Month: October 2021

Piece – Chicago, IL

When visiting Chicago, I asked some locals where they like to go for pizza. It was suggested I check out Piece. They offer woodfire pizza and a large selection of beers. So, if locals like this place, I thought I should check them out.

Piece is a great place to go to watch sports. There are tv’s all over the restaurant. There is also a great amount of natural lighting that make the restaurant nice and bright.

I could smell the pizza as soon as I walked in. I was getting so hungry. Knowing it would take a little longer to get the pizza, I made sure to place my order right away.

While I waited for the pizza, I also got the goat cheese starter. The fresh goat cheese was baked in the homemade marinara sauce and a drizzle of olive oil and oregano. They served butter toasted French bread on the side.  I spread the creamy goat cheese on the bread and then put on a layer of the marinara sauce. The cheese had a tangy taste to it, which is very different from the taste of mozzarella. The marinara sauce had a great flavor from the oregano that was added in. The bread added a nice crunch and was the perfect vehicle to eat this dish.

My pepperoni pizza came out just as I was finishing the goat cheese. It was perfect timing. This pizza was a lot larger than I was expecting. I ordered a medium that was supposed to serve 2-3 people. This pizza could easily serve 4-5 people.

The crust was not too thick and not to thin. It was just right and had an awesome crispness to it from the oven. There were a few scorch marks on it that added a slight smoky taste. The pepperoni was also crispy form the oven. The saltiness from the cheese and pepperoni complemented the sweetness from the crust.

Piece was indeed a great place for pizza. It is not far from a train stop so it is easy to get to and from the location. If you are in the Chicago area, check them out. Visit their website at www.piecechicago.com

Enjoy!

T

Denino’s Pizzeria – Brick, NJ

If you are looking for some good Italian food that is quick, Denino’s Pizzeria is the perfect place. All the locals are visiting this restaurant.

Thy have a couple of items that are always my go too. The arancini is one of the best (outside of Brooklyn). They are jumbo in size. The middle is loaded with meat and peas and filled with extra cheese. When you slice it open the cheese starts to pour out. I covered it wit the homemade pasta sauce that came on the side. The sauce blended with the cheese which made each bite more filling. You can eat this as a meal, but it is also great to share this dish as well.

The meatball sub is also a great lunch item. I did not eat the whole thing, but I did try some of the meatball itself. The meatball was dense with the meat blend they used.  They did not use too much of the filler like breadcrumbs. The seasoning in the meat was savory, which paired well with the tanginess from the pasta sauce. Each bite was moist from the meat and sauce combo.

For my main dish I ordered the chicken piccata. This is not on their regular menu. This was a special day because chicken piccata is one of my favorite dishes. They cooked two large chicken breasts in an awesome lemon butter sauce. They put in a ton of capers and onions for extra flavor. They also included artichokes. These were a nice addition that I have never had before. The chicken was tender and moist. The artichokes added texture and an extra tangy taste along with the capers. All of this was on a pile of spaghetti. The portion was huge and could easily be shared. Or take it home for lunch the next day.

Denino’s is a great go to place for Italian. They have a great menu of staple dishes plus they always have a few specials. Check them out at www.deninosbricknj.com

Enjoy!

T

Crab’s Claw Inn – Lavallette, NJ

A couple of years ago I got to visit Crab’s Claw Inn near the beach in Lavallette, New Jersey. I was lucky to get to go back recently. The place was packed. I really lucked out and got a seat at the bar right as someone was getting up to leave.

I started off by ordering a red sangria. It was Friday and I deserved to start the weekend off right. It was a big glass and cold which was perfect for this hot summer day. They used a nice, smooth red wine to make the sangria. They also used an assortment of fruits to blend with the wine.

The first dish that was ordered was the Tuna Nachos. This reminded me of a deconstructed tuna roll that was missing the rice and just put on top of a crunchy wonton. The tuna was tender and slightly seared on the outside. The ponzu sauce they covered the tuna with added a fantastic, sweet taste and it complemented the tuna perfectly.

The clam chowder was the perfect size cup. Not too big, but enough to satisfy my taste. The chowder was extremely creamy. They used big pieces of tender clams throughout. There were not too many vegetables in this chowder, so I was able to enjoy the clams.

The Mussels at Crab’s Claw are amazing. They are cooked in a garlic butter sauce. The mussels were tender and full of garlic flavor. There was so much garlic butter left in the bowl that I needed to ask for a little more bead. I could not let this garlic butter do to waste so I soaked it all up with the bread.

The food was fantastic. I am glad I got to make another visit. Check them out at www.thecrabsclaw.com

Enjoy!

T