Why: If you’re looking to pair pizza with a refined salad, Pizzicato’s menu fits the bill and delivers big on flavor and variety.
Owner Shawn Pratt spent 10 years working on the corporate side of Pizzicato before taking over the franchise store in December 2008. His restaurant is one of the eight franchise locations out of 22 Pizzicatos in California, Oregon and Washington.
As at most pizzerias, you can build your own from a list of toppings, but there are plenty of intriguing combination options to choose from such as the vegetarian Puttanesca; the Molto Carne, made with three different types of meat; and the Gamberetto, topped with garlic-marinated shrimp, roasted peppers, green onions, tomatoes, feta and mozzarella cheeses. Panini, appetizers, desserts and a large selection of beverages round out the menu.
Atmosphere: The warm colors and décor at Pizzicato create an art-deco-meets-Tuscan character. Mirrors lend the illusion of additional space, though the dining room is plenty big with a maximum capacity of 70. A few outdoor tables are available as well. Everything is tidy and extremely well-kept. The space is certainly fresh and new-looking for a restaurant that’s been there for 11 years.
What I tried: My dining companion and I both decided on the slice of pizza and salad combo. I had a slice of the Puttanesca, which begins with a garlic-and-olive-oil base and is topped with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta and mozzarella. I combined it with the Arugula Pear salad. My dining companion decided on the Spinaci salad and a slice of the Molto Carne pizza, which has pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, black olives and mozzarella on top. Her special request for the mushrooms to be left off was accommodated without a problem. To drink, she had the strawberry lemonade, which is made with real strawberries.
Although the pizza was excellent, the quality and freshness of the salads stood out. Salads of the same caliber would be expected at a fine dining establishment but they were rare treats at a pizzeria.
The arugula salad consists mostly of arugula but also includes other baby lettuces. Pear slices, candied walnuts and blue cheese are added after the greens are coated with a balsamic vinaigrette. Although all the leaves were well coated, there wasn’t any pooling of the vinaigrette at the bottom. All the flavors were perfect together and none of the leaves showed any signs of being “past due.”
My dining companion’s Spinaci salad was just as impressive. The spinach leaves were larger than the usual baby spinach. Pratt explained that they use local providers for pizza and salad ingredients and that the spinach does occasionally come smaller.
I found the Puttanesca pizza to have a strong garlic flavor. This was flattering to the vegetables and a good choice for those who like garlic and want to try pizza that isn’t made with red sauce.
The Molto Carne pizza’s toppings were generously applied and the quality of the sausage and Canadian bacon were particularly noteworthy—both were lean and meaty.
Pizza ordered by the slice is cut from an extra-large pie, so pieces are generously sized. The slice and salad combo is suitable to satisfy a hearty appetite. The crust reminded me somewhat of 360? Pizzeria’s crust, only it was a tad thicker and without the oil around the edge. It was crisp all the way to the center and made a suitable base for the toppings without detracting from them.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The Thai Chicken, Chicken Alfredo and Margherita pizzas are standouts, according to Pratt. I was intrigued by the Chinese Chop salad, which is made with red and green cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, green onions, peanuts, crispy wonton noodles, black sesame seeds and Pizzicato’s own spicy Asian dressing.
Other Observations: All of the employees I encountered were courteous and cheerful. The clean, tidy atmosphere made for a pleasant dining experience which was completed by the quality of the food. I will definitely be returning for my next pizza craving and a taste of the Chinese Chop salad.
Cost: The pizza slice and salad combo is $6.25 to $7.25, based on the type of pizza. Specialty pizzas range from $9 for a 10-inch cheese up to $29.75 for an 18-inch, which is available in several different versions for the same price. Salads come in three sizes and range from $3.50 to $11.25.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Telephone: 360-891-2081.
Where: 1900 N.E. 162nd Ave., Suite D114, Vancouver; http://www.pizzicatopizza.com.
Health Score: Pizzicato received a score of 0 on June 3. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
