Nonna's

First on my list of pizzerias to try was Nonna's in the Twin Hickory area of Glen Allen. When we first started talking about pizza at work, Nonna's was highly recommended by a fellow northeast transplant co-worker.

One thing before the review - I am attempting to keep as true a comparison as possible between pizza joints, so I am comparing only cheese pizza and ordering single (reheated) slices when possible. (Nonna's sells cheese by the slice so that was easy to stick to here.)

Why the reheated slices, you may ask? The sign of a great pizza place is reheated slices that taste as good, if not better, than a fresh pie. This is also the signature of good NY-style pizza. I realize that not all places will offer a by-the-slice option, but as often as I can I plan to order by the slice.

Now the review: (All out of 8 slices - the typical number in a NY style pie)

Crust: 6 slices
Sauce: 3 slices
Cheese: 6 slices
Overall: 4 slices

Commments: Nonna's totes itself as NY-style pizza, and it is. The crust definitely was what I was looking for - crispy, but foldable. The slices themselves were huge (as they should be). I was missing that warm, cheesy pizza smell though. The reheated slices that I got were hot enough, but had no aroma - they smelled like nothing. The first bite was okay, if a little bland- nice sauce to cheese to crust ratio, but after a few bites I noticed a slightly burnt plastic taste lingering in my mouth. Not pleasant. I couldn't even finish the two slices that I bought due to this residual taste. Maybe it was something in the reheating that caused this, but I won't be rushing back for pizza anytime soon. The pizza was lacking in flavor anyway. (The garlic bread, on the other hand, was great - buttery, garlicky, and crispy! I would also like to try some of the italian meals that they had as they looked good from what was patrons' tables...)

Bottom Line: While yes, Nonna's is NY-style, the lack of overall flavor (good flavor, that is) of the slices won't have me rushing back anytime soon.

Next week: Pizza Place