Saturday, October 18, 2014

Day 14, 2014: Metro Pizza (Henderson, NV)




DAY 14: OCTOBER 14th, 2014

LOCATION: Metro Pizza (1240 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson, NV)

GUEST(S): Robin Rothman

ORDER: 2 slices of Olde New York (the original classic cheese pizza made with thick slices of mozzarella cheese and richly simmered Italian tomato sauce), 1 slice of New Haven (A New England favorite made with chopped clams, minced garlic, and creamy mozzarella cheese)

REVIEW: 
A world of pizza in one neighborhood pizza joint.  When John Arena and Sam Facchini purchased and reopened what was to become the first Metro Pizza, they didn't change the recipes. Having grown up working at their uncle's 1928 New Jersey pizza shop, they had a profound respect for role of a local pizzeria to the nearby community.  Embracing the previous owner's style and adding some of their own resulted in happy customers and a warm welcome to the neighborhood.  Its menu blossomed as well as its popularity.  Over the next thirty plus years, six Metro Pizzas all celebrating pizza styles ranging from traditional Neapolitan to Chicago deep dish popped up across town to the delight of greater Las Vegas area.  I can personally vouch for the homages to the New York and New Haven styles.  The creamy low-moisture mozzarella of the Olde New York melts upon the tangy tomato sauce atop the thin - and foldable - gas-powered crust.  Once garnished with freshly diced basil, a savory blend of pizza excellence is created that tastes so good, you wish the toppings extended to the outer edge and then some.  The New Haven pie struck just the right balance of garlic and cheese to complement the generously distributed clams.  Eating at Metro Pizza is a true celebration of pizza.  If there were one near me, I'd be celebrating right now.

PHOTOS:
Half Margherita, Half clams?
Olde New York
New Haven
Underside
MISCELLANEOUS:
Sunrise in the Grand Canyon
1. Sunsets in the Grand Canyon are unbelievable.
The Grand Canyon was built to be panoramicized!

NE section of Metro Pizza's "family of pizzerias"
2. Metro Pizza has a huge list of pizzerias from across the country depicted on a gigantic mural.  If you present a photograph of yourself in front of one of these pizzerias, Metro Pizza will give you a $25 credit towards your order.  I took note because 90% of the names I recognized in the NE were some of my favorite so I'm using the rest of the list as a "hit list" for future Pizza Months.

Mural of Metro Pizza's favorite neighborhood pizzerias
3. After we returned to Las Vegas from the Grand Canyon, Robin Rothman and I hit up Ellis Island for some late night karaoke.  That place has karaoke every night until 3am and Robin blew the roof off the place with her rendition of "What's Up" by Four Non-Blonds.
Rockin' Robin singing karaoke at Ellis Island Casino
RATING:
  4.17/5
  • VALUE:
     4/5

  • AMBIENCE:
     3/3

  • TASTE:
     7.5/10

  • SERVICE:
     3/3

    17.5/18 = .8333 x 5 = 4.1667

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