On the heels of my trip to Lunenburg, a friend of mine called to see if I wanted to hook up for dinner. The answer to that question is, obviously, "duh!" As I was slowly going through the pages of The Coast's Food & Drink guide, I chose a resto that had intrigued me for a while: Pizzeria a Mano.
I got a sweet two-seater on the patio and proceeded to drool over the menu while simultaneously trying to curb my appetite. We had intended to split two pizzas, but our plans were de-railed when we saw the size of one; a fantastic value and huge portions for the price, but a little more than we bargained for. Instead we went for a pleasing alternative and split an appetizer and a pizza.
The appy was typical Italian fare; Mozzarella Fritta. They were soft balls of buffalo mozzarella, stuffed with salty anchovies, breaded and fried and served with tomato sauce. The perfect starter for the main event.
We went for the Francese or French pizza. A mix of mushrooms and tomato, brie, pecans and fennel seed. Pecans on pizza-Why not? The elements that make a fantastic pizza in my book were all present; thin, crispy crust, gooey cheese and a tomato sauce, jam-packed with flavor. The key here was the addition of fennel seed, adding a sweet hint of licorice that complemented the rich cheese and spicy tomato. The pecans added another level of crunch to the pie.
This restaurant is another gem of the Bish/Da Maurizo empire. I have to say that the night started off at a fairly slow pace. I waited at least 10 minutes before any of the servers acknowledged my presence. This annoyance was soon forgotten, however, by fantastic flavors and the sighs of contentment crossing my lips. The staff redeemed themselves as well with friendly, attentive service. In the end, it was a great night; a patio perfect for people watching, and a meal that was simply delizioso.
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