Doors Fly Open at Pizzavolante

Pizzavolante, the new pizza parlor and mozzarella bar from Pacific Time chef Jonathan Eismann, opened today. By noon they already had pies going out the door, even as the awning was still going up outside. I popped in to take a look and grab a menu but didn't have time to sample - maybe later tonight. In the meantime, here below is the menu, and some very quick impressions.



It's a short and sweet listing of pizzas, and for the most part pretty traditional. Standard pies are done with fresh mozzarella from local producer Vito Volpe, whose stuff is also featured in the mozzarella bar, or you can splurge and go for the fancier stuff on a $13 pie. There are also a couple calzones if you prefer your pizza stuffed. The wood-fired oven is pretty impressive, as is the pile of firewood waiting to fuel it. Locavores will appreciate the "Volante 100," with all toppings or fillings grown or produced within 100 miles of the store.

The mozzarella bar features several different varieties (an organic bufala mozzarella from Vermont, two different Italian D.O.P. mozzarellas di bufala, and Vito's local cow's milk mozzarella, some of which is custom made for the restaurant). The mozz can be paired with a bunch of different accompaniments, from fried zucchini to prosciutto di parma to trofie pasta with pesto. The menu also features a few sandwiches, a few pasta options, and a daily special (all old-school Italian stuff like lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, veal marsala) available to eat in, for take out or delivery.

Several very reasonably priced wines are available (18 under $18), as well as good beers including Bud for a buck. Let the pizza wars begin.

If you want to see how the magic happens, here's a video of Vito making his mozzarella:



Pizzavolante
3918 N. Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33137
305.573.5325

Wine Dinner at 5300 Chophouse

OK - a few words of caution before I put this one up: (1) I do not watch Hell's Kitchen, don't get to Doral that often, and so had never heard of 5300 Chophouse or its chef Josh Wahler; (2) $125 seems a bit steep for a restaurant and winery I've never heard of (as for the wine, my guess is that Sunbox Eleven is a Crushpad custom crush thing, not that there is anything wrong with that); and (3) the shill quotient seems high, what with a New Times blog entry generating 21 comments and about 10x that many exclamation points. But having said all that, both the menu and wines look somewhat interesting, so here it is - the 5300 Chophouse / Sunbox Eleven wine dinner, to happen on May 28, $125 per person inclusive of tax and tip.


5300 Chophouse
5300 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33178
1.877.748.2583

Pizza Showdown

OK. After I was given some grief for questioning whether a place could be dubbed the "best pizza in South Florida" within 24 hours of putting out some pies for an opening party, I've realized it's only fair to put the question to the test of public opinion. Indeed with the influx of new pizza places, some further investigation would seem to be in order. In the span of a week, we've got Racks in North Miami Beach opened, Sosta on Lincoln Road opened, and Jonathan Eismann's Pizza Volante opening in the Design District. Not so long ago Joey's Wynwood (recently recognized in Food & Wine), Blu Pizza e Cucina in Mary Brickell Village and Pizza Fusion in North Miami Beach opened their doors. A new pizza place from the owners of Sardinia called Casale is in the pipeline, and stalwarts like Spris, Piola and Pizza Rustica on South Beach and Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Aventura are still plugging along.

As if more inspiration was needed, Jonathan Alan Richman (sorry, Modern Lovers on the brain) just came out in GQ with his list of the top 25 pizzas in the country - and no, there are no Miami places listed. This summary from Serious Eats is almost as good a read as the original.

So which Miami pizza really is the best? Help me decide:

(1) Some wise person suggested a pizza crawl to try out the contenders. A brilliant idea. I'd propose it start on Lincoln Road where newcomer Sosta and old-timers Spris, Piola and Pizza Rustica can go face to face (and Casale if it's open). Then perhaps a Downtown/Wynwood/Design District trek with Blu Pizza, Joey's and Pizza Volante. And finally a trek up north to Pizza Fusion, Anthony's and Racks. Who's in? Send me an email (link is in the profile above) or better yet, join the Miami Chowdown Google Group to work out logistics.

(2) I've started a poll over on the right column listing the candidates. Once you've tried, cast your vote.