Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pitch Pizzeria

5021 Underwood Avenue
Omaha, NE 68132
402.590.2625
Lunch Tues-Sat, 11am-4:30pm, Dinner Mon-Sun, 4:30pm to close
pitchpizzeria.com
Pitch Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

13" Margherita pizza: San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil ($13)

Dundee residents, act cool. Not only is Conor Oberst opening a new bar on Dodge Street, but Pitch on Underwood Ave just had a celeb sighting last weekend: the man, the myth, the Bono was there wining and dining. Since Bono lives and breathes cool, I figured the "coal oven pizzeria" was overdue for a visit.

The only seating available at 7:30 on a Monday evening was two high top bar stools facing the street, which had the feel of outdoor dining without all the car exhaust and bugs. The space was a little tight; just make sure you like the person you're with.

Roasted Brussels sprouts: garlic, pancetta, grana cheese ($6)

Dundonians have cautioned me for some time that the crust is extremely thin and crispy, so I was basically expecting sauce and cheese on a Saltine. The reality is that the crust was just right: chewy and powdered with flour on the bottom, with a one-inch perimeter of browned exterior to give it some character, and the occasional crust bubble. On the classic Margherita pie, there was nothing really "standout" about the sauce and cheese; it was just plain good. This is all-purpose pizza, good for getting all Euro about it and eating with a fork and knife, or for munching on in front of the fridge in your underwear.

On the whole roasted rainbow trout entree, the French green lentils were rather al dente, which suited my taste, but I wondered whether that was on purpose. It was advertised as a whole fish, but in the end, "Excuse me ma'am, where's my fish tail?" didn't seem like a necessary question. The dish was popping with rich flavor that managed not to overwhelm the trout, and I thought the messy pile presentation was kind of interesting. It was fun to eat.

I commend our server for mostly leaving us alone, and though the restaurant was full, her timing was perfect. It's great to visit a popular restaurant that's also deserving, but I'm kind of pissed they didn't really give me much to pick on. Pitch is a crowd pleaser, good for Bonos and regular humans alike.

Whole roasted rainbow trout: caramelized apples, fennel, onions, French green lentils, sage walnut butter ($17)

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