Vic Cassano...I love you!

Cassano's Pizza King...you were the first pizza my Mom ate and the last I ever want to eat!

Cassano's Pizza (Click for Locations)
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Dayton, Ohio Metro Area

I think I need to first say that yes, I am indeed a Yankee. Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. A Buckeye girl in a Bama world. Secondly, I need to issue a warning here to simply save you from what you may encounter if you mention pizza to someone from Dayton, Ohio. Now, there are a couple of local pizzarias in the area, but when you mention Cassano's Pizza...a change occours. Some may provide hand gestures as if they are grabbing those tiny squares of goodness out of thin air. Some may take a deep breath and go on and on about their favorite pizza pie. Then there are those of us who have moved out of the Dayton area. A far away look of longing comes across our face...memories of the "Big Cheese" begin to form a slight smile on our lips and then you hear the 'sigh' because we know that a Cassano's Pizza is nowhere close to us and all we have are the memories. Just the memories...until we venture home, that is...

*sigh*

Apart from the drama (ha!) Cassano's Pizza is GREAT pizza! Classic thin crust, salty sausage and fresh toppings all topped with gooey cheese and cut into squares! Delish! There are other offerings on the menu, but I must admit...in my 36 years, I have never ventured off of the pizza menu! I have heard stories about the awesome sandwiches and the delicious pasta and appetizers, but I cannot speak on that personally. Perhaps one of my hometown friends can chime in and comment on the goodness of the non-pizza items! :-)

I am fortunate enough to go home several times a year and the one place that remains on my culinary list of "things to do while in Dayton" is to pick up a Deluxe Pizza with extra cheese for me and my family to nosh on! Now THAT makes me smile!

I will say this and leave you be...if you ever find yourself in the Dayton, Ohio area...it would GREATLY benefit your tastebuds to try this hometown classic which is Cassano's Pizza.

(pssssst...word on the street is that we can order frozen pizzas online...but i'm not one to gossip, so you didn't hear it from me!)

Mezza Luna!!!

Mezza Luna...Mediterranean Italian Cuisine

Mezza Luna (Click for map)
2724 Carl T. Jones Drive SE
Huntsville, AL 35801

So a friend of mine who knows I am on my local foodie quest, recommended Mezza Luna to me and I am SO glad she did! This trendy restaurant is so vibrant and fresh, but laid back enough to have a quiet lunch, which is what we did!

This is a Mediterranean Italian restaurant which to me meant it brought dishes and flavors from Italy that are closest to the Mediterranean Sea...makes sense to me!

Their website says...

At Mezza Luna, a true trattoria atmosphere will preside where the patio provides Huntsville’s most popular and lovely outdoor dining and room for an overflowing crowd. Casual, but with no compromise in quality or presentation, the seasonal menu offers fresh gulf seafood, naturally raised meats and locally grown organic poultry, lettuces, and vegetables. The wood-fired brick oven crisps the flatbreads and pizzas perfectly, gives the roasts and braises their signature hickory seasoning. Fresh seafood, meat and game are all cooked over a huge wood-fired grill, resplendent with the soul-satisfying essences of Tuscany, Andalusia, Sicily and North Africa.

I was kinda close! ;-)

A couple of colleagues and I started our meal with a "chip and onion dip" appetizer that was really good! The chips were freshly made in the restaurant and the dip was creamy and delicious! For our meals, we all ordered pizza. The same pizzas! All three of us! Ha! Well, you can never have too much of a good thing! Next time I will have to venture out into a more hearty entree!

I must say that I am very happy that Mezza Luna is here in Huntsville because it offers a very nice slice of variety here! You should check them out!