THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610010121
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: ON THE TOWN
TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIEW
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: 87 lines
Robert Clark didn't have to go far from his last job waiting tables at The Monastery Restaurant to his new pizzeria, Del Vecchios. The two are side by side on Granby Street.
This 27-year old native of upstate New York came south in 1990 to attend Old Dominion University and lives in Ghent. The August opening of Del Vecchios - loosely translated from Italian, ``the old man's,'' in honor of his father - was the culmination of a plan with roots in Clark's first job, washing dishes in a pizzeria at age 15. He worked his way up to making pies and after high school he managed the store.
``When I came to ODU, I had to work, and making pizza was not as prestigious, and you don't make as much money, as in New York, so I started waiting tables,'' he explained.
He worked mostly for Anna and Adolf Jerabek at The Monastery, now his landlords, at Cafe 21, and at Cafe Europa in Portsmouth. All the while he had his eye on a vacant Granby Street storefront.
``I knew TCC was coming, and generally speaking, Granby Street is up and running, but I was fearful of opening too soon,'' Clark said, ``I thought we'd have to hold out until the school came, but we're doing well. I've gotten a good response from downtown businesses, and the nighttime delivery business (to Ghent, Larchmont and the Wards Corner area) supports me when that is lacking.''
The little eatery has four tables, so most business is takeout or delivery, but Clark's New York-style pizza seems to have taken off. I asked him to explain a ``New York-style'' pie.
``It's a thin crust, hand-tossed, then slow-baked in a stone oven so it goes directly on the stove, rather than a screen or conveyor belt,'' he explained. ``We do the crust here, portion it individually so that it's ready to go on a wooden shovel and (then) slide it directly onto the bricks.''
Clark, who is Irish, says he came by his pizza-making expertise through experience. His pies come in two sizes, 18-inch and 14-inch.
``Our small pizza is equivalent to the size of a chain's large pizza,'' he said.
And better to eat, judging by the two pies I took home to the family last week. Taking advantage of one of Clark's special offers (one 18-inch with two toppings and a 14-inch with two) $15, plus tax), we had more than enough for two adults and three kids.
A large cheese pie is $7.95 for the 14-inch, $10 for the large. Specialty pizzas include the Florentine (dough lightly basted with garlic and olive oil, then topped with fresh-chopped spinach, tomato and mozzarella cheese); Lance's Favorite BBQ Chicken (chicken breast, red onions and mozzarella on a bed of barbecue sauce; a Hawaiian (pineapple, ham and extra cheese); and a steak and cheese pie. All of these $10.95 and $14.50.
A traditional Margherita, with no cheese, but plenty of pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground tomatoes, garlic, basil and spices, is $7.95 and $10.50. An all-meat pie of pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham and extra cheese, or an all-veggie pie of tomato, broccoli, mushroom, sweet bell peppers, onions and extra cheese costs $11.95 and $16.50. Del Vecchios also offers a 14-inch Chicago-style stuffed pizza, two inches thick, and covered with a second crust and a marinara sauce ($10-$14).
The subs ($4.95) are good, at least the salami and provolone sub I had last week was. It was served hot with lettuce and tomato, and oil and vinegar (on a roll baked fresh and delivered daily, I'm told). Other subs include roast beef, turkey, ham and Swiss, pastrami and Swiss, meat ball parmesan, and sausage and peppers.
Specialties include calzones, such as ham and cheese, or sausage and peppers ($4.50); broccoli and fresh garlic, or spinach and fresh garlic ($4.95). Pasta dishes range from spaghetti ($4.95) to linguini with red or white clam sauce, or homemade lasagna ($6.95), and include spinach ravioli and tortellini.
A Caesar salad is $3.95, a Greek salad $5.50, and desserts include cannoli ($2.50) and cheesecake ($2.95). Lunch specials (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) include a sub, soda and chips, or pasta, homemade bread and a soda, and are available for pickup only at $5, plus tax. Del Vecchios also delivers downtown at lunch, and Clark tells me he'll apply for a beer license later this fall. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Robert Clark has opened Del Vecchios, which loosely translated from
Italian is ``the old man's.''
Graphic
AT A GLANCE
Del Vecchios: 441 Granby St., 627-2788.
Food: pizza, pasta, subs and salads.
Prices: pizza $7.95-$16.50.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to
midnight Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. by CNB