Cavalli's Pizza - That's Amoré

I (Sara) first heard about Cavalli's from a man in line at a car spa. He said it was the most authentic Italian pizza he has ever had in Dallas and that they were the first restaurant in Texas to be certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. For a man in a car spa to be that fervent about pizza (especially to a total stranger) I knew this place had to be special. I went home and googled it immediately and when I saw the menu, I knew this had to be our next stop on the Foodie Adventure Tour.

We went to the Irving location which is BYOB and is right off Belt Line by 635 (there is also a location in McKinney). Haley, Britney and I each ordered our own individual pizzas so we could maximize our exposure. The laundry list of specialty pizzas on the menu made it very difficult to order. The pizzas ranged from the Bismark with eggs, ham and basil to the Clams Casino with clams, bacon and garlic to the traditional Margherita Extra.

Haley decided on the Ortolana pizza topped with eggplant, bell peppers and artichokes. When the pizza arrived, the toppings were unexpectedly seperated into 3 sections. There were two slices of artichoke pizza, two slices of bell pepper pizza and two slices of eggplant pizza. While we were slightly caught off guard by the segregation of the toppings, the colors made the pizza look more like italian art and it was indeed delicious.

Britney ordered the Pesto Chicken pizza. This pizza comes with not only mozzerella, but also ricotta cheese, which gave it a creamy twist. The pesto on this pizza tasted very fresh and herbacious, and no component overwhelmed any other.

I ordered the Salame E Funghi pizza which was topped with salami, mushrooms, garlic, basil, fresh mozzerella AND smoked mozzarella. My pizza was awesome - salty, garlicky and earthy, but much to my dismay, as soon as I picked up a slice all my toppings literally slid right off. I was woefully forced to eat my pizza with a fork. I will say, however, that my pizza was the only one out of our three that didn't seem to have a tight grip on itself and I suppose I can get over using a fork for the right kind of pizza.

We were all captivated by the char on the crust of our pizzas and the almost smokey flavor of the dough itself from the wood burning oven. When we tried to decide which one of our pizzas was our favorite, we honestly couldn't pick a front runner. Each pizza was memorable in it own distinct way. Actually, not only were all of our pizzas great, but the pizzas of the loving couple sitting next to us looked great too...we tried not to stare.  

By this time in the meal, yes, we were full and yes, all three of us needed a to-go box, but this dinner did not stop there! Perhaps the best part about Cavalli's is that they have DESSERT PIZZA. I am talking nutella, s'mores, chocolate and rum - take your pick. Well we picked the La Nutella. This dessert pizza is in the style of a calzone and is made from their original pizza dough stuffed with hazelnut spread, dark chocolate and chopped roasted hazelnuts, topped with a chocolate drizzle. The saltiness of the pizza dough was the perfect balance to the hot gooey chocolate that was all over our faces (ok...maybe just my face) and the crunch of the roasted hazelnuts added the perfect texture. The only thing missing was a tall glass of ice cold milk. BYOB? Make that BYOM.

Cavalli's pizza lived up to its original allure and would be great for a casual date or just for something fun and different. Before we even  finished our meals we were already deciding what we would order on our next visit.... now that's amoré.

http://www.cavallipizza.com/ 

MAP

Good 2 Go Tacos, Worth the Wait

Sara told me about "Good 2 Go Tacos" in East Dallas that had appeared on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and we decided that it was a foodie adventure we could not pass up. We went to the location cited in the show to find out that their lease had ended and were in the process of opening a new location. We were bummed, ate crappy gas station tacos that replaced the legend and left a bit discouraged about trying again. A few months passed and we caught wind that new (and improved) location had opened and took the trip out to East Dallas.  

The place is quaint, a bit hidden, and totally filled with a "hipster" vibe that I wish Dallas had more of. There is a coffee shop also in the location and refrigerators full of everything from Dublin Dr. Pepper (my personal vice) and Root Beer that strangely tasted like cotton candy as it finished.


I ordered the "Hotlanta" which is waffle battered chicken with sweet potatoes. It tasted like a funnel cake in a tortilla. I also had the "Honey Bear" which was honey glazed bacon, scrambled eggs, goat cheese and spinach. Both were amazing, however I would recommend the Honey Bear if you are a fan of goat cheese like myself.


Sara and Britney both had the "Paris, TX" which was the featured taco on the Food Network special. This delicious, yet hard to eat due to size, taco consists of grilled hangar steak (cooked to perfection), scrambled eggs, potatoes with charred tomato hollandaise. Sara also had the "Swine Bleu" which is pulled pork with a bleu cheese 'slaw. We also split the Chorizo Queso, which not only looked like a work of art, but tasted like one as well.

All tacos are $3.50 and $4 and about the size of half a Chipotle burrito. The good thing is, like the name of the restaurant, they are "Good To Go" if you can't finish them. I HIGHLY recommend this place for anyone who isn't afraid to mix it up from a traditional taco. 


http://www.facebook.com/good2gotaco?v=wall


Food Network Special


MAP

Going Cuban in Dallas

Our first adventure was a Cuban one. We went to a local bakery in Carrollton that Sara had found in D Magazine. International Bakery Cuban Dulceria did not disappoint. We found out that it is a family operated business that has been around from one generation to the next. The prices are cheap, the mood is authentic and the food is delicious. I had the "Medianoche" which was a glorious combination of pork, swiss cheese, ham and pickles all on fresh Cuban bread. Also, try the Plaintain chips with your sandwich. Another tried the "Ropa Vieja" which is the classic Cuban sandwich. I will definitely be returning in the near future to try that one myself. We split a guava pastry which almost overshadowed how great the sandwich was. This is the perfect place for someone to go for an afternoon lunch when you are in the mood for something a little different.


http://www.facebook.com/CubanBakery?v=info


D Magazine Review


MAP

Food with Friends

My love for food and trying new things has always been something I have had. I think it stems from being unable to make anything more complicated than Mac N' Cheese. So, when my friend Sara and I started talking about our shared interest we decided to find the hidden gems among Dallas that we had never tried. We started looking for places that were unique, had some sense of charm and aren't among the no offense, "Chili's" of the world. We started scouring the area and recruited our friend Britney to join in on our adventure. So, let the self-dubbed "Foodie Adventures" begin.

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” -George Bernard Shaw