This is a big place with two different things going on, one corner they have a nice little Italian restaurant, with a buffet style display showing lasagna and other pastas. On the other side is a full Italian gourmet market, and deli. On top of that, in the middle of the whole place, or rather when you walk in the door, is a cooler of different flavors of ice cream. I didn't of course have any of this, no sandwiches or ice cream or even pasta, but I did have the pizza.
I got a medium cheese pizza, that felt like a large. It was about 14 dollars fairly reasonable. The pizza tasted pretty good. The sauce was very light and had a basic tomato taste, not too much extra flavor. The taste of the cheese was the main flavor here, mainly because there was a lot on it. I wouldn't say it was excessive, it was over powering maybe. It just could have been a little lighter. Other than that, the cheese tasted good and if there was maybe some more sauce to battle back, it might have been perfect. The crust was flat, had no rise to it, it was kind of just crispy and toasted throughout not too much bready-ness. Plus the outside could have actually been more crispy but then the top would have burnt. It had a corn meal bottom as well. Overall I would say it was pretty good and definitely better than average.
Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio Restaurant - 3103 W. Magnolia Blvd 91505
Price: $$
Overall:
Monte Carlo Bakery, my favorite haunt, being Italian, I find everything I need and want and the Deli is outstanding. It always has oriciette pasta, when other stores don't have it. Great Mortadella, Salami's , coppacola, prosciotto, I can smell it now. The other side, a mess. Thats not Italian food, its Mexican food, its not cooked by Italians. Its horrible....Thats why people in america don't know what good Italian food tastes like, because of places like this. You want good Italian Restaurant, go to one where the owner/chef is from Italy.
ReplyDeleteThe grocery store seemed pretty amazing. The pizza was not as amazing but enjoyable. I think Mexicans are capable of cooking a good pizza. However it does make you a bit skeptical at first.
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