Pizzeria just superb, no matter how you slice it

By Nonie Fish
For The Register-Guard
  

I am certain of one thing: Mezza Luna (half of a moon) Pizzeria makes both halves of a pizza deliciose.

The sign outside Mezza Luna is a whole pizza pie, half tomatoey with a tempting slice, while the other half is a pizza Bianca, or white pizza. I love this type of pizza popular in the American Northeast - only cheese, rosemary and maybe some garlic and olive oil.

Our group almost needed a pizza facilitator while deciding what type of pie to order, but we noticed it was possible to order half-and-half pies. This took away some of the pressure.

Of course, the bickering started again while deciding on what the halves would be. The antipasto platter (a little of this and little of that) was a perfect distraction during negotiations. The great menu seemed to have something for everyone. The most important part of a pizza is the crust. Great crusts are created in a pizza oven that, hopefully, has a heated ceramic stone or a wood-oven-heated hearth. How did Mezza Luna's crust hold up? It was evenly thin and sealed on the bottom by the intense heat of the stone. Yes, it was fantastic - chewy and crispy.

John Fitzgerald throws a pizza crust under the watchful eye of Mezza Luna Pizzeria co-owner Sandy Little. Photo: Chris Pietsch / The Register-Guard

We really didn't need anything else to eat besides pizza, but since the antipasto had been ordered, we plunged in. (It's important to ask that pizzas be held back until the antipasto or salads are first eaten; that way, they can be put into the oven to be baked. Nothing should come between a crisp crust and one's lips.)

The antipasto platter ($7.25 plus $1.50 for salami slices) was enough for five hearty eaters. It included flavorful, fresh slices of soft mozzarella and tomatoes, seasoned with basil and a light balsamic vinaigrette (just great); a generous supply of Kalamata olives; roasted red and yellow bell pepper slices; and artichoke pesto (or vegan pesto) to spread on the warm toasted crostini. All were delish except the tasteless, canned artichoke hearts.

I never expect too much from a restaurant salad. Mezza Luna's Caesar (medium, $4) - with its fresh, crunchy slices of romaine hearts - came with just enough dressing (not drowning in it) and without an overbearing, fishy taste of anchovy. A double thumbs-up around the table.

The Fruit and Nut Salad ($4.50) was made with delicate butter lettuce, dried cranberries, candied pecans and soft, sweet, perfect-textured Gorgonzola. Both salads arrived on iced plates (imagine that!) and were wonderful.

The salads were made by someone who knows their way inside a refrigerator! It is not often we are treated to an iced plate, let alone amazingly fresh lettuce without brown spots.

We ordered two large pizzas, each one was a half-and-half. Slices were gargantuan.

The first pie was vegetarian. Half was "Marge" (who I'm sure is related to a Margarita in Naples, $8.25), a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses topped with thinly sliced tomatoes (hooray!). There was nothing to get that magnificent crust soggy.

The other half was a Fun-Guy Trio ($10.50) - three types of sliced fresh mushrooms, red and yellow pepper strips, chevre (goat) cheese, mozzarella, tomato sauce and roasted garlic. I can't tell you which I liked better; both were great.

The second pizza was made with Italian meats.

The prima half, The Boot ($10.50), was topped with the house sausage, its flavor not overpowering but carefully seasoned. The same great, sweet-tasting Gorgonzola cheese, red and yellow peppers, onions (not raw or too strong), roasted garlic, mozzarella and the sensible scant use of tomato sauce. I loved the melding of flavors and relished each bite.

The other half, Nice Spice (not related to Posh or Ginger, $10.50) packed a punch that turned pirouettes on my tongue.

We had great beer from a carefully constructed tap and bottle menu, the prices ranging from $2.50 a glass to $2.75 a bottle to $10 a pitcher. Its wine list and other beverages showed thoughtful selection.

It was a delightful visit to this new Eugene pizzeria. The two owners, John Fitzgerald and Sandy Little, certainly show they are exacting in their craft and take their pizza inspirations seriously.

Both hail from the New Jersey area, where a large Italian-American population eats lots of pizza. So it's no surprise they make pies that are a step above the average.

Where: 933 Pearl St.,
Phone: 541-684-8900

Hours: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday 12 noon - 9 p.m.

Credit cards: Visa and MasterCard

Reservations: Not necessary

Noise level: Depends on hour of day

Cost: $23.20 for a splurge for two, without tip

Nonie Fish is a free-lance food writer from Eugene. Her twice-monthly Dining Out reviews are based on one, and sometimes two, unannounced, anonymous visits to local restaurants.

Mezza Luna Pizzeria - 933 Pearl St., Eugene, Oregon 97401
Phone: 541-684-8900