If you want a light lunch, try the French onion gratinee or potato soup ($3.95), or select from several salads ($2.55-$6.85). The soup is served with bread and butter, making for a complete small meal. If you are in need of something a little more substantial, try the spinach beef pie made with ground beef, herbs and spinach in a crust served with a vegetable on the side ($6.75) or the lasagna ($7.05). Both of these choices are served with a salad and bread.

On our visit we had a #1 sub, the Emperor ($6.75/3.95) with mortadella, bacon, turkey and cheese and #7, the Riviera ($6.75/3.95) with turkey, ham and cheese. These sandwiches are served on Napoleon’s fresh, soft bread with mayo, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, pickles and dressing. We also had an order of potato salad and quiche Lorraine. The potato salad was chunky with diced celery and onion and must have been mixed with their house dressing.

Joe thought the Emperor sub had a very good flavor though it contained very little bacon. The Riviera contained plenty of meat, cheese and mayo, which I don’t mind but some might request easy on the mayo. The quiche was a large, thick serving (as though baked in a springform pan) full of mushrooms and diced ham, a tasty combination. This was served with a side of mixed vegetables (diced carrots, corn, peas, and green beans).

Sadly, on this day they had no French pastries but there was a selection of cookies, brownies, chocolate fudge cake and plain cheesecake. We chose to share a piece of chocolate fudge cake. What better way to end a meal than a bite of chocolate?

Annie’s Restaurant Rating
3 of 4 forks
Napoleon Deli
1128 S Douglas, Midwest City
Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:30am-3pm
Prices: $2.55-$7.05
Cash or checks only; credit cards not accepted

Fun Food Factoids: Mortadella is
a classic cured meat product of Italy,
usually an Italian pork sausage that
originated in Bologna.
Gratinee or gratin: any dish topped
with cheese or bread crumbs mixed with
butter and heated.

Annie Nashert has a husband and teenage daughter who assume everybody has homemade dessert nightly.

A smoked rib, a smoked sausage, a plate of prairie fries. All of the things that can make your taste buds water and nostrils flair. Satisfy your hunger at the Iron Starr Urban Barbecue. My husband Joe and I were eager to try their tempting offerings. If you go during a weekday lunch (before 1pm), be prepared for a wait of 10 to 20 minutes. We passed the time waiting by studying the menu.

The first thing you notice about the menu is that the fare offered at Iron Starr is a step above your neighborhood barbecue joint. You may start your meal with a bacon-wrapped quail breast, stuffed with fresh jalapeno and glazed with apricot-serrano jam ($10.95), or try Mama’s deviled eggs ($5.00).

Joe and I started our meal with the prairie fries ($4.00), hand-cut fries tossed with fresh jalapenos and sweet Texas onions. The combination was a tasty sensation with the jalapenos and onions lightly fried so they still had a crispness to them. The perfect bite can be made with a piece of tender French fry, a piece of crisp jalapeno, and a piece of onion dipped in ketchup. Next time I will request extra peppers and onions on this; a little kick, a little heat, a great way to start your meal.

Joe first eyed the slow-smoked St. Louis cut ribs, smoked with a hickory-pecan wood blend. But when he spied the pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw ($7.50), he quickly changed his order. The pork topped with their slightly tangy southern slaw can be irresistible, and the sandwich is also available with chopped beef. Joe initially cut the sandwich in half to make it easier to eat and save half to take home, but alas; he ate every last bite. For his choice of side he chose the barbecue baked beans, a cup of juicy beans flavored with bits of meat. Yum!

The decision of which side to relish can be overwhelming. We had the prairie fries as our appetizer, and Joe enjoyed both the slaw and beans with his sandwich. I chose the fancy mac and cheese for mine since I had heard from friends that it is yummy. They used a rigatoni pasta in a creamy white cheese sauce. I look forward to trying the dutch oven potatoes and the corn pudding on my next visit. If you want more ‘down home’ flavors you may want to try the braised collard greens or southern fried okra. With the variety offered here, your dining experience can be different on every visit.

As soon as I opened the menu and saw ‘apricot-serrano glazed’ I knew I would be trying the grilled chicken breast sandwich ($7.95). It is a chicken breast with an apricot-serrano jam glaze, gruyere cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a huge bun (I found the bun to be a little overwhelming). The glaze had a slight sweetness and the heat from the pepper was very mild. I asked for a little extra glaze on the side to enjoy with my sandwich. My side of the mac and cheese was served nice and hot but I found the white cheese sauce a bit too mild and bland for my taste.

Iron Starr also offers a nice children’s menu with choices of the smoked meats, chicken fingers, grilled cheese with all the side choices, all for $4.95. These come with a drink and a side—what a value!

By the end of your meal, if you are still able, you may want to try the desserts, or at least share one. They have several to choose from, all for $5.50 except the 7 layer chocolate cake, which is $10; that would have been my choice. We should have gotten something to enjoy at home later but were too full to even contemplate one.

Annie's Rating

4 of 4 forks

Iron Starr Urban Barbecue

3700 N Shartel

Oklahoma City, OK 73118

405-524-5925

Hours: Monday: 11am–9pm

            Tuesday–Thursday: 11am–9:30pm

            Friday & Saturday: 11am–10:30pm

Menu prices: $3.50 - +$21.95

Mama Roja’s offer a variety of salsas for your chips; we had roasted salsa which is served warm (our least favorite), regular fresh salsa, tomatillo (similar to my recipe, creamy and a little tart), and the fiery, chunky habanera salsa. Complementary queso is not offered, but it is available on the menu. This is not the thin mixture you may be used to, but a thick, cheesy sauce topped with chopped cilantro. We ordered the soft corn and flour tortillas and a cup of queso ($4.29) to accompany the complimentary chips and salsas. Be sure to take your time to savor all these flavors.  

On another visit, I want to try the sweet corn tamale cake appetizer ($6.99). A corn cake topped with avocado, chipotle sour cream, tomato, sweet corn, and spicy verde sauce, sounds yummy!

We enjoyed our visit with good service, good food, and good company.  Hope your visit is as pleasant!

People have asked me about POPS so I thought it was time to check them out, especially since the Good Egg Dining Group (of Cheever’s Cafe and Iron Starr Barbecue) took over the restaurant. I was also curious just how far off I-35 I would have to travel.

I now have answers to many questions. Take your family five miles east of I-35 on Route 66 to the large pop bottle sculpture. You never know what sort of crowd you will encounter. On the day my daughter Mandy and I were there, there was a large group of motorcycle riders, a group from the Corps of Engineers, and parents with kids of all ages. Should you have to wait for a table as we did, be sure to peruse the variety of mouth-watering pop, or take your picture by the pop bottle sculpture. POPS offers breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings only. Sadly, we there on a weekday so we had to order from the lunch/dinner menu—no omelets or biscuits and gravy for us. Fortunately, there were many tastysounding items to choose from on the menu and our disappointment was soon forgotten.

On the lunch/dinner menu you can choose from specialty sandwiches like grilled PB&J ($3); the pop dog ($4.50) a 1/4 pound hot dog topped with mustard chow-chow, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes on a poppy seed bun; chili cheeseburger ($4.75) with cheddar cheese and chili on a toasted bun; or chicken fried steak ($8), a hand breaded top sirloin steak smothered in black pepper gravy served with fries and Texas toast. I like the sound of the steak “smothered” in black pepper gravy. Everything on the menu sounds mouth watering and filling.

POPS has a kids menu for your little ones to enjoy. A simple PB&J ($4.75) or grilled cheese ($4.25), chicken strips ($5.50) or cheeseburger ($5.50), all come with crinkle cut French fries, a tasty departure from those smooth-sided fast food fries your children might be more accustomed to seeing.

After watching several yummy looking plates go by, Mandy decided on the chicken melt sandwich ($5.50), which consisted of roasted chicken with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, melted provolone cheese and spicy mayo on a Kaiser bun. To accompany this, she ordered a side of crispy onion rings ($2.75). Her two-handed sandwich required a lot of napkins but the flavors made the mess worthwhile. The spicy mayo had a chipotle flavor and Mandy declared it very tasty.

I chose the prime burger ($8), which offers anything you could possibly want. You can build your burger with bacon, bleu cheese, grilled onions, jalapenos, sautéed mushrooms, green chilis, provolone cheese, jack cheese and American cheese. I chose bacon, grilled onions, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, and American cheese with mayo. I had this with a side of the crinkle cut French fries ($1.75). This burger was about ½ pound; a thick and juicy patty. It is also a two-handed meal that requires extra napkins. The fries were hot and tender, crispy and soft, just the way I like them.

The popular new trends for your sweet tastebuds are cupcakes, just a few bites of sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth. On a diet? You can have your cake and eat it too—sooth your guilt by having a cupcake in lieu of sitting down to a whole cake or a really large slice of cake.

There are two new bakeries in town if you don’t feel inclined to bake your own. I paid a visit to Sara Sara Cupcakes and Cuppies & Joe to see what the buzz was about. My daughter Mandy visited Sara Sara Cupcakes with me. This business was started in memory of Sara Branson who enjoyed baking cupcakes with her aunt and died at age 18, two years ago.

On the day we visited there were some patrons enjoying their cupcakes out on the front porch, but there is plenty of indoor seating to be found. They were out of the bacon, egg, and cheese cupcake and the tomato basil cupcake (which sounds more like muffins than cupcakes to me), but those might be nice breakfast options for those who favor the savory.

Even though Mandy is 21, she was excited to pick some flavors with wide eyes and anticipation, proving the rule that there is a young child in all of us. We chose to take our treats to go, bringing them home to share with my husband Joe.

We chose a crimson and cream, of course, (a red velvet cake with white cream icing), chocolate (chocolate brownie-like cake with chocolate icing), cherries jubilee (white cake and buttercream frosting topped with brandied cherries), and the Judge Joe Cannon (banana cupcake with butter cream frosting and a snickers bar chunk on top).

Mandy and I agreed the crimson and cream was good but we thought that the others were somewhat dry and bland. The chocolate did not have a strong chocolate flavor and Joe couldn’t find the banana in the Judge Joe Cannon.

We tried to go to Cuppies & Joe the same day but they were closed. Before you set out in your car, you may want to double check the hours. I tried again with my cousin Dani who has been several times. Cuppies is closed Sunday and Monday and opens at noon.

Cuppies & Joe is a cute, refurbished house offering a variety of areas to sit and enjoy your sweets, one being the main room with a leather sofa and fireplace, very cozy to curl up and visit over your coffee.

The varieties can vary during the day. Sadly, they did not offer the Sass-a-frass (red velvet cuppie with buttercream) so that I could compare but Dani has had it on a previous visit and declared it yummy. We did try several from their menu: the Vanilla Sky, Ebony & Ivory, Bangarang, the Don, Neverland, Mary Poppins (who could resist a name like that), the Huxtable, and Sunrise Sunset.

The Huxtable (chocolate cuppie with chocolate buttercream, caramel, and heath candy) was rather sweet for me. The Bangarang (chocolate cuppie with mocha icing) was excellent; the icing had a nice hint of coffee. The Neverland is a peanut butter cupcake w/chocolate glaze and a Hershey kiss hiding inside. They warm it for 10 seconds when they serve it to soften the kiss. What a tasty combination.

This is a good time to get the family and make a trip for a sweet treat or treat Dad to dessert for Father’s Day.

2 of 4 forks
Sara Sara Cupcakes
7 NW 9th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
405-600-9494
Hours: Monday-Friday: 7:30am-10pm; Saturday: 9am-10pm; Sunday: 11am-6pm
Prices: $3.25 each or $36 per dozen

4 of 4 forks
Cuppies & Joes
727 NW 23rd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
405-528-2122
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: noon-9pm, Friday-Saturday: noon-11pm             
Prices: $2 each or $22 per dozen

For our appetizers, we just had to find out what the “boomers” and “rollers” were. A boomer is a jalapeno pepper stuffed with mozzarella cheese, better known as a popper. Rollers are thin pizza dough stuffed with Canadian bacon and cheese, then baked and rolled in olive oil and garlic, served with marinara for dipping. The rollers sounded too interesting to pass by, but we wish we had. The oil was overpowering and dripping off each bite. I could not find any garlic flavor, and we endured just a few bites before we had to set the rollers aside. We later learned that you may request that the rollers not be rolled in oil, which might be worth a try—I only wish I had known this sooner.

Jo’s menu also offers salads, four sandwich varieties and, of course, pizza. Three varieties of salad dressing are available: Holli’s house (a slightly sweet vinaigrette), Pa’s garlic (a thousand island cream style), and their ranch, which I highly recommend as it is very flavorful. The pizza toppings include the typical offerings you expect plus hot links as a topping, which I have never heard of as a pizza topping, but sounds yummy. The pizza sizes range from mini 6” to x-large 16.”

A lunch special with any mini pizza or sandwich, small salad and drink sounded good, and we ordered two lunch specials with pizza—one with Canadian bacon and the other with Canadian bacon, onion, pineapple and jalapenos. On the lunch special you may have as many toppings as you like, so it’s easy to create your own taste sensation. The salad is served in a small stainless steel bowl with fresh baby greens topped with chopped Canadian bacon, black olives, a tiny bit of tomato and cheese. This salad could easily feed two people. We both had the Holli’s house dressing and should have requested extra on the side.

The crust on the mini’s was thin but not really crispy enough for us, but the Canadian bacon had a nice, mild flavor and Jo’s doesn’t skimp on the toppings for the pizzas. In hindsight, we wished we had ordered more variety to taste more of the flavors. At a table next to us the patrons had ordered a large sausage pizza which looked like it was topped with a generous amount of sausage.

The staff was friendly and attentive but needed to be a little more informative about some of the dishes to avoid unsavory surprises. I was disappointed by the olives in the salad (I would have omitted them had I known about them) and the unappetizingly oily rollers we had as appetizers. The overall flavors at Jo’s were fine but just not enticing enough to demand a return visit.

2 of 4 forks
Jo’s Famous Pizza
900 S Kelly, Edmond
405-340-7070
Hours
Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm
Closed Sunday
Prices $2.95-$24.95

Annie Nashert has a husband and teenage daughter who assume everybody has homemade dessert nightly.

The Pita Pit opens at 8am daily, so the kids can treat mom to a Mother’s Day breakfast pita. No cooking and no mess required.

It was about 1pm the day we gave the Pita Pit in Edmond a try, and the lunch crowd was in full swing. I advise getting a menu and stepping back to make your decision so as not to hold up the other hungry patrons. There is a menu full of sandwich options, like the Dagwood ($6.65) with turkey, ham and roast beef. But then you must choose from 18 different toppings like babaganoush, pepperoncini, or pineapple; 4 different cheeses; and 16 different sauces like tzatziki, ancho chipotle or their specialty secret sauce. This is a chance to create your own edible masterpiece.

We ordered a gyro ($6.25) with traditional Mediterranean seasoned beef, and we added fresh and crispy shredded lettuce, chopped red onion, and shredded cheddar. The beef is placed on the grill, the white or wheat pita is warmed so it is nice and soft. We chose the traditional tzatziki sauce (a sour cream and cucumber sauce) to complement this gyro. It may take several visits to get the pita just the way you like it—Joe thought is would have
been good to have gotten a little extra tzatziki on the side.

We also ordered an Awakin with Bacon breakfast pita ($5.75) with scrambled eggs, hash browns, grilled onions and peppers, bacon and cheese. I added sliced tomatoes and hot sauce. This is something I would normally never try but I am so glad I got adventurous. The hash brown patty is chopped up on the grill with onions and peppers. This combination with the tang of the hot sauce was excellent. My taste buds begged for the next bite.

We also tried the Local ($6.40) which starts with chicken, ham, American and Swiss cheeses, pineapple and teriyaki sauce, which is heated on the grill. I added jalapeno peppers, shredded lettuce and onions. This was a flavorful creation with a little kick. I am ready to go back and try either of these again.

From the kids menu, we sampled the quesapita ($3.50). It was a bit bland for me, but might be just right for a child’s palate.

Should you desire a lighter lunch you could try the soup with the pita and dip or a veggie pita such as a falafel (rolled chickpeas with spices). The breakfast pitas are served all day, so if you get a late start you can still enjoy a bite of breakfast.

You can end your meal with a cookie or a smoothie like the mango-tango of vanilla frozen yogurt, mango juice,
strawberries, and mango or the blue bayou of vanilla frozen yogurt, orange juice, strawberries, and blueberries.

Annie Nashert has a husband and grown daughter who assume everybody has homemade dessert nightly.

Annie’s Restaurant Rating
4 of 4 forks
The Pita Pit
128 E Fifth St, Edmond
405-340-7482
311 W Boyd St, Norman
405-573-7482
Hours
Sunday-Wednesday 8am-10pm
Thursday-Saturday 8am-3am
Prices $2.25-$6.65

Market C, a charming renovated Route 66 gas station at 23rd and Hudson, is owned by the same group that brings you Cheevers and Iron Starr Urban BBQ.

Take time to really enjoy your visit. Start by studying the offerings in the meat case, then meander through the pasta options, fresh breads and organic cheeses. If you're unsure about an item, don't hesitate to ask questions. On the day I visited, the case was stocked with already prepared beef tenderloin ($29.99 lb.), Kobe meatloaf ($14.95 lb.), Kobe meatballs, flank steak, chicken enchilada stack ($11.95 lb. each), molasses-glazed chicken breasts ($11.95 lb. or $3.74 ea.), scoops of loaded mashed potatoes, horseradish potato gratin, whole roasted truffle honey carrots, asparagus and desserts. Take time to inquire about the different offerings and you will discover that the roasted red pepper rice contains red peppers, cilantro and red onions.

I chose two molasses-glazed chicken breasts because it is hard to pass up something with the word 'glazed' in it, yum. Along with that we had two varieties of potatoes, because I couldn't decide on just one. We had loaded mashed potatoes (a little green onion, cheese, maybe a little sour cream) and horseradish potato gratin (a thick square of layers of thin sliced potatoes in a sauce with a strong horseradish flavor). To round out the meal I chose buttery croissants and a slice of giant chocolate cake ($5.95) to share. It was hard to resist the croissants on the way home—I recommend getting an extra to enjoy in the car.

Even if you need a quick lunch Market C offers a prepared green salad, sandwiches, wraps, and soups ($3.95-$10.50). You can grab one and go. Deli options also include a variety of sauces, dips, Italian meats, organic cheeses and packaged uncooked meats.

The items did not come with reheating instructions, so you may want to ask about it, depending on what you order. I warmed in the oven and the chicken seemed a little dry. It would have been nice to have had a little extra glaze for the warming of the chicken. The potatoes warm well and were flavorful and the croissants were excellent, warm or cold. Though they were large, you may want to get extra just to slowly pull apart and relish. As we were sharing the chocolate cake we were thinking another slice would have been nice. Better yet, two different desserts should have been purchased.

If some of the prices seem a little much, just remember that you do not have to prepare anything over a hot stove, and clean up time is cut in half. Just breeze in and make your choices—but do try not to drool during this process.

Annie's rating: 3 of 4 Forks

Market C
401 N. W. 23rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
405/208-4444

Hours: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Saturday
          Closed Sundays

Prices: $3.95 and up (depending on the daily offering)

Fun Food Factoid:
Kobe beef: Kobe beef is renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty well-marbled texture. It is from the Wagyu breed of cattle in Japan with special feed, daily massaging, and beer and sake. Some farmers in the U.S. have tried this process for Kobe-style beef.

LET’S EAT Restaurant Review by Annie Nashert
Café 7 Delicatessen & Pastaria

A café owned by OSU grads, new to north Oklahoma City, has been open for six months and is drawing in hungry customers. A sandwich, pizza or pasta, ready to eat in seven minutes—what more could someone in a hurry want?

When you walk thru the door you will notice the enticing aroma and the full tables. Take a moment to breath deeply before advancing to the menu board. Pasta or pizza, it can be a hard choice, fill out your order form and advance to the counter. There are separate forms for kids, pasta, pizza, salad and sandwiches. If you don’t care for the combinations offered, create your own. Pick a pasta, a sauce (six to choose from), and up to four toppings (there are 13 to choose from).

On my visit, I did not notice any children in the restaurant but they do offer high chairs and a kid’s menu that includes favorites like mac & cheese, mini ham & cheese, cheese pizza or spaghetti & meatballs. While waiting for my order, I inquired of several people how they enjoyed their food. Some were repeat customers and all agreed they
enjoyed their meals.

We had the turkey and guacamole sandwich ($6.45) with roasted turkey, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and fresh guacamole on a toasted hoagie. I had them add mayo and noticed it was very light on the guacamole, you might want to request extra if you are a big guac fan.

We also had a Cuban sandwich ($6.45) with smoked pulled pork, ham, banana peppers, red onion, pickles, Swiss cheese and dijonnaise sauce on a fresh toasted hoagie. Joe thought these combinations of flavors were quite tasty and the hoagie rolls they are served on are very good.

We couldn’t pass up the chance to order pizza so we had the luau pizza ($6.45) with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Canadian bacon, pineapple and mandarin oranges on a crispy, tasty crust. I found this group of ingredients to be yummy. The sweet juicy pineapple and mandarin oranges were a nice compliment to the Canadian bacon and
cheese. I will gladly order this again though Joe would probably prefer the ultimate supreme pizza—tomato sauce, pepperoni, bacon, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and black olives. Sounds like a manly pizza packed full.

We also tried the loaded baked potato salad and the Café 7 signature pasta salad. The potato salad had bacon bits and sour cream with nice slices of potato. I enjoyed the flavors of this salad while Joe preferred the pasta salad of rotini pasta, red and green peppers and onion with an Italian vinaigrette. Though the flavor was good it just seemed a little bland to me.

On the day we were there, they offered red velvet cake, cheesecake and a plate with a variety of mini desserts (éclair and cheesecake bites). We had the red velvet cake, a moist cake of several layers with white icing. I enjoyed the cake, Joe ate most of it but thought it needed more flavor, more chocolate. Most people sadly think red velvet cake should have a stronger chocolate flavor.

Café 7 can also cater to groups of five to 500 with platters or box lunches for your entertaining purposes.

Café 7 Delicatessen & Pastaria

Annie’s rating: 3 of 4 forks

14101 N May, OKC

405-748-3354

Prices: $1.00-$6.45

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11am-8pm; Sunday, 11am-3pm

Fun Food Factoid: Red Velvet cake is a rich, sweet cake popular in the south with a red or red-brown color. There is very little cocoa in this cake so it does not have a strong chocolate flavor.

When you enter through the door of The Wedge, a pizza shop on Western Avenue in Oklahoma City, stop a moment and take a long, slow breath to enjoy the aromas. The Wedge is a small, intimate pizzeria with approximately 11 small tables and bar seating. You may need to be prepared for a wait if you enter during the rush hours but don’t be deterred; The Wedge is worth the time. While waiting for your order, take in the bobble head doll collection and the brick pizza oven in the corner.

My daughter Mandy was a willing participant on this restaurant review. We had heard of The Wedge but were under the misconception that they served pizza by the slice, or wedge; they don’t. Their ingredient choices are a little more Italian than most places. Mandy was hoping for some Hawaiian-style pies, but not this time. Some of their toppings include roasted fennel, arugula, truffle oil, sage, fig and capers. Salads are featured with fennel, or roasted beets and oranges, not just traditional lettuce.

We thought we would start our visit with an order of handmade meatballs ($6) and Wedge flatbread ($3.50). The meatballs were an order of five meatballs topped with marinara sauce and slices of parmesan cheese. These had a fine texture (more so than those I make) with a good flavor. I was thrilled there was not a strong fennel taste as there can sometimes be in traditional Italian cooking. The flatbread was the size of the pizza topped with herbs (oregano and rosemary) and parmesan cheese. This was tasty dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Should you have any left, be sure to take it home and enjoy with soup or salad.

Now let’s talk about the pizzas! For the manly man, you might order The Italian Stallion ($14) with port wine and sun dried tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, roasted fennel and Italian sausage. For the vegetarians in your group, the Vedge ($13) is topped with garlic, red bell peppers, artichokes, crimini mushrooms, pine nuts, ricotta cheese and mozzarella.

For those with a European flair, try the Truffle-Shuffle ($15) with truffle oil, sage, crimini mushrooms, spinach, roasted chicken, parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Mandy wanted to try the American Pie ($14) and I wanted to try the Perfect Margherita ($13), so we got half of each ($14). The American Pie has marinara sauce, chopped meatballs, oregano, onion, parmesan cheese and mozzarella. The Margherita pizza has freshly sliced Roma tomato, basil, roasted garlic and mozzarella. I thought both pizzas were good. The crust was thin and crispy, topped with yummy flavors.

If you need a bite of something sweet, they offer traditional gelato ($4). The flavors vary by day. On the day we were there, it looked like they had chocolate and vanilla. We saw it pass by our table and fought the urge to grab it. The Wedge has been open almost two years. It is nice to see that it seemed booming with customers, the staff was very friendly and it makes you feel good to see them washing their hands behind the counter. Your sense of sight, sound, smell and taste should be well-satisfied at this intimate locale.

Fun Food Factoid: Fennel is a perennial herb popular in Mediterranean and European cooking. The seeds, delicate leaves, and bulb can all be used. It has a strong anise (licorice) flavor.

Annie Nashert has a husband and grown daughter who assume everybody has homemade dessert nightly.