Allllllright. So the Femme is back in town! (And back to blogging, my apologies for the lengthy interlude) Yes, I have returned to my fair city for the summer. This also means that I'm back working at Tria. (Say hello if you ever stop in)
And, of course, I'm also back in time for PBW 2010. Even though I wasn't a fan of moving beer week to June, it happens to work out for me personally.
While not my first dinner back in Philly, I recently went to Zavino wine bar pizzeria. And I have to say, it was awesome. I wasn't expecting much, as I hadn't heard (just read) a ton about the place.
We started out with a Yellowtail Crudo with radish, orange and basil oil. It was a solid dish. It all worked together, and I can't argue with that.
Next we had the Greens and Radish with Bagna Càuda. Naturally, the anchovy flavor was prominent. But in a very good way. Greens and radishes aren't exactly exciting, but the bagna càuda really made it an enjoyable salad.
For pizza we went with the Sausage with tomato, homemade sausage, roasted fennel and sweet peppers. As pizza far as pizza goes, I have learned that my pizza preferences don't really fall with the general public. But, since it's a divisive topic anyway, I'm okay with that.
So essentially, I love dough of all kinds. I don't want crispy crust, I want doughy crust that I can savor and chew easily. While the bottom of the pizza was perfectly firm, the crust was also enjoyable and soft enough for me. The sauce, well, there could have been more of it. The toppings were a naturally nice combination and perfectly distributed.
In fact, the pizza was so good that we decided to order another one to go. The pizza is a good size to share if you get three appetizers. But after two smaller appetizers, for some healthy eaters, one pizza just wasn't enough. For the second pizza, to be enjoyed later at home, we chose the Polpettini with tomato sauce, provolone, and mini veal meatballs. It was also delicious.
And dessert, as many restaurants in Philly know, is a useless enterprise with Capogiro directly across the street. Sorry Zavino, that's just how it goes.
But all in all, I'd go back very soon. I have no complaints (except the service, but I'll overlook it for now). I'm generally very psyched to have this pizza option in Philly.
Zavino
1125 S. 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-732-2400
