As the ever-so-awkward Michael Scott once said, "Pizza. Great equalizer. Rich people love pizza, poor people love pizza, white people love pizza, black people love pizza... do black people like pizza?" I remember laughing out loud the first time I saw this episode of The Office. But it's true- everyone really does like pizza. Especially me.
I wouldn't say I'm Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle obsessed with pizza, but I could go for pizza probably once every week and be quite happy. Especially if that pizza is from Lovely's Fifty Fifty on Mississippi Ave. What makes this pizza place better than the rest, however, besides its delicious pizza, is that they also serve homemade ice cream. This girl's heart is won, twice over (three times if you count the wine).
This past was in the mood for some pizza and ice cream, so my mom and I headed to Lovely's for dinner on Wednesday. The place was actually fairly empty compared to the other times I've visited (maybe people aren't as into pizza in the Summer?), but that made it quite nice- speedy service.
I started out with some delicious Italian red wine, and my mom ordered a salad to start. Sadly, I was a bit too hungry and talkative to snap any photos of the salad, which is a shame. It was a delicious mixed-greens salad with fresh peaches, goat cheese, and almonds. The peaches in the salad were so incredibly juicy and sweet, and the goat cheese balanced it out nicely. I would go back for this salad alone (and if you want to try it- hurry- the menu changes according to what is in season).
As for pizza, my mom ordered the margarita pizza with mozzarella and basil. I ordered the pizza with Mama Lil's peppers (pickled hot peppers), cured olives, bellwether ricotta, and shaved onions. Something about the combination of pickled hot peppers and ricotta is a match made in Heaven. Seriously, so good. And I love the crust at Lovely's- it is more along the lines of a Neapolitan-style pizza with pillowy-soft edges and a thin middle. The pizza is cooked wood fire-style, which has to be my favorite way. Bonus: no use of cornmeal (I hate when places use cornmeal to dust the crust, not just because I'm allergic to corn). Seriously, I think this is the best pizza in town.
And now for the fun part- ice cream. It is no secret that I am a dessert fiend, and ice cream just might be my kryptonite. Growing up, I always preferred ice cream over cake, and even now, I will take good homemade ice cream over cake any day. And Lovely's makes good homemade ice cream. This week, my mom tried the sour cherry and I tried the blackberry. Oh man, this blackberry ice cream was good. Often times, fruit ice cream ends up a bit icey and less creamy. Not so with this blackberry ice cream- it was as smooth and creamy as can be, with no chunks (which I am not fond of). Really, it was a dream and I am making myself hungry just thinking about it.
A note on service: the first time I visited with my family, my nephew knocked my sister's ice cream on the floor before she had much of a chance to eat any. The servers brought my sister a new scoop of ice cream on the house. That, my friends, is how you create repeat customers. I've been back many times since.
How do you feel about pizza and ice cream? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
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