Tony's Pizza and Pasta

Tony's was Dave's pick this month.  And I admit, I was a total skeptic on Tony's Pizza and Pasta after I saw the menu online.  BYOB because it's in a dry section of Dallas, not much of a pizza menu, the basics and that's it, no online pictures of the restaurant, and the prices were so inexpensive that I couldn't see how this place could survive serving even decent food.  Plus I knew it would be in a strip mall up in Lake Highlands (neighborhood not known for it's cuisine, at least not to me).  Well, I was totally wrong.

I pulled up to the place, running late of course, and was happy to find the parking spot right in front of the restaurant waiting for me.  No valet, no problem.  The restaurant was packed with people waiting in line out the door.  Luckily, Dave called ahead to see if they took reservations and the do!

We brought a couple bottles of wine for the 4 of us, we quickly questioned not bringing more.  We even asked our obviously underage waitress who was quick to point out the Albertson's next door carried no alcoholic beverages and that the nearest store was a ways away.

I loved the pizza.  Classic New York style pizza, made in a brick oven, reminded me of a place under the Brooklyn bridge I'd been to.  The service was excellent, very attentive to our water glasses, and the food came out like 10 minutes after we ordered it (surprising considering the place was packed).  Their sausage was very Italian and excellent on pizza.

The ambiance was good, not great.  Very cool pictures painted on all the walls in the back room, and the people at the other tables were super friendly.  Everything there was big in portion sizes, especially the calzone.   The only thing I didn't like was the mozzarella sticks.  They were freshly made, but the cheese wasn't gooey enough.  I think I'm spoiled by fake, frozen ones of the TGIF's of the world.

When the bill came, I couldn't believe it.  $34 for the four of us.  I love BYOB!  It was $45 just for a bottle of wine at Eno's.  We had to super tip the waitress because she really did provide great service.  And she even gave me a Canoli to go at no charge when I asked her for one after the bill had already come.  

Overall, I am totally going back to Tony's.  I just hope it stays in business at those prices!

Food / Taste / Beverage - 9, love the BYOB!

Service - 9

Ambiance - 7, friendly folks, typical otherwise

Value - 10, unreal

Parking / Location - 7

Total score - 42

Cheers,

Ben

http://www.tonyspizzapasta.net/