EatzFoodie Newz

Sicilian Pizza will Leave you Singing Italian Arias

You’ve driven by hundreds of times, even glanced in as you went to one of the other restaurants on this little strip mall on Mt. Vernon Ave, now it’s time to order from Sicilian Pizza!

David holding the Sicilian pizza

Alexandria, VA – You’ve driven by hundreds of times, even glanced in as you went to one of the other restaurants on this little strip mall on Mt. Vernon Ave. at Monroe St. Let me tell you, it’s time to order from Sicilian Pizza! This storefront ownership changed about eight months ago. David, the new owner, said, I was tired of the remodeling business. And, I always loved pizza since I grew up with pizza and pasta.” When asked about what he changed about the menu, David said, “There were many good things on the menu from the former owners but I added some of my Mom’s recipes and tweaked others. I used my background and family traditions from Italy, Turkey, and Greece.” I can honestly say the tweaks are great! Who knew a little ‘store-front’ pizza joint could deliver such a punch of flavor and deliciousness.

Currently, there are 1-2 tables for eating outside and plans are in the works for a few dine-in tables. Service is scrupulous, following the requirements of ALXPromise. He offers both pickup and delivery. And, we always recommend you call in your order and pick it up to save restaurants the fees charged by delivery services. He has been able to retain all of his staff during the pandemic and looks forward to the time when things get back to normal.

In the meantime, my guest and I had the restaurant to ourselves as David and his team served us a variety of his dishes. We were served food as if we were in sit down mode. Rustic wood platters are used to serve the food and the rustic plates belie the elegance of the meal you are going to enjoy. David sources many of his ingredients he can locally and dishes taste of that freshness.

If you like big juicy, richly sauced wings, order some here. These wings are marinated for 24 hours and their flavor reflects it. You could eat these wings without any sauce and truly enjoy them plain. We tried the buffalo sauce – not too hot, not too sweet, it was just right. It allowed the chicken to be the star of each bite. They offer a choice of flavors including plain, BBQ, and garlic, with a choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Pizza is cooked in a 25-year-old 500°C (math wizards can convert it to F). It results in a crust that could win awards. For those of you who don’t eat the crust on your pizza slice, try this one, you may change your habits. The bottom was thin and crisp while the toppings were rich and gooey.The pizza was loaded with a light tomato sauce, prosciutto, ham, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, and finished with a drizzle of olive oil. At Sicilian Pizza, the beautiful black bullets of brininess that are kalamata olives will spoil you for any other on a pizza. For you New Yorkers, you can fold the crust! The large, at 14”, was big enough for leftovers which reheated well.

Calzones are a meal for two. They are huge! I nibbled on the crust while I waited for the other dishes to be served, and I have to say, I could make a meal of just the crust. It is thin, crispy, flecked with herbs, cheese, and some finishing salt. But, don’t miss the fillings. We had the Italian which was filled with tomato sauce, prosciutto, genoa salami, ham, pepperoni, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. The filling is just so oozy and gooey delicious, use a knife and fork so you won’t be wearing it. It translates well to reheating at home where the crust retained its crustiness and the filling was just as delicious. As long as we are talking sauce, let’s talk spaghetti. The pasta was al dente and well coated with the sauce. At the restaurant, it’s served in a beautiful wooden bowl. The sauce is thick and rich with tomato and spices. It coats the spaghetti making for a luxurious forkful. Get the meatballs too. They are all beef and are handled gently so they are nice and tender. And, yes it travels well.

The Gyro

I’m a sucker for a good gyro and I’ve decided they are not easy to find in this area. David has found a special source for his gyro meat and it shows it. What a gift! The gyro meat comes wrapped in a warm pita bread topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and a thick and creamy cucumber sauce. It came with chips but they quickly ‘fell by the wayside’ in favor of the wrap. The meat was well flavored, tender, and moist. The sandwich scratched the itch I had forgotten I had. To reheat it, I took off the veg and sauce and did a quick shot of microwave. Perfect.

Vegetarians and/or vegans, do not despair. This haven of pepperoni and prosciutto has not forgotten you. The appetizer list includes Dolma (grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice), Tuscan hummus spread with garlic and served with warm pita, and a spinach dip also served with pita. The salads are filled with fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients. We tried the Greek Salad which was a combination of fresh mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, Kalamata olives, and cucumber topped with feta cheese and those delicious dolmas. The balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect foil with just enough acid and herbs to bring it all together. Try some of the other salads like the Caesar made with fresh romaine coated with a creamy Caesar dressing and topped with croutons and Parmesan. The Caprese salad offers fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and fresh basil drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

There are multiple pizzas you will enjoy including Vegetariano that comes with tomato sauce, mozzarella, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, red onion, spinach, and black olives. The Margarita with very light tomato sauce, olive oil, fresh mozzarella basil, and fresh tomatoes. Or, try the Roasted Eggplant with a garlic herb sauce, mozzarella cheese, eggplant, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.

Abondonza!

After that feast, there was no eating dessert for us but they offer a tiramisu (looked beautiful), several cheesecakes, and chocolate cake. Wine and beer are available for takeout. Get an ice cold Peroni or a variety of local and artisan beers including 3 Notch, Port City, 3 Notch, or Devils Backbone. The wines include a variety of reds from Italy, Portugal, Argentina, and California with whites from Italy, Spain, and California among others. Lots of non-alcoholic beverages available too.

Check out Sicilian Pizza. It’s quick, close, fast, and ready to help you. David, Michael, Sirene, Gladys, Yesenia, Kaan, and the rest of the team want to make your meal memorable!

ICYMI: Foody Newz March 2020

Related Articles

Back to top button