There’s no shortage of pizza around Dallas. Whether they crave gourmet New York style or al fresco Neopolitan, SMU foodies are sure to be satisfied (although I’ve yet to find a decent Chicago style pie; hit me up if you find one). Some of these places have been low-key hangouts for years (Louie’s), while some are dining meccas for Uptown’s elite (Coal Vines).
But these days, it’s difficult to get gourmet pizza delivered to your door – or dorm. Plus, it’s just plain difficult to find a gourmet pizza without breaking the bank. Truth be told, I don’t feel comfortable paying more than $20 for a pizza and getting charged my left leg for extra mushrooms. And on top of this unnecessarily steep price, one must budget enough to get through the night’s post-dinner or post-post-dinner destination.
At Urbino Pizza e Pasta, students can kill two birds with one stone. Not only does the restaurant offer fresh ingredients and a chic, reasonably priced menu, but it also has drink specials (for those able to enjoy them) every day of the week.
Sandwiched between Veritas Wine Bar and Sushi Axiom on Henderson Avenue, Urbino has a modern, indoor lounge look with a friendly, neighborhood patio. The artwork is minimal. It’s simplistic and sexy. The full bar stocks top-shelf liquor and a specialty frozen drink: Limoncello. A traditional Italian after-dinner liquor. This cocktail served in a martini glass may soon be the new frozen “marg.”
The menu, although straightforward and small, has something for everyone. Most dishes are meant to be shared among friends. Or lovers. Or co-workers. There’s a carni panino for hungry, meat-eating diners that comes with salametti, Spanish chorizo, Italian sausage and vegetables on grilled ciabatta. The pizzas are a standard 16 inches – which fed myself and two friends on both occasions – and start at $13. There’s the traditional white pizza and the basic margherita, but there’s also a prosciutto and parmigiano-reggiano pie and an interestingly popular lox pizza with smoked salmon, capers and chive ricotta. Girls watching their waistlines will enjoy the option of a flatbread crust, so they can pony up for pizza guilt-free.
Owner David Pedack gets the cheese from local gourmet cheese shop Scardello on Oak Lawn, and select produce and meats from Tom Spicer. Known around Dallas as the Spiceman, Spicer’s been giving celebrity chefs the goods (organically grown herbs and veggies) for years. Dean Fearing, Kent Rathbun and former chef of the Rosewood Mansion John Tesar have all been customers.
Still, the upscale food has a communal, down-home feel. My favorite item is the bruschetta – thick slices of ciabatta topped with chopped tomatoes, basil pesto, garlic, goat cheese and pine nuts – but as a vegetable lover, I’ll go with the veg panino or pizza any day. Pedack personally loves the wild mushroom ricotta ravioli. And 21 year olds who drink their calories will like the daily specials.
Mondays is a football special, where diners can watch the game on a flat screen and couch potatoes can get two pizzas delivered for $19.99. Tuesday offers $2 drafts; Wednesdays and Thursdays are $3 you-call-its; Fridays and Saturdays feature live DJs and Sundays boasts reverse happy hour.
Whatever you order or whoever accompanies you, the beauty of the place is that it hasn’t been open for very long, so students still have time to claim it as Mustang territory. Sweet.
