor combination, even the pickiest eaters would be hard pressed not to find something they love. While Dewey's pies appeal to people like me who would order something way of the pizza map like their seasonal Porky Fig (fig jam sauce, prosciutto and gorgonzola) - you can also pacify the less adventurous 'za eaters with the X-Pepperoni or just build your own.

I can get pretty wonky when it comes to pizza toppings, but the mister likes to keep it basic. Their special was The Don - all of the good Italian meats and plenty of cheese. We did that one half, and on the other half, the Meatball (pretty self-explanatory).



One of the things I love is that they're not dicks about doing half & half pies, as long as the sauce base is the same. So, if you have wildly different taste than your dining partner, no sweat. Both sides tasted amazing, but I stopped just short of hating myself...or so I thought. Did you guys even know Dewey's had dessert? I'm betting a lot of people don't, because who can suffer dessert after eating their pizza?

• Can't recall the name of the maker, but Dewey's sausage is made by a Cincy-area purveyor and can only be found on their pies.
• While the dough is fresh, it's aged 2-3 days, which gives it the chewiness that their customers love.
• Their current stores are in the major Ohio markets, and St. Louis. Never would have guessed, but apparently Dewey has family there.
• Dewey is a real guy! 
• In all of their markets, beers are also locally sourced and some are exclusive to their restaurants.
• An eatery after my own heart - they love wine so much, they made their own. I didn't get to try this because I was busy sampling beers and turning into Violet Beauregarde, but it's on my to-do list. 
• There's a good chance they're working on a gluten-free pizza dough. According to the head honchos, they won't put anything on their menu that they don't love themselves, so I'm guessing it will be more than passable.
• Those dudes in the kitchen can spin some serious dough. 

So, there's a new deal website akin to Groupon and LivingSocial called Seize the Deal.  The first email offer I got from them after signing up was for a joint called Amici's Place in Kettering on Dorothy Lane, where the old Barbie's Bistro used to be.  I didn't even know there was a new restaurant there, but apparently Seize the Deal made a bold move and offered the $20 for $10 gift certificate just as the place was opening.  Clever, because nothing will hurry me into a new eatery like a nearly-free meal.

It was a bit too hot to dine al fresco, but they do have a nice patio.  I'm actually already looking forward to next summer when I'm not making another human and can enjoy one of their signature Limoncellos on that sunny deck. We sat inside, where the tables are seemingly far fewer than outside.  I think there were maybe three or four tables and bar seating, which would accommodate half a dozen comfortably.  It's small in stature, but big on everything else important, as we soon found out.

I'd already perused the menu online, but once Mr. FvF got to check it out, we decided to get two 8" pizzas - since we never agree about what to get on a pie.  The small pizzas are $9 for a specialty and $7 for a build-your-own with three toppings.  The front house manager came and greeted us first, asking if this was our first time in, explaining their special bevvies and asking if we had any questions - then another nice fella came to take our order as he brought our drinks.  The Mister picked the Buffalo Chicken sans onions, and I opted for the Chicken Pesto, adding bacon (duh).  I also asked for one of their craft root beers, which was almost red in color and super tasty.
The food came out quite a bit faster than expected, considering the craft that goes into making a pizza like this, and looked absolutely amazing - not to mention massive.  When I think 8 inches in my mind - well, I won't tell you what that really brings to mind - but in terms of pizza, I was certainly thinking more along the lines of one of those crappy Pizza Hut personal pans.
If this pizza was only 8", I'll lick my own elbow.  There were eight solid slices, and I could barely finish three.  I seriously considered continuing to eat and just making myself ill with it, and I almost had to stage an intervention with Mr. FvF when he was eyeballing his sixth slice.  All of the ingredients were super fresh - the kind of fresh that you can actually taste.  Crispy bacon, bright tomatoes and long stretches of cheese.  Also, not the kind of fresh that gets skimped on just because they advertise fresh and locally grown ingredients that happen to cost more.  There was no shortage of toppings on these whatsoever.
The Mister's Buffalo Chicken Pizza didn't look like much, but was pretty killer, even to a gal who doesn't like hot sauce.  Heavy on the cheese (including bleu) with a sassy kick and super tender chicken.
The star of the pizzas at Amici's, though, is the crust.  Think along the lines of Dewey's, but then imagine if Dewey's had their asses handed to them by someone else.  Bubbled and raised perfectly, but not too thick or chewy.

As we boxed up our extra slices and paid our bill, the owner came over and asked how we liked everything.  I commended him on the excellent staff and food, and in an uncommon turn of events, actually told him I was a food blogger and would be giving his new venture a rave review. I don't think I've ever done that, but it was very thoughtful for him to come chat with his customers, and I feel that certain compliments deserve better than anonymous internet delivery.

So, stellar service and top-notch food - must be expensive, right?  Couldn't be further from the truth.  The price points are so spot on, that I'm hoping and praying they'll bring the kind of crowd Amici's need to stay put.  I've dined at nearly every eatery that's graced that spot in the last 8 years, and they were all overpriced and unimpressive.  I think the steepest thing on their spanking-new menu is a family spaghetti dinner for around $17.  They deliver, you can get carry-out, they have a great looking sandwich and salad menu, and they even have breakfast!  Still not enough for you?  They also host a farmer's market in the adjacent lot on Saturday mornings.

After several months of duds in the Gem City, I'm super pumped to give Amici's Place

Friday the 13th - Spooky specials at Skyline! Tomorrow, the Dayton Mall location of Skyline chili will be serving up 13 coneys for $13. Get your Pepto ready!

Christopher's Restaurant is continuing their themed Thursday dinner specials, featuring "Miami Valley Grown Meals" for $18.95 per person.

Greek Isles Deli on Airway Rd is now offering a Greek buffet on Fridays. This is word-of-mouth news, so I don't have specifics, but it's on my list of places to check out.

Had lunch at DoubleDay's in Cross Point Center again yesterday, and discovered that they have the best fried pickles...ever. They're breaded in panko and what appears to be grated parmesan cheese. Full of win.

Still working my way through the Dei Fratelli tomato products sampler that I got. Mr. FvF and I both adore these pasta sauces & salsas. No artificial ingredients or preservatives, and much lower sugar content than a lot of their mainstream competitors. They actually taste fresh, like REAL tomatoes, not like doctored up tomato paste. Looks like Dayton-area Kroger stores are carrying the brand now, too!

Last week, we decided to make a pizza out of just what we had in the fridge or freezer. I always keep Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough on hand. It's only 99 cents a bag, so I'll buy 3-4 bags at a time and freeze them. We also had a Greek-seasoned grilled chicken breast that we'd used the night before for pitas, and plenty of veggies.

You don't need a recipe to make a pizza unless you're a full-on jack-ass. But, since I'm a sweet gal, I'll tell you what it consists of. Thinly spread whole wheat dough, seasoned with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and parmesan cheese. You can pre-bake it a bit before you add the toppings, maybe about 10 minutes on 350. Once it's risen a bit, but still soft, pull it out and add your toppings. We used: thinly sliced chicken, caramelized onions, fresh tomatoes, pesto, chopped garlic and mozzarella. Bake it for another 5-10 minutes at the same temp, depending on how crispy you like your crust.

Belly up & enjoy!

I'd just recently heard tell of a little place called Pie Pizzeria, thanks to an ad my friend showed me, where the place was very clearly calling Cousin Vinny's bluff on their late night eats lockdown. Let it be known that Food vs. Face is no stranger to Cousin Vinny's, and I've eaten just as many times sober as I have, uh...not sober. And it's good pizza. It's not spectacular, but it's good, cheap, and they'll deliver until 4 a.m. I hate to be the one to tell you this, and Vinny's - I'm so, so sorry - but there's a new sheriff in town, and that sheriff's name is Pie Pizzeria.

My friend Melanie who showed me the aforementioned ad raved about the pizza, and drooled over their 8 pound stuffed pie, the Fughetaboutit. Their online menu doesn't seem to have as much info as the print one I saw, but it's enough info to make an order. It also boasts the "Bigger 10," which is a 16" 1 topping pizza, 8 breadsticks and 2 cans of soda.

After spending all day cooking in the sun at a family reunion yesterday, my sister, myself and our beaus decided no one wanted to stand around in a hot kitchen and cook, and that this would be the prime time to try the new joint. So, we ordered the Bigger 10 and an additional large pie. Note: It should be mentioned that these photos were taken of reheated pizza. The ones taken last night came out with the big-foot effect again.


I should also note that we have nearly 12" dinner plates and the breadsticks still hung over the side. I've honestly never seen breadsticks this gigantor, and to boot - they were delicious. I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Cousin Vinny's breadsticks (cheese dust and cheese sauce...om nom nom). So, Pie hasn't yet won the breadstick battle with me.

But the pizza, now that's a different story. As far as delivery goes, this is probably some of the best pie I've ever had. I never order from large chains like Domino's, but this is far better than CV's, LaRosa's, Sarpino's and maybe Corleone's. The tops of the crust (same as the breadsticks) have a parmesan-herb dusting that's divine. I'm not sure if they make their own sauce, but it's in the same category as Troni's marinara, which is saying a lot. Not too sweet, not overly salty or acidic. The crust itself is great, and almost pastry-like in its density. A lot can also be said for the perfect amount of cheese. It's not triple bypass cheese like Pizza Hut, but also not the "Hey, we perpetually just ran out of cheese while making your pizza" that Dayton-style 'za typically sports. I can't say a lot for the toppings, because we got 1 pepperoni and another pepperoni with green peppers, but I doubt they disappoint when it comes to the easy stuff.

Their specialty pies are a bit steep, but I'm sure I'll try them eventually (I'm looking at you, Bronx BBQ). But, the Bigger 10 is a great deal and somehow this stuff fills you up faster than the original Big 10 from Vinny's. Two of the biggest eaters I know (Meestor Seestor and Mr. FvF) couldn't polish off a large between the two of them, let alone by themselves. We had about 3/4 of a pie left and a few breadsticks left.

Considering their small staff and relative newness (they opened in November), delivery didn't take any longer than expected on a Saturday night - about 40 minutes, which was the estimate I was given on the phone.

On our last day in Charlotte, I met up with my friend Andy from United States of Geekdom to catch up and have lunch. I figured we'd hit the Sandwich Club again and I'd try something different - but alas, at noon on a Saturday, those assholes were closed. I realize that because of their location, they probably cater to the uptown business crowd, but they could have done Gangbusters business that day just opening for three hours.

This left us with few options, aside from Fuel Pizza, which had been raking in the dough (HA!) since late Wednesday night when the HeroesCon crowd rolled in. I was apprehensive because of the impending carb-fail, but they actually had a pretty varied menu for a small pizza joint, including wings (boneless, too), salads, apps and sides. The only problem is, perhaps because they were so busy, the gal taking orders at the counter practically bit your head off and moved on to the next in line if you didn't spit out your order within five seconds. So, I ended up getting pizza anyway because she scared the shit out of me. I ordered a combo of a side salad, soft drink and BBQ chicken pizza. Again, I wish I hadn't been so rushed because I really think I would have opted for something else, but it was the only thing I could read the sign on. The prices were pretty fair for the area, too - about $6.85 for my combo.

Not surprisingly, I forgot to snap a photo before digging in, but the consensus was that my pizza was dry and not impressive, and the pepperoni slices that Andy got were just greasy enough and pretty delicious. I really should have tried a bite of his, since he was acting like Karen Carpenter and picking away at his slice. My salad was just a salad, nothing to write home about. Some chopped iceberg, a few tomato bits and a tiny bit of shredded carrots.

It was a very hurried lunch, so I almost feel guilty giving them a sub-par rating, but given that they knew this rush was coming (the Con is held right across the street every year), they could have beefed up on their service to render the one girl working counter a bit less bitey.

A week or so ago, the Mister and I headed to Trader Joe's, specifically for their wheat pizza dough. We ended up grabbing a few other things, too, and I know you're dying to know what I thought of them.


Peanut Satay Sauce - Meh. It's not exactly what I was looking for - too salty or too much soy sauce. But, I did use a few tablespoons to perfect the already great peanut sauce recipe I've been making.

Trader Giotto's Classic Marinara - Fantastic. Only about $2 per jar, and aperfect accompaniment for things like calzones, stromboli and bread sticks. A little Italian place in Kettering has some of the best red sauce I've ever had, and this is pretty comparable.

Chicken Mai Shu - EW. Just, ew. I fixed up half the box, by the box's microwave-only instructions. The flavor was so-so, but the texture was gnarly. I'm going to try the microwave steam again then toss them in a pan to crisp up and see if the other half turns out better that way.

Pepperoni - I don't remember the brand name, but it was the best pre-packages pepperoni I've tasted. Lean, not greasy, and great flavor.

Wheat Pizza Dough - At only 99 cents a bag, I'm going to go back and clean them out of this stuff. Some wheat dough tends to be too sweet for it's own good, but this was as close to perfect as it's going to get without making it yourself.

Saying you don't like Cassano's Pizza in Dayton is treated a lot like blasphemy. Growing up in Miamisburg, local pie-makers Cassano's and Ron's were the only pizza parlors we had to choose from. No pizza Huts, no Dominos, really - no chains at all. I never really liked Cassano's, but didn't figure out why until years later. A lot of folks say the first slice (or square, for that matter) of pizza you have and remember as a child is what you'll consider pizza forever. Doesn't exactly ring true with me. I was raised on Dayton-style pizza - thin crust, salty sauce, less than copious amounts of cheese, and greasy as the day is long - but developed much more of a taste for wood-fired Neopolitan pizzas with blistered crusts, fresh mozzarella and sweeter, lighter sauces. But, "Dayton style" pizza seems to be the same type of phenomenon as Cincinnati-style chili. People raised here that have moved away pay big bucks to have it specially shipped to where ever they're living now, while new-to-towners just don't see the appeal.

It had been years since I'd had the famed Dayton Cassano's pizza. For the kind of pie you're getting, it's on the pricey side. Starting around $10 for a small specialty and up to $18.99 for a large one-topping. Since we're always ballin' on a budget in this house, I I decided to try my hand at their weekly contest on twitter to WIN a pizza so Mr. FvF and another gal pal that's new to Dayton could say they've tried it without breaking the bank. Naturally, I won, so we decided to get pizza this Sunday when we were all reeling from the busy and cocktail-laden day we'd had before. I used my freebie for a large pepperoni, and also got a small Hog Wild pizza, with ham, bacon and sausage. Between the small specialty, delivery fee and a tip, I still spent close to $15.



Turns out I'm still not all that crazy about Cassano's. I wanted to give it another try and be impressed - I really did, but it just didn't happen. A lot of the toppings on the Hog Wild pizza tasted burnt, but it was still better than the very greasy and monstrously salty pepperoni. One of their trademarks is dusting the bottom of their thin crust with kosher salt, which is just TOO much - considering how salty the sauce already is. It wasn't far from the memory of the last time I ate it, bordering on 10+ years ago, which I recalled being a lot like soggy saltines with tomato paste and part-skim mozzarella.

If I really feel nostalgic and obligated enough to eat the Gem City's trademark style of pizza, I'll stick with Marion's. For the most part, though, I'll stick by the old adage, "When we cut our pizza into squares, the terrorists win."

Everyone likes steak, and everyone likes pizza. Unless you're a communist, then you probably only like food that's of someone else's labor, and free for the taking. In fact, you're probably a dumpster diver, which means you never get steak or pizza, because only a retard would throw those out.
these to delightful food groups encompass the two most-craved items in my house, so I figured, why not get them together and see what kind of hot action ensues?

For the recipe, more photos and info on communism, follow your nose to Man-B-Que.

• Cousin Vinny's Pizza is expanding yet AGAIN. Co-owner Rick Allen will open his sixth location in the York Commons area of Vandalia. He also claims he's looking to open two more stores in 2010, including one South of town - maybe Miamisburg. He's also eyeballing Englewood, Beavercreek, West Carrollton, Springifled and Springboro. At their rate they're picking up speed, I'd say all of those burbs will be begging for the own Vin's soon enough. The new North location will also be the first to showcase the "new" CV concept, which will focus more heavily on in-house dining and seat about 60 people. Did you know that Allen also earned the title "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" at the 2009 World Pizza Games in Vegas? Take that, Dayton haters. "Whaaaaaa!!! We don't have anything! There's nothing cool here!" Well, we have a dude that can make pizzas in 22 seconds, so choke on that, nay-sayers.

• Speaking of pizza, there's a new joint opening in Kettering - Mama Mimis' Take & Bake Pizza. Same concept as Papa Murphy's, but on the fancier side. They're menu also sports salads, desserts, and something called "Spa pizzas," which are half the fat, calories and carbs of their regular pies. It's located in Castle Hills, which is at the corner of 48 and Stroop Rd.

• Taste of Greene County is coming up in the next couple of weeks. Tickets are $18 in advance ($22 the day of) and the event will be held at the Nutter Center. If you're not familiar with this kind of things, you pay $18 at the door, and you walk around and eat food all day. So, for a paltry $5, you get to munch your way through offerings from:

It seems to have become a habit that we pick up a pizza before or after our big grocery shopping night lately. Earlier this week, my buddy Josh (a devout Atheist/humanist) told tales of a magical pizza that he'd "go to church for." He said it was made up of feta, garlic, bacon, paper thin red skin potatoes, and unicorn tears, among other things. So, the debate of where we'd get a pizza from was very quickly settled.

For those of you not familiar with the Dayton landmark of Cousin Vinny's, let me share a little Gem City history with you. Years ago when I rented a house near the UD ghetto dubbed Rowdy Palace, a drunken stumble from the ever-lovin' Tank's Bar & Grill, there was a little joint across the street called Cousin Vinny's. It actually went through a handful of name changes before it became that, but I drank a lot back then and it doesn't matter anyway. What mattered is that you could go get a large, one-topping pie there for $5. My friend Jenkins and I would frequently meet up there and split one. The strange thing is, it was always pretty good pizza. Anymore, when you hear "$5 pizza," you're reminded of Little Caesar's - or even worse, the box of hot diarrhea that Domino's calls food.

Serving late night, up until 4 a.m. (a big deal for people in mid-sized markets where joints just don't stay open that late), being close to a college AND having the smarts to send their guys into bars and clubs at closing time hawking those $5 pies, CV made quite a name for themselves. They've recently opened their fifth store in the unpolished Gem and are making a damn killing all hours of the day and night. I think they should change their motto to: "Cousin Vinny's: It's not just for drunks anymore!"

The really important point I'm trying to make here is that this new pizza, the Crimson & Cream, will melt your face off. Original Vinny's crust, Alfredo sauce, roasted garlic, mozzarella, cheddar & feta cheeses, bacon, and thinly-sliced red potatoes. I'm investing in some noise-cancelling headphones for Mr. FvF, because even a girl with a gluten allergy needs to get down on a pizza like this.

Ryan Adams trumped Wilco by getting a pizzeria devoted to his music.
See, some crazy Wilco fans have already taken the band's songs and turned them into both their namesake and menu at Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company in Toronto.
In the battle of pizza vs. sammiches, Jeff and Ryan will now face off in an all-new arena.
A Greensboro, NC eatery has been discovered called Sticks & Stones Clay Oven with menu items such as the "Bar Lights" tapas plate, "Firecracker" pizza and the "Damn, Sam" salad.

The menu looks limited, but pretty damn good. We might have to make a detour on the way to Charlotte for HeroesCon in June to check it out and give you a full review. And yes, HeroesCon is a nerd convention. And no, I'm not dressing up as any character besides Joan Holloway, which is not exactly a costume. Mr. FvF will be signing his very fancy artwork for all the fanboys, and I will be in the hotel hot tub with my best friend Stoli. He's Russian.

As I mentioned in the PB cookie post, our fridge and cupboards were barren, since today was the day for Krogering. I remembered that South Park Tavern has half price 14" and 16" pies on Monday nights, so take a wild guess what we had for dinner.

We ordered the Fresh Spinach & Tomato, added chicken, and got it on their new wheat crust w/olive oil instead of marinara.


Mr. FvF isn't a huge veggie fan, but we both thought it was aces. The only thing I would change is adding a bit more salt in the wheat dough, or even dusting the bottom with kosher salt. I think the wheat crust is relatively new, and they may still be monkeying with the recipe - so I'll cut them some slack on that one. Service was friendly, attentive, and quick, even though it was packed. And you sure as hell can't beat that deal - ur bill topped out at just over $11.
4.5 out of 5 sporks! (Just because I've been throwing around a lot of fives lately doesn't mean 4.5 isn't still very, very good. I'm not easy to please.)

We also ran into the super-friendly Kyle Melton from The Buddha Den, who's been kind enough to feature Food vs. Face on his kick-ass local music blog in the past. Don't forget about the music showcase NTRO/XPO that Buddha Den puts on at South Park Tavern on Tuesdays!

The definitive pizza blog Slice recently posted their first quiz.

I scored a measley 50%. They claim it's easy, but some of the questions were pretty unexpected. How's your pizza knowledge, lunchbox?

The Kettering Moraine Oakwood Chamber's Women in Business met at Figlio (pronounced fee'-lee-oh) in Town & Country Shopping center for their monthly networking luncheon, and I was super excited, since I'd never been there and heard a lot of great buzz. Plus, I already know they have wood-fired pizza ovens, which is good enough for me.

The decor in the place is muted but classy, and the layout is interesting and fun. So, right to the important stuff: the food was fantastic. There was a mixed baby greens salad with pine nuts, gorgonzola & sun-dried tomatoes in a vinaigrette. I love salad and I get all tingly when I see pine nuts, so I was into it. I sampled a little bit of the pasta, but only a spoonful because I wanted to save my carb overload for the pizza. The pasta dish (Chicken Diablo, I think) was simple, but perfect. Penne in a spicy tomato cream sauce with wilted spinach, fresh tomatoes, grilled chicken and I may have detected some tiny bits of onion and/or bacon in there. Very similar to one of my own favorite dishes that I make for dinner when Mr. FvF isn't joining me.

Finally, a cell phone camera that takes a decent picture!

The pizza won my heart, just like I knew it would. The toppings were fresh and flavorful and the crust was an absolutely perfect rustic Neopolitan - perfect in a way that only a wood-fired oven can produce. Just crispy enough, just the right amount of chew.
These folks really like to starch it up, so things capped off with one of the top five tiramisus I've ever had.

Figlio's owner Peter Danis was our host and speaker, and was just as lovely as the food. His stories about his family and how he got into the restaurant business (via real estate law) were so genuine and entertaining. He gave all of the gals a great, simple bread recipe (which you can watch Peter make on YouTube) and a voucher for a freebie Peasant Salad (brought into Figlio from the Old Peasant Stock menu).

Although lunch didn't come out of my pocket today, the prices are still pretty reasonable. You can check their website for the menu with pricing, too. Given my mild gluten intolerance, I won't be able to frequent Figlio, but I certainly can't wait to go back.

5 out of 5 sporks!

I met a few friends here last night to grab a post-work drink. I'm not the world's biggest beer lover, so a pub that specializes in beer-lover's beers isn't exactly right up my alley. But here's the rub - they serve Pizza Factory pie. I hadn't had a slice from there in ages, since I worked at a bar downtown and we'd order in. I was supposed to be waiting to have dinner with Mr. Food vs. Face, but I couldn't resist grabbing a slice of my sister's Hawaiian style pizza. Pizza Factory has a crust to die for. I'm not sure what kind of ovens they use, but it's a perfectly blistered near-Neopolitan.
I really, really wish I had planned ahead and brought my camera to take a photo of this little lovely. Ham, bacon, pineapple and just enough cheese on a perfect crust.

I also ordered up a Samuel Smith's Organic Raspberry Ale, which was aces. It came in a gigantic bottle that allotted almost 3 pilsners worth of beer, and rang in at just under $5. It's not nearly as sweet and candy-like as Lindeman's Framboise Lambic (which is basically not at all beer, but I love it all the same), yet much sweeter than the Raspberry Ale they used to serve at Thirsty Dog. When it hits your nose, it almost smells of sour raspberries, but don't let that deter you. It's light to medium in body and pours a dark maroon color with a very sweet, mild malt. If you dig fruity brews, give this one a whirl. For those of you that like non-sissy beer, South Park Tavern normally keeps 18 specialty crafted microbrews on tap and over 100 other beer and wine options to choose from.

Making the experience all the more pleasant, our waitress was top notch. Often when I go to a joint meant for beer snobs, my indecisiveness is met with a scowl. However, our server at SPT didn't tap her foot or looks at her watch while I lamented over the menu, and even made a few recommendations.

4.5 out of 5 sporks!