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Photo courtesy of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta
Katie’s Pizza & Pasta
Favorite Mexican C h av a’s Another good reason to always read the fine print? The menu at Chava’s Mexican Restaurant. A cursory glance reveals South of the Border power players: nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, chimis. But the masses wouldn’t keep flocking to this Soulard hot spot if Chava’s didn’t bring a little something extra to the table. The housemade salsa is downright addictive – along with the chips, it is also gratis – but that’s just getting things started. The white-corn tortillas that house the enchiladas are first seared in pleasantly spicy salsa guajillo and then baked in Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses. Bored with the de rigueur greenpepper-and-onion-fajita lineup? Chava’s also adds zucchini, baby carrots and green beans to the mix, as well as red and yellow peppers. And be warned that the next time you sit down to potato skins, you’ll instead be dreaming of jenas: halved jalapeños that come stuffed with sausage and white cheese. During the workweek, enjoy $2 off Chava’s 64 | RESTAURANTS 2015 | riverfronttimes.com
excellent margs and $1 off beers, from 4 to 6 p.m.
RUNNERS
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La Vallesana Mi Ranchito Las Palmas Chimichanga’s
Favorite Pizza A nt hon i no’s Taver n a The only time that pizza was exclusively the domain of the Italians was when it was invented about 1,000 years ago. Ever since, it has been adapted across myriad cuisines in ways wonderful (gyro!) and not-so (is anybody really clamoring for cinnamon pizza?). Anthony and Rosario Scarato found inspiration in their parents’ Italian and Greek heritage when they established Anthonino’s Taverna in 2003, and the fourteen-inch
hand-tossed pizzas are where the merger shines brightest. The gyro pizza is Anthonino’s top seller: Typically cool tzatziki sauce takes a trip through the oven, topped with gyro meat, onion, tomatoes and feta cheese. Meanwhile, the caprese pie is a study in less is more: A sweep of olive oil leaves room for the basil, mozzarella, tomatoes and balsamic reduction to shine. The capocolla rightly stars in several of the pizzas – not just a fleck here and there, but rather it comes in large, luscious pieces. Though the crust is thick – to the tune of about an inch – it’s also pliant. The dough is so good that, were it served on its own as breadsticks, we’d eat them two by two.
RUNNERS
UP 2. 3. 4. 5.
Black Thorn Pub & Pizza PW Pizza Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Racanelli’s