Munch goes to Pi Neapolitan Pizza
Share with others:
Let's talk for a minute about the quarterlife crisis phenomenon.
Munch doesn't mean the analytic definition: that period of transition for the post-adolescent navigating the choppy waters of adulthood, struggling to find place and purpose in the world.
Munch speaks of it in practical applications: that period when one transitions from ripping down Jager shots to ripping down free Costco samples, or when the "Jersey Shore" GTL mantra means not Gym, Tan, Laundry but financial security via Group Term Life insurance.
With a foot planted firmly in each camp, Munch spends a lot of time in the South Side, a neighborhood that caters to both -- where frat bars and dining establishments share a sometimes uneasy coexistence. Rarely do the two elements intersect under the same roof, until now, with the advent of Pi Neapolitan Pizza -- the downstairs space of the fist-pumpin' club, Jimmy D's.
In previous years, that area served merely as a cooling down spot for the brahs getting their creep on upstairs. With the acquisition of what is boasted as "the only coal-fired pizza oven in Western Pennsylvania," in early February the downstairs officially became Pi -- home of authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas.
Munch has made a few visits and can attest that the pizzas are of exceptional quality. Made-to-order in traditional fashion with San Marzano tomatoes and Italian Tipo 00 flour, fior de latte mozzarella and fresh basil, Pi's pizzas come in 16 varieties, from a simplistically beautiful Margharita (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil: $12) to the Quattro Stagioni (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, artichokes, mushrooms, roasted red pepper and basil: $16), as well as four different calzones made with the same fresh ingredients ($12.50-$13).
Because the oven heats to 900 degrees, the pizzas are done in a matter of moments. But that was just enough time for Big Shot Lawyer Friend of Munch (BSLFOM) to mow down an Insalate Caprese ($8.50), which he said was "simply outstanding. The chef used the right amount of basil and oil" to complement the fresh mozzarella and tomatoes.
First Published March 25, 2010 12:00 am
