Budding promise at this new pizza place

• Name + address: The St. Rita, 753 Bank St.

• Type of food: Pizza and Mediterranean fare

• Appetizers: $12-$14

• Mains: $19-$40

• Diet: Meat, seafood and a good selection of vegetarian dishes

• Wheelchair accessibility: One step up to entrance

• LCBO Licensed: Yes

• Website: www.thesaintrita.com

Back in February I stumbled across a new pizza place that once had been Anthony’s on Bank St. It’s nestled between two other favourite places, Cantina Gia and Haven’s Creamery.

I stuck my head in and was greeted by the owner who told me they’d only opened three days ago and that at the moment they were only open for dinner.

I made a mental note to check back in with them later so that their team could work out any service or recipe details.

St. Rita is an inviting space evoking an old world Victorian chic. Their menu is decidedly Mediterranean with Greek lentil soup, Lebanese hummus and pasta dishes rounding out their pizza-centric menu.

I was there for takeaway and in addition to the truffle mushroom and margherita pizzas, I had intended on ordering a caesar salad and for dessert, the Cypriot roasted fig and fresh citrus salad. Sadly I was informed that only pizzas could be ordered as take out items.

Well at the very least I would enjoy two wood fired traditional pizzas at home and perhaps even a late afternoon glass of Chianti.

The pizzas looked good and the truffle aromas filled the living room as soon as the lid was lifted on the box. 

I tried both and noted similarities between these two very different pies: both had a faintly bitter finish and both seemed to be lacking salt. To say that the seasoning was mild would be overstating things.

Due to an accident of birth, I have an acutely sensitive palate especially around the bitter end of the spectrum so it’s a taste sensation that jumps out at me. Salt being absent however is curious. I added fleur de sel to both and the experience was night and day. So much better.

The dough didn’t have sufficient structural integrity to hold a slice without flopping. It was however delicious and I found myself eating the crust because of both the taste and chewy consistency. It would have been perfect for dipping into a bowl of Lebanese toum (garlic sauce).

In fairness I think that most people have the idea that pizza is the easiest thing in the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are many considerations in creating the perfect dough and it can take years to develop the finesse required to become a great pizzaiolo. 

St. Rita shows promise and I expect they will continue to work on the recipes in the year ahead.

REVIEW

Pizzeria da Romolo delivers delicious value

• Name + address: Pizzeria da Romolo, 410 Bank St.

• Type of food: Pizza

• Appetizers: $11-$15

• Mains: $17-$20

• Diet: Meat and vegetarian options. Gluten free crust and vegan cheese also available

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• LCBO Licensed: Yes

• Website: www.pizzeridaromolo.com

I first noticed Pizzeria da Romolo last summer and promised myself that this was a spot I would visit. Well I’m glad I finally got around to it.

You can dine-in but most people view it as a takeaway. The service is very friendly and the food is a bargain by any standard. 

As if it couldn’t get any better, Pizza da Romolo offers $12 pies between noon and 4 pm on weekdays. And if you appreciate classic Neapolitan pizza, this will become a short-list destination.

I ordered a Napoletana (San Marzano tomato, fresh basil, mozzarella, oregano, roasted garlic, anchovies, olive oil) and a Pompeii (San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, green olives) and both had a judicious amount of toppings to provide just the right amount of flavour on the very good crust. 

The whole-clove roasted garlic on the Napoletana was perfectly done, sweet and creamy without any acrid notes and it had just the right amount of anchovy so that the salt was balanced with the rest of the pie.

Again everything harmonized nicely on the Pompeii, although I had hoped for green olives that didn’t have pimentos. It’s just a personal peeve.

From the time I walked through the doors to the moment I left, not ten minutes had passed. That’s what it should take for two Neapolitan pizzas and I learned that at Pizzeria da Romolo they know what they’re doing. 

The two key pizza ingredients, the sauce and crust, are very good and I was made to feel that this is a place to which I want to return. Not just for the food but the welcoming atmosphere.

Suggested stories

• Do you really know what’s in truffle oil? This article from Reader’s Digest gives you an eye-opening report on what you’re really getting.

• Taste Atlas has an amusing list of the most popular pizzas in Canada.

• What is analogue cheese? Chances are you’ve eaten it and Research and Reviews of International Journals has some useful information here.

DRINK OF THE WEEK

The world-class value of Castello di Radda Chianti Classico

Castello di Radda Chianti 2019 | Italy | LCBO Code # 16448 | $23.95 | 750 ml, 14% alc. | 2 g/l res. sugar 

I’ve been collecting wine long enough to reflect fondly on the good old days when you could get a top wine for under twenty dollars and cellar it for twenty years. Many of these same wines have now more than tripled in price and it becomes simultaneously exciting and onerous to try to find world class value in the Ontario market.

Well the Castello di Radda Chianti is one of the top buys of the year so far. If you can manage it, buy a case or split it with a friend and you’ll have plenty of terrific Italian wine for the year ahead. 

With the exception of the British Decanter magazine, I’m often not aligned with wine reviews of other publications. In this case Decanter awarded this wine 97 points and I’m on board with a higher rating for a wine at this price. 

The sangiovese grape always plays a dominant role in Chianti and this is no exception and it does have smaller amounts (five percent each) of canaiolo and colorino to add complexity. 

The tannins are so well integrated that I wouldn’t even call them “soft.” They are seamlessly woven into the overall appealing palate of black cherry, cedar, tobacco leaf and black pepper. It has a mature and masculine character yet it is supremely approachable and frankly a little too easy to drink. In this case that’s not an issue because the price really is a relative bargain.

It’s a wine to be enjoyed over the next four years. As of this writing there are more than 600 bottles in the Ottawa market.

EVENTS

La Festa Primavera | Vesta Design Centre, 1402 Startop Rd. | April 15, 1-2 pm | Free w/ registration

Vesta Marble & Granite is hosting a spring celebration of Italian design and food. Presenting fab food will be Adam Vettorel chef/co-owner of North and Navy restaurant.

Matinée Café: Mimi O’Bonsawin | Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd. | April 19, 2 pm | $15

Mimi O’Bonsawin is a Franco-Ontarian singer-songwriter with Abenaki roots. This is an hour of folk inspired music followed by coffee and treats.

Bollywood Hangover | The Urban Centre, 70 Bongard Ave | April 22, 9.30 pm-1.30 am | $22.63

Music by DJ Avtaar with the bulk of the music being of Bollywood and Punjabi origin. 

There will be a special belly dance performance at the start of the event and cash bar with Indian food stalls throughout the evening. Dress code is fashion forward, glam and dress to impress.

Bayernabend (Bavarian Evening) | Maple Leaf-Almrausch Club, 3928 Farmers Way | April 29, 5:30 pm | $55

The Almrausch Club was founded in 1964 and this is their 39th annual Bayernabend. 

Dinner will be prepared by recognized chef Franz Hoeffler and includes salad, schnitzel with mushroom sauce, spiced red cabbage and spaetzle followed by bienenstich (bee-sting cake) and coffee or tea. Traditional Bavarian alpine music provided by the Edelweiss Duo. Tickets for this event are available by email: [email protected] or by calling 613-822-0737.

QUICK BITES

• On the recommendation of a reader I had hoped to include Tennessy Willems pizza in the new season of pizza safari, but they are closed for renovations until probably mid-May. No firm re-opening date has been announced.

• Overflow Brewing has announced Happy Hour every day from 4 to 6 pm. Pints are $6 with daily food specials also offered.

• Whiprsnapr Brewing Co. has just released Carol Anne. This is a dry-hopped Irish blonde ale and is a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.

ARCHIVE REVIEW

Pizza from an Ottawa institution

Every city, town and village needs a restaurant like this. It’s the type of restaurant that, decade after decade, delivers well-prepared food with friendly prices and friendly service. It’s a place where folks can bring elderly members of their families and everyone can have their culinary needs met.

It’s been with us since 1986 and in its current incarnation, it’s a larger, airy room with high ceilings and plenty of space between the seating. On my first visit, pre-pandemic, you could barely hear your dinner companion for all the hard surfaces, but they’ve since installed sound baffles around the ceiling and now the room tone is much more comfortable.

Despite being with us for decades, it was only in the last year that they added pizza to the menu so I needed to try it.

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