La Pizza Mia: Antipasto, Calzones, Pizza

A good slice of pizza is a force to be reckoned with.  When done right, pizza’s a beautiful menagerie of soul-comforting carbs and fats in a portable pie form.  Baked, microwaved or left on the counter for a questionable amount of time, it doesn’t matter.  Pizza is divine at best and decent at its worst. 

We could debate till the cows come home, but a big slice of New York style cheese pizza is the pizza man’s, pizza. It's simple, but incredibly indicative of your cook’s pizza knowledge and prowess.

Upon hearing about , a NY-style pizza joint in West Largo, we had to go and test the waters.  A small, homey place decorated in vintage pizza-related décor, La Pizza Mia is the kind of place where everyone would likely know your name after a few visits.

Opening that classic cardboard box, you’re immediately hit with the savory aroma of beautifully melted mozzarella, warm dough and spice-laden marinara.  The first bite, delicious.  Being more of a crispy-crusted pizza fan, the crust upholding the cheese and sauce was a bit soft.  Even so, it’s quite obvious it was made from scratch. Probably  by a cook who was elbow deep in dough for a good while.  This is always a good sign.

I can't neglect the crust. The crust is the best litmus test for pizza. It separates the good pies from the great ones.  The crust of a well-made pie should have a bit of volume, at least to the point where it rises a bit higher than the cheese.  The exterior should be crispy with an equally soft interior.  Sadly, this pie had neither.  A rather chewy endeavor in bland doughiness, the crust at La Pizza Mia quite literally fell flat.

Other Italian staples on the menu were much more excellently executed endeavors.  A small antipasto salad could easily be a meal and a filling one at that. Loaded with spirals of salami, ham and provolone, the antipasto at could easily turn the most voracious salad hater’s notions on their head. 

Artichokes, olives, onions, and tomatoes balance out the vegetable side and really make this antipasto shine.

In addition, Mia’s monstrous calzones could easily stuff the gullets of two, maybe three.  Wrapped in golden-baked dough, the calzone is an absolute meaty and artery-clogging delight.  The fresh mozzerala (the non-shredded kind) and ricotta were authentic touches and balanced out the spice of the pepperoni and sausage on this one. 

Seemingly all homemade and from scratch, La Pizza Mia’s definitely got the authenticity on their side.  Their pizza, specifically the dough, could use some slight tinkering, but it’s definitely not a dealbreaker.  Other baked options like the calzone are well-exectuted and belly-busting while the cold antipasto could easily satisfy the staunchest of carnivores.

Overall, will do your Italian craving right.