Sal's Pizza

A Little Bit of Italy... In Auburndale

Traditional Spaghetti with Meatballs

I don’t cook on Friday nights.

It’s a rule I’ve come to love, because Friday nights beg for “fun” food, and that usually means Mexican food, or pizza.

Our search of this “fun” food will take us around the county, and this past Friday night, we landed in Auburndale, at Sal’s.

New to Auburndale – But Not the Area

Sal’s just opened the Auburndale location this past February, but had been in Lakeland since 2012, in a strip mall near the intersection of 540A and 98.

EARLY START TO HIS CAREER He began his restaurant career, however, much earlier:

Originally from Napoli, Italy, Sal Guardascione came to New York in 1991, but quickly made his way to North Carolina, where he had family – and a job.

“I started in 1991 at my Uncle Vincenzo’s pizzeria, Elizabeth’s Pizza, in High Point, North Carolina,” Guardascione remembered.

His uncle, who has since passed, had been in the business since 1950. Although young Sal started as a dishwasher, by the time he left Elizabeth’s – which Sal proudly told me is still in business in High Point – he was a chef with a number of specialty dishes of his own.

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DINING THERE

I was accompanied by mom and hubby that night, and when we arrived, we were greeted with live music (think easy listening oldies, the kind you sing along to) and – we arrived close to 5:30 – quickly found a place to sit, although tables started to fill in as the night went on.

The appetizer list, too, is impressive, offering everything from Caprese Salad ($7.95) to Steamed Clams ($9.99).

I was pleasantly surprised by the menu – I expected pizza, salad, and a couple of pasta dishes. Instead, Sal’s menu is that of a full-service Italian restaurant, where you can choose anything from Gnocchi Sorrento to Linguini Ciao Bella to Lobster Ravioli – which, by the way, is Sal’s personal favorite on the menu: “It’s my secret recipe,” he explained, proudly. All the pasta and specialty dishes are available in lunch or dinner portions, and I really like that you can choose which size, regardless of what time it is. Prices for those meals range from $8.99 to $12.99.

The salad list is also wonderfully long and varied, listing several options that would normally make me exceedingly happy in my regular journey to avoid carbs. Next time I go, I will probably choose either the Antipasto Salad ($7.95) or the Salmon Salad ($10.99), just two of the ten options on that part of the menu. That day, however, I was going to eat carbs. I knew Mom would get pizza – she has become something of a pizza aficionado – so I wanted to choose something else, and I landed on the Hot Italian Sub ($7.76), one of 17! Choices on that part of the menu. We also ordered traditional wings ($6.95) to share.

Hubby decided to go for the Spaghetti and Meatballs, dinner portion ($10.99), which came with a side house salad.

And let me tell you about that salad. Hubby decided to push it my way, simply because he wanted to save all available room for the spaghetti he was awaiting. First, it was incredibly generous – for many light eaters, it could have been the entire meal. It was simple, featuring just lettuce, tomato, red onions, black olives, and copious amounts of mozzarella cheese. It was one of the freshest salads I have eaten outside my own home, and I scarfed every bit of it before my sub was delivered.

We did not wait long on anything, and my sub was quickly placed before me.

It was huge! Thankfully, it came already cut in half, and I knew immediately I would only be able to manage eating one of those halves. It was delightful: The bread, although I am admittedly not an expert,

was superb – tender and crisp at the same time – and filled chockful of ham, provolone cheese, salami, capicola, lettuce, onion, Italian dressing, and topped with two uber fresh tomato slices.

Wondering about hubby’s spaghetti? The first thing I noticed was that his meatballs were the size of the Empire State Building, but he was even more impressed with the marinara sauce; he said it was one of the best he had ever had. As you may have guessed, the serving was more that generous – perhaps he should have just gotten the lunch portion – but this way he was able to take about half of it home.

THE PIZZA

And then there was Mom’s pizza. First, she had to decide which one she even wanted because the menu offers New York, Sicilian, Chicago, and Stuffed Pizza Options.

“I can make any kind of pizza you want,” Sal explained.

Under those options, you have more options and sizes (including what Sal called the “Biggest Pizza in Florida – 28 inches –”, available for $25 (with cheese; additional toppings are $5 each).

“You’ll have trouble getting it in the car,” he said,

with a laugh. As for those toppings, there at least 30 to choose from. Mom decided on the New York Style Personal Supreme Pizza ($9.00) and, assuming it would be the Personal size she is customarily used to seeing, with a side salad. You already know about the side sale and as you’ve probably guessed by now, the Personal is definitely large enough to share. After eating her salad, she only managed one slice. (The rest of the pizza was happily devoured by all of us the next day.)

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR

And try Sal’s. If you’re thinking that Auburndale is too far away, they will deliver within a 10-mile radius.

Now your only problem is figuring out what to get – and with whom to share it. Because believe me, there will be plenty to share.

FMI: Sal’s Pizza, 213 E Lake Ave, Auburndale; (863) 229 – 5342. Hours: Sunday,11:00A - 9:00P; Tuesday-Thursday, 10:00 A - 9:30P; Friday-Saturday, 10:00A -10:00P. Order online at www.salspizzaauburndale.com

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