Melrose Restaurant Review: Wood & Fire

I'm no foodie. I'm no food critic. But I like food. And I like criticizing. So bear with me as I tell you what I thought about my experience at a local Melrose eatery. Remember, this is just one person's lone experience; your account may differ. Sign up and tell us your review!

MELROSE, MA — I spent a recent Friday night moving a couple appliances and nick-nacks into my new Melrose spot as I prepped a move-in. A waffle maker and soap dispenser were probably the highlights. And by about 7 p.m., I needed some food.

My spot is right downtown, so I figured I'd start my mission to find a go-to Friday night eatery. I ended up at Wood & Fire Neopolitan Pizzeria with four friends. I'd been dying for arancini ever since one of the recent North End festivals, and Wood & Fire's menu promised two of them for $10. Sold!

We had to wait about 10 minutes for five of us to sit, and even then we were slotted next to the door at a table meant for four. Still, it was prime time on a Friday night, and they were busy. But don't expect to go with too many pals and sit together. It looked like a seat in the back could potentially be a bothersome experience.

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I wasn't starving, so the two medium-sized rice balls (filled with seasoned risotto, ground beef ragu, mozzarella, and sweet baby peas) really did hit the spot. Tasty stuff.

We also got two pizzas: an admittedly boring, but very yummy, cheese pie, and a 'Wood + Fire' pizza, which came with prosciutto di parma, fior di latte, arugula, shaved parmigiano-reggiano, balsamic glaze. The latter was a fair price at $17 (12 inches,) and a source from across the table told me it was good. The cheese certainly was.

The pizzas were thin, and even the Wood + Fire pie wasn't overwhelmed with toppings. The crust was excellent; you could certainly tell it was just perfectly kissed by the flames.

Pros: Fair prices, but you can spend if you want to; Waitress was pleasant and not overbearing; Good pizza, very good crust; Quality food; Good dessert menu; No shortage of wine options; Pleasantly tucked away right off Main St.

Cons: Beer isn't cheap (where is it?); Sodas were cute, but far too little pop for the purchase; Caught in between intimate eating and bar atmosphere - couldn't really nail down a vibe; Not the greatest seating arrangements - about 20 percent of the seats could probably get a good view of the TV (It was Sox/Yankees!)

The drinks are fun. One friend got a beer that he got to pour into a mason jar, and two others got itty bitty Diet Coke bottles right out of Back To The Future. Once the novelty wore off, though, you are wondering where all the soda went.

We finished with an affogato. Never mind the bland Italian cookies your nonna would get you; this ice cream/espresso combo is the sweet way to end a good meal.

We were flirting with the Nutella pizza, but we aren't huge enough Nutella nuts. Looked good, though.

All in all, five of us spent about $70 for just enough food, all of it as tasty as we could have expected.

It was a bit loud in there - but I don't know what the noise was. I couldn't tell you what music was playing because there was a lot of human static coming from the rest of the place. It didn't keep it from being a fun and welcoming atmosphere, it just wasn't very clear to me what the aim was.

Keeping in mind I'm no food snob or restaurant critic - instead probably as regular a schmuck as you'll ever read a review from - I'd keep it at this: I had a great time at an affordable price. The food was good, and none of my minor gripes would keep me from going back. I'm looking forward to trying more on a fun menu (hello, fried calamari or mac & cheese), sticking to water (the only way you'll get value in your drink with dinner,) and washing it all down with another affogato. Sorry, nonna!

Wood & Fire is located at 35-37 Essex St., Melrose. Check out the menu here.

Want to hear someone who knows what the heck they are talking about? Check out Phantom Gourmet's take!

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