Any way you slice it, it's Gourmet Pizza
By Jennifer Barrs
GOURMET PIZZA COMPANY
WHAT: A new 25-seat cafe specializing in unusual pizza pies
WHERE: 610 S. Armenia Ave., Tampa
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week
CREDIT CARDS: MC, V
CALL: (813) 258-1999; delivery available in much of south Tampa.
R E V I E W
TAMPA - When Eric Kelley and Kevin Luber opened their Gourmet Pizza Company in south Tampa recently, they say they ``had some ideas for regional specialties.''
That brainstorm has translated into bucks almost immediately. After only a few weeks in the small space at 610 S. Armenia Ave., the pair is doing bustling business with a menu that boasts some surprises.
Sauceless pizzas? Calzolli? And what's this? An owner who quietly confesses, ``I tend not to eat too much pizza myself.'' (Well, not more than one or two pieces a day anyway, laughs co-owner Kelley.)
He's thrilled, nonetheless, that other people eat it a lot. After working several years in a similar restaurant, Kelley decided to offer some less pedestrian pies. Out West, these are extremely popular, he says. Pizzas with exotic vegetables, for example. Or fish. Or peanuts.
Among the regional varieties: A Thai Chicken Pizza that has no red sauce but is drizzled with a spicy peanut sauce along with chicken, peppers and cabbage. Southwestern Pizza combines cheeses and chicken on a pastry made of black beans and corn. And there's Cajun Crawfish Pizza, which features spicy sausage and whole crawfish tails atop Cajun hot sauce. All are available at about $12 for a 12-inch pie, and between $15 and $17 for a 16-inch.
The specialty pizzas may be somewhat more familiar - there's a white pizza with spinach, for instance, and classic meat or vegetable combos. But there's also a Steak Gorgonzola Pizza, topped with red sauce, mushrooms, caramelized onions, Gorgonzola cheese and rib-eye steak. That goes for $12.90 for a 12-inch, and $16.85 for a 16-inch pie.
``We figured why limit yourself? Why not expand to all types of toppings?'' Kelley asks.
Customers can come up with their own creations by choosing from a list of vegetables, meats, sauces and cheeses. But even this is far from mediocre fare. Vegetables include sweet corn, grilled eggplant or black beans; the sauce selection incorporates Thai peanut sauce, barbecue sauce, garlic oil or a white base made with ricotta cheese. A 12-inch cheese pizza is $7.25 ($1.15 each for toppings). A 16-inch cheese pizza is $9.60 ($1.45 each for toppings). Crusts come thick or thin, and pizza can be ordered by the slice, starting at $2.25.
If you don't dig pizza, try the calzolli, which the owners say is similar to a calzone but flatter. That's $5.75 for traditional cheese and 50 cents extra for each topping. Lasagna, at $6.95 for a huge slab, comes in meat and vegetable varieties. The vegetable brand is delicious, and includes spinach, artichokes, grilled eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes.
Look for more gastronomic moves. Soon, diners will be able to substitute soy cheese for the traditional type; expect them to offer tofu, too. ``My feeling is that people are always looking for quality,'' says Kelley.
Gourmet Pizza Company
