Thursday, April 2, 2009

Due Amici

Every morning after I wake up, and help my wife get out the door, I sit down with a cup of coffee and review the Charlotte Observer. And recently, I've been very interested in their 2009 Tournament of Pizza. Think of it as March Madness -- but with pepperoni! Every week readers submit their votes, and bracket by bracket, the winner gets decided.

So, when I went on a "Foodie Trip"(a.k.a. Trader Joes run) and my friend recommended we hit Due Amici Pizzeria on the way there, I was game. (FYI, it sounds like this place is in the Elite Eight of the Tournament of Pizza)

It's in a blah strip mall with a Bi-Lo and a Blockbuster, off of Prosperity Church Road, and I had a hard time finding it. Once we entered, it looked like a lot of other pizza places. The seating to the side, and the counter in front. The counter had many different types of pizza, while trying to decide on what slices I was going to get (yes, they serve by the slice -- truly, a way to my heart!), I asked the guy running things, if they had any pepperoni. He said it was in the oven, and in five minutes, it'd be ready.

Pizza by the slice that is still in the oven?? SWEET!!

So, I ordered two slices, and sat with my drink and waited. I took in Due Amici, and started to like it more and more. It's not much to look at, but it's obvious that they take their food seriously. The desserts on display looked amazing (I'm still mad at myself for not getting a cannoli), and they had a good selection of calzone and stomboli.

After a few minutes the pizza was ready and I grabbed my slices. Since it was pepperoni, it had some grease on top, but not too much. After I mopped the grease up with napkins, I picked up the hot slice and took a bite. My first thoughts were: HOT!!! HOTTT!!!

Ok, so I put it down, and waited a few minutes for it to cool. Then I took another bite. It was good pizza. The crust wasn't soggy, and the crust was crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle. The cheese was good combination of cheeses, the sauce was slightly tangy, and the pepperoni was delicious. All in all, it was a darn good slice of pizza.

During the meal, I looked over the menu, and was surprised that they offered a large array of pastas, salads, and entrees. Though it feels just like a pizza place, they've got a lot more to offer than pizza. The next time I'm on my way to Trader Joes, I'll stop here again.

Score:
Atmosphere: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Price: $ (Total meal under $10)

Conclusion: The pizza is really good, but I don't think it warrants a drive from Huntersville. However, if I'm in the area, I'll be sure to stop by again.

Restaurant Info:
Due Amici Pizza
5346 Prosperity Church Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28269
p) 704-948-1999
f) 704-947-3030
http://www.dueamicipizza.com/

3 comments:

  1. I am a Jersey girl.. weaned on Jersey pizza. Jersey pizza is slightly oily and the crust is thin and "droopy". The cheese is stringy and chewy, the sauce is mild and minimal.

    When Turn 4 Pizza was taken over by Lake Norman Pizza and claimed to be "real Jersey" pizza I was skeptical. Turns out the new owner learned to make pizza pizza at Jenkinsons on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk...which is where I learned to eat pizza :). It was GREAT....

    Try it out.... take out only ...on West Catawba.. I have NO AFFILIATION.. other than being related by Jerseyism :)
    18059 W Catawba Ave # A Cornelius, NC 28031 - (704) 655-4444

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  2. Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to check it out. Out of curiosity -- is there a difference between NJ and NY pizza??

    Hey, I'm from California. What do I know? I'm used to pizza with pesto and brie! :)

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  3. LOL. Not much of a difference as all of the NJ pizza makers originally came from NY. Maybe a little saltier (you,know, because of the ocean :))

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