what do I know

Last weekend, we went up to St. Augustine to visit some family and see the historic district. We had a great time and when lunch time came around we were starved. My brother said he had heard of a good pizza place on St. George Street called Pizza Time, so we decided to give it a shot. Most of the restaurants in the area seemed to be geared towards tourists, so our hope was that Pizza Time would be different.

I have to give it to the owner of Pizza Time, he’s a smart business man. The shop is small and people are routed in through the front door to stand directly in line in front of prepared pizzas, stromboli’s, calzones, and garlic knots. The food is presented nicely (and looks appetizing) and the shop is lined in murals and pictures advertising its Brooklyn, New York style of food. As you order you wait in line for your food to be heated unless you get a whole pie, in which they’ll bring it to your table. By the time your food is ready and you pay, you find out they accept cash ONLY, but no fears, there is an ATM right next to the cash register for your convenience. This is an all to common tactic for tourist heavy establishments in Florida no matter the theme, the owner gets a kickback as well as the ATM company. We ordered a slice of cheese (~$2.50), a sausage parmigiana roll (~$5) which came with a side of sauce, and a couple of fountain drinks (~$2 each). The slice was sizable, really greasy, and by no means the New York style pizza I’ve come to know; someone should tell them that just because you can make a big pizza, it doesn’t make it authentic. The sausage roll didn’t have much sausage in it, but for the price didn’t taste that bad. The sauce was flavorful but really salty, so I didn’t find myself using it much. We also tried the garlic knots, but as with everything else, they failed to stand out.

As we were leaving, we noticed the man we saw on our way in (that told us “Oh this place has the best pizza in all of town”) was getting free slices from the manager. He was also standing outside (at least as long as we were there) telling other people Pizza Time had the best pizza he’d ever eaten. Hmm … I’ll let you draw your own conclusion, but props to whoever came up with that idea. In any case, Pizza Time was what you can expect from your typical touristy pizza place. Nothing stands out and you have to be conscience that you have enough cash on you to eat. That being said, the staff was courteous and we didn’t have trouble getting a table. I’d give the experience a “meh”.

Pizza Time is located at 124 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida.

Well, another Friday night and we wanted pizza. There are plenty of places that we know of which can satisfy this craving, but it was time to try out a new place. Primavera Italian Restaurant was the pick this week. Primavera is located in the YMCA plaza on Wickham. Every time we swing pass by the restaurant it is packed, so we figured this has to be a good sign.

We showed up during the dinner rush but were seated promptly in the back, near the kitchen. We ordered a large pie with cheese (~$10), an order of garlic breadsticks (~$2), a side salad (~$3) with garlic parmesan dressing, and a couple of sodas (~$2 each). The salad came first and was a bit lacking with one cucumber, one tomato, and a few carrot shreds over iceberg lettuce. The dressing however was really good being made of a combination of parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and oil (I’m guessing). The breadsticks were baked fresh for the table with a buttery, garlic flavor that’s easy to enjoy. All was actually going pretty well until the pizza came. We were really hoping for a New York style pizza, but we were met with a pretty bland rendition of cheese, sauce and dough. The pizza was hot so that was nice, but the sauce tasted like something from everyone’s favorite canned chef. After one slice each, we decided to end the meal. I will admit it was tastier cold, but all pizza starts to retain a certain flavor once its chilled. As we were leaving, they had fresh baked loaves of bread that you could take home with you on the counter, so that is a plus. I would like to note that our waitress was also very attentive, so that is definitely another plus.

After some discussion, we’ve decided that we’re going to give Primavera another shot but next time stick to the entrees instead. I’d suggest staying away from the pizza though, it wasn’t a good experience. Hopefully we can find something we like next time. If anyone has any suggestions on what to try, I’m definitely open to hearing them. For now the jury on Primavera Italian Restaurant is still out.

Primavera Italian Restaurant is located at 6300 N Wickham Rd #122, Melbourne, FL.

Well after getting back into town, we decided to end our trip with a visit to a good and reliable Melbourne establishment, Leaning Tower of Pizza Restaurant off of Wickham Road. Leaning Tower has been around for over 23 years, and of that time, my wife’s family has been patronizing them for over 20 years; heck, I’ve been going for over 3 years and love it. Leaning Tower is a family owned business that offers New York style Italian cuisine for reasonable prices. The restaurant is small, but the staff is courteous and very attentive. We quite frequently call our order ahead so it’s ready for us when we sit down and today was no exception.

We ordered the All Beef Stromboli (~$7) which comes baked with sauteed onions, ground beef, fresh spices, red wine, black olives, and mozarella and comes with a side of sauce. We also ordered the Hot Steak Sub (~$6) with peppers (+$0.50) which is made with real steak, onions, and provolone cheese. The sauce, although not as hearty as some may like, is very flavorful and tastes great. In the past we’ve also ordered their tossed salad for the table and it’s a great iceberg lettuce salad with tomatoes, red onion, and carrots; I like their Italian dressing too. If you’re in the mood for pizza, they make a great New York style pie; we order a large with cheese (~$11) for lunch sometimes and really enjoy it.

Leaning Tower is a true Melbourne establishment with great food. They’ve focussed on staying a small and quality establishment that produces a consistent product. They truly do abide by their motto, “NOTHING FANCY, Just Good Food!” If you haven’t tried them yet, stop by and visit.

Leaning Tower of Pizza Restaurant is located at 681 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne, FL.

The classic problem: its a Friday night, you don’t want to cook, and you feel like pasta. When you live in the Melbourne area you’ve got lots of choices, so when in doubt I always like to look close to home. In the Suntree area alone, I can think of 5 different Italian places that my wife and I have been to and enjoyed. This Friday’s choice was Amici’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria.

If you’re looking for the true New York Italian experience, look no further than Amici’s. This restaurant is a recent addition to the Suntree area bringing a great selection of pizza and classic Italian dishes to the area. Every time we go the staff is extremely friendly and attentive. As we dine, we always notice the owners/managers out on the restaurant floor greeting patrons with the traditional kiss on the cheek. Even though we don’t have the same relationship with the staff, you get a great feeling of welcomeness and hospitality. The restaurant itself has a split floor plan with one side being dedicated to take-out and the other being a more traditional restaurant and bar. The floor plan is very open and the restaurant is noticeably clean. They’ve also got a nice selection of draft beer, including Peroni, as well as some nice Italian wines by the glass/bottle.

To start, every table, regardless of whether you order a sandwich or an entree, gets a generous helping of dried herbs drenched in olive oil with freshly baked bread. I’ve noticed that this has become common fare in most Italian restaurants, but Amici’s does it well. This time around we ordered the Chicken Parmigiana Sub (~$7), the Tortellini Della Nonna (~$13) which came with a salad, and a Sprite (~$2). The salad came first; it was a generous portion of baby spring greens topped with a few juicy tomato quarters, cucumber, red onion, and black and green olives. It was enough for us to share. The food came shortly after we finished the salad and was piping hot. The sub was a giant 12″ hoagie with huge breaded, pan fried chicken cutlets topped with mozzarella cheese just the right amount of their red sauce. The tortellini are filled with cheese and come with fresh mushrooms and peas in a pink cream sauce. We don’t like to order pasta out, we prefer a healthier multi-grain or wheat option that usually isn’t available, but “wow”, who cares. The pink cream sauce so good that it was worth ever carb (because I really count ;)). We cleaned the plate and then continued to dip bread into the remnants of the dish because we liked the sauce so much. It’s a definite “must order” item for anyone visiting Amici’s. We were too stuffed to try dessert or coffee, but the selection looks extremely appetizing. In the past we’ve also ordered the veal parmigiana sub (~$7) and a medium cheese pizza (~$12) and we weren’t disappointed.

Amici’s is a great local establishment and my wife and I consider ourselves lucky that it is so close to the house. I have an Italian mother-in-law that makes some of the best and most authenticate Italian dishes I’ve ever eaten; Amici’s comes really close to competing. With a great atmosphere, great people, and great food, you can’t lose by visiting Amici’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria.

Amici’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is located in Suntree at 7720 North Wickham Road, Unit 120, Melbourne, FL.

NOTE: Amici’s for dinner is always packed with an average of a 30+ minute wait, so make sure to call ahead or take the early dining route.