Restaurant Review: Pizza Studio

Fast serve pizza is starting to become more common place.

   The other day we found ourselves shopping at The Legends in western KCK. After a bit, we decided that we needed something to eat, but we weren't ready to leave the shopping center. While there are a few go to places we enjoy at this location, my wife was quick to point out that she had recently tried the new pizza spot called Pizza Studio. Her description piqued my curiosity, so we decided to have it for a quick lunch. It is the first restaurant that this chain has opened in the metro with the closest one from here being in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. A quick check of their website shows the majority of their stores are located in the southwestern portion of the country, but they do have a smattering of locations in other areas.

The menu is simple to read, but full of options.

    We arrived to find only a few guests inside, since we were early enough to miss the lunch rush. The menu is pretty simple to navigate. The first thing you will need to do is to pick a crust from their five options. Then you select a sauce from seven varieties. The cheeses offer another four options, and then you get to the toppings. Here they are broken out between veggies and meats, with plenty available in both categories. For those who have decision phobia, or are just looking for a quick suggestion, they offer a few "masterpieces" with some interesting flavor combinations.

Watch staff make your pie in front of your eyes.

   After you have made your decision, the staff gets to work building your creation. You move down a counter watching the assembly process, and can interject with any last minute additions or subtractions that you deem appropriate. Once your pie is assembled it goes into the oven, which will cook it in about 3 to 5 minutes. While that is happening you get to make any other menu selections that you desire. There are a handful of pre-selected salad combinations available or you can just opt to build your own from their assortment of available options. On our visit we did not sample the salad choices, since the pizzas were larger than I had expected.

Chicken Alfredo is a favorite of many customers including my wife.

    Once you have settled the bill, you get your drinks and find your seating. The dining area is well lit, with comfortable seats. There are table top and booth options, with the latter working well for us. The restaurant is large enough to handle a good number of customers, and I would imagine that being located on the outer portion of the mall allows for more to-go orders. In just a few short minutes our pies were pulled from the oven. A sprinkling of Italian herbs, and a brushing of garlic olive oil on the crust completes the pizza. Once cut and plated they are ready to be sampled.

The Beast has plenty of meat choices and is very filling.

   This chain restaurant stands upon the premise of using the highest quality ingredients, in chef-driven recipes, to deliver an exceptional product. These are lofty goals, which can easily be lost in the hustle and bustle of building a chain. The true test of these standards are the flavors of the food that they serve. I was hesitant to expect anything more than a standard run-of-the-mill pizza joint offering, and I was pleasantly surprised. The crust I chose, which was the rosemary herb variety, imparted a slight herbal tone to the meal. The cheese, which is grated fresh daily, has a warm and buttery texture. The meats were bold and plentiful in every bite. We both enjoyed our choices, although my wife decided that next time she will opt for spinach to be added to her Chicken Alfredo pie. Pleasantly satisfied, as well as stuffed, we headed back to our retail therapy with the knowledge that we have located a great option for a quick, and quality lunch. If you want to learn more about Pizza Studio check them out at http://www.pizzastudio.com/.

Restaurant Review: Chiusano's Brick Oven Pizzeria

  Being locals, we have been visiting the Village West area, since before it was developed. We looked forward to the addition of each new business, as it brought with it the choices and options our county was certainly needing. When the Legends opened it was filled with interesting shops and restaurants. Over time some of these have changed hands and reopened under new management. Sitting near the main entrance is the brick building which once held Ted's Montana Grill. We certainly enjoyed their menu, but evidently it was not meant to be, and has since been transformed into Chiusano's Brick Oven Pizzeria.

  On the inside little was changed by the new ownership, so the reminiscences of Ted's are still there. A fresh coat of paint, and some new artwork, but most everything else is the same. The place still has the subtle lighting, which works well to produce a romantic aura for guests.

  The menu offers up the standard pizza options you would expect, but they also have some interesting toppings. For those looking for someone else to build the right combination, they offer some stock pizzas. Quite a few of these varieties come with an unusual grouping, but the flavors just seem to work out together. Chiusano's also offers up salads, appetizers, and a few pasta options for those looking for something not in pie form. On our recent visit we were looking for a quick bite to tide us over before a T-Bones baseball game.  Our server was polite and punctual, and our meal was served about 15 minutes after we ordered. I feel that was a pretty quick turn time for a made from scratch pie.

  Since it was just the two of us, we decided to split a personal size Combination pizza. Chiusano's serves a thin crust version of pizza, and is generous with toppings, without being too heavy handed. The addition of Kalamata olives made the pie a little saltier than normal, but the flavor was still good. The only thing we were unhappy about was the crust seemed to become a little flimsy, and we would have liked a more cracker-crisp texture. This was not our first, nor our last visit to this pizzeria. Unfortunately, with so many good dinner options in Wyandotte County we only get to visit each a few times a year. Well that's a lot better than those days when we didn't have many options. For more information about Chiusano's visit them at http://www.chiusanospizza.com/.