Julia's Ristorante

A while back I had written about an Italian place on Dundas, and how I found my experience there to be...disappointing to say the least. Julia is a restaurant on Lakeshore that is the creation of the same owner, and my experience at Julia was night and day.

Julia is a beautiful location on the corner of a block on Lakeshore with a large patio in the summer. I would describe the decor as elegant chic with eclectic light fixtures and art on the wall. The restaurant is dimly lit with candles on each table to give it a cozy feel. 

The menu is a bit more upscale with an Italian/Latin fusion, and there are some really interesting choices. Our server was incredibly patient with us and knew the menu inside-out. She helped us pick between the dishes we were debating and her suggestions turned out to be exactly what we were looking for.

As we were waiting for our food, fresh bread was brought to the table (in a colander instead of a basket) and we nibbled on it with fresh oil and vinegar. The bread was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, but it was cold so that threw me off – not room temperature, but actually cold as though it was from the fridge. I found that odd.

We started with the Fondue which was a mixture of sharp cheeses that was kept warm over a tea light and served with cubes of bread and blanched asparagus and green beans. The vegetables were served cold, but nice and crisp, and their sweetness cut the creaminess/saltiness of the cheese nicely. It was an okay dish and fun to eat, but it wasn’t amazing.

Seafood Bouillabaisse was full of fresh seafood simmered in a flavourful tomato broth. There were crab legs, fish, mussels, clams, scallops and shrimps that were all perfectly cooked and tasted fresh. Nothing was over cooked or tough, and there was no fishy smell, to any of the meats. The broth was sweetened from the seafood and there was a slight kick from the seasonings that blended everything together into a delicious combination. Served with slices of bread for sopping up the broth, the dish was extremely filling and I would recommend it only if you’re very hungry or sharing!

Lamb Osso Bucco was a nice change from a standard osso bucco. It was served with polenta and grilled rapini which added delicious textures and flavours to the dish. The portion of lamb was huge and fell off the bone into tender, flavourful pieces. The sauce was tangy and slightly sweet with mixed well with the mild bitterness of the rapini. The creaminess of the polenta tied everything together wonderfully. 

 The food was delicious, and service was attentive without being overbearing. Our server knew the menu well and listened to our needs to make excellent recommendations. I would come back solely because the service was so excellent.

Julia's Ristorante
315 Lakeshore Rd. E., Oakville
http://www.juliasristorante.com/main2.html

Ritorno

One of the hard things to do when you have food allergies, or know someone who has food allergies, is finding a good restaurant that can accommodate and cater to your specific needs. Recently, one of my co-workers was on a limited wheat diet but wanted to indulge in pasta. So when we heard that Ritorno had a selection of gluten-free choices on their menu, we decided to make a group trip out of it and see what deliciousness awaited us.

We arrived at the restaurant shortly before noon and our group of four was one of only three tables. Looking around the restaurant, it was bright and cozy with lots of natural light from the big windows along the wall that faced the parking lot. The tables were a dark wood and there was an open view into the kitchen from where we sat. The walls were lined with family pictures and it was a quaint atmosphere meant to make you feel at home while you ate. 

Our server came by and took our orders, and we were given a plate of sliced bread with three dipping choices: olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette and a spicy chilli sauce. The bread was soft in the middle and crusty on the outside – we actually ended up asking for a second plate of bread since we were so hungry. (And by “we,” I mean me. I fully admit I ate the majority of the bread.)

Somewhere between ordering our food and receiving the bread starter, a group of eight was seated next to us, and this is where it started to go downhill. Our server was pre-occupied with that table (although there were three servers working that we could see and only five tables in total), and we seemed to have been forgotten. After waiting almost 20 minutes, we finally got our drinks and those of us who ordered soup got our soups. Keeping in mind we were on a tight schedule because we had to go back to work, it seemed a long time for a few waters and a pop.

The restaurant offers a Potato, Asiago and Arugula soup ($8) which unfortunately sounded much better than it actually was. The soup was a creamy puree of potato, cheese and cream as the menu stated, but there was absolutely no flavour to it. It tasted watered down and lacking of any seasoning; while the basil pesto drizzle added a strange oily consistency to the soup. The arugula was plentiful and the only thing in the soup that gave it substance. Overall, it was extremely disappointing for the price.

Again, after waiting another long stretch with no acknowledgement from our server, our main entrees were brought out. Two of us ordered the soup and half sandwich combination ($13) from the lunch menu, but were brought the wrong soup. When we were able to bring this to our server’s attention, we were met with rudeness – as though she couldn’t have been wrong; we must have changed our minds and it was our fault. Instead of bringing back our correct soups immediately, she took her time and was standing by the kitchen chatting before she came back with our food. By then, we had decided we were going to eat the rest of our food or else it would have been cold.

The new soup was the daily soup, which for the day was a Potato Chowder. Large cubes of potato, corn and onion were in a tomato cream broth. The vegetables were cooked perfectly (read: they were not mushy) but again, the soup itself lacked seasoning and was quite bland.

With the soups, we had the Sausage Panini and the Meatball Panini. Both sandwiches were well prepared and stuffed full of meat. The meatballs were covered in a thick tomato sauce that was average, but the meatballs themselves tasted fresh and homemade. The sausage was the better choice of the two, and came with delicious roasted vegetables. 

The Fettuccine Alfredo ($16) with additional Chicken Skewer ($5) looked promising. The pasta itself was cooked to a perfect al dante with no noodles sticking to another. The sauce however, was again, bland and forgettable. As she was eating it, my co-worker remarked that it tasted no different than alfredo sauce from a jar at the grocery store. The chicken skewer was grilled to perfection – moist on the inside and not chewy on the outside. There was no noticeable taste to it that we could tell, so essentially, you’re paying $5 for four cubes of meat.   

Lastly, the gluten-free dish was the Penne Bolognese ($10) in the “piccolo” size (smaller than the normal servings, but still probably much more than what you should eat when it comes to proper serving sizes). Again, the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dante and was nice and hot. The fact that it was gluten-free didn’t make much difference to the taste or texture, if I hadn’t known I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell gluten-free pasta from regular pasta. The sauce had good texture with chunks of fresh tomato and a fair amount of meat, but the taste was a letdown. My companion also made the comment that she could probably do better with a jar of grocery store sauce for less money.

Overall, our trip to Ritorno was hugely disappointing, topped off by unfriendly service and an extremely long wait (it took us over 1.5 hours to get out the door – and we ate fast!) For the price we paid, we were unhappy with the lack of seasoning and flavour to any dish. There was no “wow” factor anywhere, and the service needs a lot of work. A quick poll of my companions and we all agree – we won’t be “Ritorno-ing” here again.

Ritorno
261 Oak Walk Dr., Oakville
www.ritorno.ca

Sabatasso’s Deluxe Deep Dish Pizza Singles

If it hasn’t become painfully clear, I and the people I surround myself with are pizza lovers. It’s a pretty safe bet that if we frequent an establishment that has pizza on the menu, someone in the group is going to try it. Since we eat pizza so often, we fancy ourselves pizza experts of sorts: always on the lookout for good pizza so we can share our findings with others. It’s a task we happily attack with gusto.

 

For the most part, frozen pizza has never been high on the list of foods I like to buy. I normally find their toppings unappetizing and their dough inedible. Rising crust, deep-dish... so many options,  and yet so many disappointments. However, I am still drawn to new brands when I come across them, just to see if I can find the diamond in the rough.

While walking around Costco, we came across Sabastasso’s Deluxe Deep Dish Pizza Singles with Sausage and Pepperoni ($10.95 for a box of 12) in the aisle beside frozen sushi (I’m not kidding) and frozen garlic bread. I have never heard of this brand before, but the picture looked appetizing and the price was right. Apparently, I am living proof that advertising works and is aimed at people who like pretty pictures.

Each pizza is conveniently wrapped in individual packages with cooking instructions on each. I hate when cooking instructions are printed only on boxes and not on each wrapper, making me have to keep a large box because I don’t remember how to cook something the next time I go to eat it. But back to the pizza. You can either cook it in the microwave for a few minutes or in the oven. I prefer the microwave because I’m usually impatient and three minutes is a lot quicker than 25. Plus I hate having to turn on the oven and waste all that energy for something so small. However, for the purpose this review, I tried it both ways to compare results.

Microwaving takes 3 ½  to 5 minutes. The first time, I tried 4 minutes, and the pizza was so overcooked it became hard as a rock. The second one I put in for 3 minutes, and it came out much better. Typical of a frozen pizza, the dough was soggy and the cheese made a mess on the plate, but the sauce was very good and the toppings were flavoured perfectly.

Waiting for almost half an hour for tiny pizzas to cook is a difficult task when you’re as impatient as I am. That being said, baking these pizzas in the oven is definitely the way to go. After 25 minutes, I pulled out perfectly baked individual pizzas. The crust was crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside. The cheese had bubbled into a gooey blanket, and the pepperoni had crispy edges without being dried out. A huge difference from the microwaved version; waiting the extra 20-odd minutes was completely worth it.  

If you like deep-dish pizza with plenty of toppings in individual sizes, I highly recommend this product. Be patient and pop them into the oven if you have the time because it makes a huge difference. Use the time to make a salad to pair with it, or polish off a glass (or two!) of wine – whatever you do, don’t microwave them if you can help it. Reach deep - some of us need to reach deeper than others - into yourself and find your patience! You’ll be so glad you did.

Michelina's Harmony - Fettuccine with Creamy Pesto

I feel like we’re really starting to bond now that I’ve written a bunch of posts. You’re starting to get to know me and my neuroses, and I’m OK with that. Since we’re in the trust circle now, I have a confession to make. It’s something not many people know about. Ready? I really like frozen dinners. There. I said it. I feel better getting that off my chest. I hope you don’t think any less of me now.

I like the convenience of a full meal packaged into a tiny, frozen box that’s ready in a matter of minutes. Most of the time I like how they taste, and I like that I can have a variety of meals at my fingertips, ready to go whenever I need them. Having a full meal ready after a long day of work, or a quick lunch that I don’t need to leave the office for is a wonderful thing.

 

I have generally had good luck with Michelina’s and its line of frozen meals. I suppose it makes more sense to call them frozen meals rather than dinners since you can eat them at whatever point in the day you like, but it’s a habit I can’t seem to break. I digress. Michelina’s has a number of product lines, and this time I felt like trying its Harmony line because a creamy pesto sauce sounded like it had the potential to be delicious. I also thought that a dish without meat was more likely to be better, because there was less to mess up. Was I ever wrong.

The picture on the box was of a pasta dish brimming with vegetables with a creamy pesto sauce beautifully covering each noodle. What I got after I followed the microwave instructions and opened the lid was far from the picture. The noodles were separate from the sauce and vegetables, and needed a good stir to create the dish. However, the noodles were a clumpy ball and it was hard to mix the sauce into something that didn’t want to cooperate. The sauce itself looked like alfredo with flecks of green in it, and there were very few vegetables. There was one lone carrot in the whole box and some small broccoli florets. I realize that we generally eat portion sizes that are too big compared to what we really need, but this portion seemed exceptionally small. The fact that it was a large ball of noodle made it look smaller, I’m sure. It tasted watery, and there was nothing that made the pesto sauce distinguishable. 

 As I mentioned, I am usually a fan of Michelina’s various product lines. However, this particular meal is an emphatic pass on my part and I would never buy it again. There are plenty of brands and choices that make a far better product than this one. I’m not sure why it’s called the Harmony line of products, but the Fettuccine with Creamy Pesto was definitely off-key.  

Michelina’s
http://www.michelinas.ca/english/

The Olive Press

Coming home late from work on a cold night, I normally don’t feel like puttering around my kitchen and making an elaborate meal. These are usually the nights when I call home to the boyfriend and the roomie to see if either of them are feeling particularly adventurous to make dinner, or better yet, if anyone wants to go out for dinner. It’s always a small victory when I manage to convince both of them to go out for a dinner with me so I don’t have to cook.

This particular evening, we decided to go to the Olive Press because I have been numerous times before and the both of them wanted to try it. It’s usually fairly busy near the end of the week, with people parking along Dundas because there are no spots in the lot. The boyfriend called before we left and was told there was a 20 minute wait – not bad enough that we wanted to go somewhere else, so we all piled into the car for the short drive.

Once there, we were a little worried about the parking situation as there were cars parked along Dundas – usually an indication that the restaurant was going to be busy. However, we got into the parking lot and there were plenty of spaces and we lucked out with one close to the entrance. The restaurant is already decorated for the holidays, and there is a gorgeous trimmed tree right by the front door. The restaurant is softly lit with white, floating balls as light fixtures. Dark wood tables covered with strips of white paper (again, with the paper table covers. I don’t get it.) and dark wood floors create a warm, cozy atmosphere. Nostalgic music streams through the speakers softly enough to notice during a lull in conversation, but not too loud that you had to yell to be heard. We were seated right away by the hostess in a table that felt like it was in the middle of the walkway. I noticed that the restaurant was less than half full, and asked if we could be moved to one of the empty booths along the wall. We were told that the booths were kept empty for groups of four or more, and since we were only three, we had to stay where we were. I wasn’t overly happy with that since it was already past 8 p.m. and there were plenty of empty booths to choose from.

We were seated with our menus for what felt like an inappropriate length of time before we were acknowledged. A busboy came by and said although he wasn’t our server, he could take our drink order since our server was busy with a large group on the other side of the dining room. We gave him our drink orders (a Pepsi, a root beer and I ordered a Shirley Temple) and proceeded to continue waiting. Our server finally got to our table along with our drinks, and apologized that she had been busy with another table. Had we been approached when we sat down and given the explanation that our wait would be a bit longer, I wouldn’t have minded the slow service at the start. However, as it was not explained until long after we waited, I felt like we were neglected.

As we waited for our appetizer, a basket of fresh bread was brought to the table and olive oil and balsamic vinegar was poured onto a side plate for our dipping pleasure. The bread was warm and crispy on the outside with a soft middle. It made me wish there was more than one piece for each of us, since I’m pretty sure I could have eaten my weight in that bread alone.

Our appetizer came out next, and we had opted for the Three Cheese Bruschetta ($9.95). Four thick slices of rosemary focaccia topped with fresh chopped tomatoes, romano, mozzarella and feta cheese were baked until hot and crispy. The bread was amazing – the edges were crunchy but the middle was soft and fresh. The thick slices prevented it from becoming too soggy and everything held together well. The bruschetta itself was a slight letdown because it tasted like fresh diced tomato, but had no other distinguishing features to make it stand out as a bruschetta. The server mistakenly listed goat cheese as one of the three cheeses, and we were confused that there was no goat cheese taste. The portion was huge and was a good sharing option for the three of us.

The roomie was in the mood for pasta and ordered the Seafood Portofino ($21.95) as her entree. There were a handful of large black tiger shrimp a few scallops and seven mussels. The menu described the dish as having a white wine cream sauce coating linguini noodles, but it was disappointing and tasted similar to a bland alfredo. The dish was not very hot, which made the sauce thick and easily tiring. The roomie said that although it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t anything special either.

Parisian Chicken pizza ($16.95) was the boyfriend’s choice for the evening, and was easily the best dish out of everything we ordered. Roast chicken breast, chilis, spinach, bacon, mushrooms and cheese are layered on top of a parmesan sauce and a crispy, fresh baked crust. Though I could not taste the chilis, the combination of all of the other ingredients coupled with the creamy yet slightly tangy parmesan sauce made this one of my favourite pizzas ever. The portion size was healthy and even after sharing with the roomie and I, he still had to take some home.

Following the recommendation of the server, I decided to try one of the Olive Press’s new dishes, the Italian Braised Beef Ribs ($19.95): three beef ribs slow-roasted in a house barbeque sauce, served with roast potatoes and vegetables. The dish came out and looked impressive – these ribs looked like they should have belonged on a brontosaurus and I felt like Fred Flinstone when I was eating them. The dish itself did not taste as good as it looked. The vegetables were extremely overcooked and were a soft, mushy pile that I couldn’t eat more than a bite from. The roast potatoes were nicely seasoned and had a crispy skin and soft middle. The ribs themselves were the biggest disappointment of all – the house barbeque sauce was reminiscent of cheap grocery store sauce mixed with ketchup that was overly sweet but left no flavour.

Our server came by after we had started our meal and asked how our meals were, especially the ribs since she recommended them. I mentioned that they were “okay” and to her credit, she asked if there was anything else I would prefer instead. I didn’t want to be a bother, so I politely declined and said that I would be okay with finishing my meal. She came back at the end of our meal and said that we could have a dessert, compliments of the house because she felt bad that I didn’t like my ribs. We were very impressed by her genuine care, and we opted to share the Triple Fudge cake as our dessert.

The cake itself was unfortunately not a dessert I would try again. My general concern with chocolate cakes when I go out to a restaurant is my fear of it being too dry. The Olive Press unfortunately fell into this category. The thin cake is sandwiched between layers of chocolate and topped with a chocolate ganache. Though the dessert is not overly sweet, the cake was dry and the chocolate layers tasted almost like melted chocolate chips. As a whole, by far one of my least favourite chocolate cakes I have had in a restaurant.

Though our experience started off on a low note, the service we received picked up and was fantastic after we were finally acknowledged. The food had some strong high notes (the bruschetta and the pizza), some low notes (the chocolate cake and the vegetable medley) and the majority was average. The prices are reasonable for the portion sizes you are served, but the service and food seem to be inconsistent. I would go back simply because the service we did receive at the end was better than many restaurants I have been to, as well as for the Parisian Chicken pizza. If Santa could bring me that pizza, I would be one happy girl.



The Olive Press
2322 Dundas St. W., Oakville
http://olivepress.ca/

Alice Fazooli's Oakville

Alice Fazooli’s is one of those casual restaurants that make you feel like you’re having a fancy meal without having to pay the fancy price. I like to think of it as a step up from East Side Mario’s or other Italian chain restaurants. Since it’s a bit nicer inside than some other places, you’ll often find business lunches happening in the middle of the day.

Which is exactly why I was there today. It can get pretty busy around lunch time, so we made sure we had a noon reservation for our party of seven. The building itself is pretty, with dark hardwood floors and dim lighting inside. There are tall shelves filled with wine bottles that give it a classy style. But detracting from the atmosphere are long sheets of white paper covering the tables in a makeshift tablecloths. Surely a restaurant that is trying to be a little more upscale doesn’t need to use paper table coverings? I felt like there should have been cups of crayons on the tables for us to doodle with while we waited for our food.

The service was attentive without being overwhelming, and the actual waiting time for food and drinks was short. While we waited, our server brought out a basket of warmed focaccia and a duo of dipping choices: an olive oil with herbs or room temperature marinara sauce. I preferred the oil since I found the marinara tasted like crushed tomatoes without flavouring and I am not generally a tomato fan.

There were a few featured dishes for the day, but I opted for the Goat Cheese Portobello Mushroom Panini ($12.95) off the regular menu and upgraded my side dish to the Arugula and Spinach Salad. The salad was fresh and fantastic. Fresh arugula tossed with crispy spinach leaves are topped with grilled red peppers, yellow zucchini, thin-sliced red onions, spicy caramelized pecans, red onions and wedges of mandarin orange. I asked for the sweet onion vinaigrette on the side, and the whole salad was sprinkled with black and yellow sesame seeds. Not only did the salad look gorgeous and fresh, but the flavours all blended perfectly together. The bitterness of the arugula was countered by the sweet and juicy mandarin oranges. The fresh roasted peppers and zucchini were soft but paired with the crunch of the pecans, they made a texture combination that was out of this world. The sweet onion vinaigrette was sweet and tangy without overpowering the other flavours in the salad. A perfect combination of ingredients and presentation that I would absolutely get again – probably in an entree size next time.

Sadly, my lunch went downhill from there. The panini came out in two very large triangular wedges with beautiful grill marks on the crispy bread, and I could see the goat cheese oozing from the sides with slices of portobello mushroom peeking out from its gooey blanket. I was excited to try the sandwich because a green-olive tapenade mixed with asparagus, provolone, portobello mushroom and goat cheese sounded like it should have created a taste explosion upon first bite. Unfortunately, the description sounded much better than the actual dish tasted. The premise was fantastic and the ingredients should have made a great sandwich, but the execution was poorly handled. There was so much goat cheese and olive tapenade that all of the other flavours disappeared. Everything was overwhelmed by the smell and taste of green olives, which made the whole sandwich too salty for my taste. I opened the panini up to look at the contents and was disappointed to see that there was only one asparagus spear and a few thin slices of portobello mushroom in each half. No wonder the flavours of the goat cheese and tapenade were so strong – there was very little else there to compete with it. I’m not sure I even found provolone on the sandwich, but if it was there it was too melted and hard to pick out.

My own lunch aside, my companions all seemed to enjoy their meals and were happy with their choices. Alice Fazooli’s is a good option when you’re going out for lunch in the middle of the day and you want to relax for a bit and enjoy your meal without the hustle and bustle of a fast-food place. The service is not rushed, but you’re not left waiting endlessly for your meal either. It’s a fine balance which this restaurant seems to have mastered. It just needs to decide whether it’s going to be a casual restaurant or a more upscale one.

 

Alice Fazooli’s Oakville
2015 Winston Park Dr., Oakville
http://www.alicefazoolis.com/

Mangiamo Pizza Buffet

I actually heard about Mangiamo through a review I read on Twitter a while back. I'm starting to notice a trend here – Twitter is going to make me: 1) very poor and 2) unable to remember how to work a kitchen appliance. The premise sounded simple enough – an all-you-can-eat gourmet pizza buffet, with soup, salad and pasta to boot. Best of all, it was only $8.99 for each adult.  How could you go wrong?

I gathered a couple of pizza-lovin' friends and we all headed to Oakville. Mangiamo is located in a plaza that has a few small restaurants and a grocery store, so there is plenty of parking. At first glance, it made us almost hesitant to go in.  For one, the store is very bright and very exposed – it almost felt like a school cafeteria rather than a restaurant. There is a cash register right by the door and a small buffet bar at the front by an open window to the kitchen. There is also a fountain-pop machine, seating for about 50 people and a poster on the wall that reminded us of those old-school United Colors of Benetton ads.

We were surprised to find that although we arrived around 7:30 p.m., we were the only customers in the restaurant. We were greeted by friendly staff who pointed out where things were and we got settled at a table. We were asked if there was any particular pizza we wanted, and I asked if they could make us a mac-and-cheese pizza, since the review I read raved about it.  We were told they would put one on for us, and to let them know if there was anything else we'd like. On the first round, my friends decided to jump right into the pizza – there were about three or four slices each of a pepperoni, a Hawaiian and a vegetarian. I opted to try their special of the night – build-your-own tacos – and a forkful of spaghetti with meat sauce. The taco bar had two filling options – ground beef or bean chili – and a variety of toppings. The strangest thing I found was there was no cheese among the toppings, but there was a bowl of shredded carrots.  I've never had carrot on my taco before, so that was new for me. Not sure if I'd do it again – I think I'd prefer cheese, please.

The taco fillings were dry from being in the warmers for too long, but the toppings were crisp and fresh. The spaghetti sauce tasted homemade and had plenty of meat and tomato in it.  Unfortunately for my friends, the pizzas were cold and hard from sitting out too long. Here is where I was blown away by Mangiamo: We were asked how we were enjoying our food and we mentioned that although everything tasted OK, it would be better if they were not cold and hard from being out so long. Upon hearing that, they immediately apologized and then TOOK AWAY all of the old food and started making us fresh food. Keep in mind that they were about an hour away from closing, and we were the only people in the restaurant.

The hot, fresh thin-crust pizzas started coming out, and we were in a carby, cheesy heaven. All of the dough tastes like it's fresh and hand-tossed, and all of the ingredients were sliced thick and plentiful. Chicken with sweet-chili Thai sauce was the early frontrunner for best pizza (ever).  Big chunks of moist chicken breast with sweet onions and a sweet chili sauce that gave it a slight kick. The Hawaiian pizza had sweet pineapple and large cubes of peameal bacon with a homemade tomato sauce. Even the pepperoni pizza was better than most I've had from restaurants – each slice was covered in pepperoni that was thick and baked until crispy around the edges, and laden with gooey cheese. A Thai curry pizza followed – a mild curry sauce base topped with diced chicken breast, onions and fresh chopped cilantro. An explosion of flavour and freshness with every bite. The pièce de résistance was hands down the mac and cheese. A thin, crispy crust topped with soft mac and cheese and baked until the top is crispy and the cheese is melted and crusty, then sprinkled with Parmesan.  Carbs + carbs + cheese = the three C's of happiness. It was an instant hit with our group, and I can easily see why it's a crowd favourite, especially with kids. I even suggested that if they put sliced hot dogs on top they'd have both kids and university students knocking down their doors to get a slice.

The staff told us that the chef likes to get creative and invent pizzas depending on what ingredients happen to be available, or whatever strikes his fancy for the day. The atmosphere could use a little work, but the staff goes above and beyond to make your visit a pleasant one – even bringing the pizza to your table once it's out of the oven. As with any buffet, you run the risk of finding food that has been sitting out for too long, but if you mention it to them, they are more than happy to make you fresh food. The best part of Mangiamo is the variety of pizza you can ask for, or that they've already thought up for you. If you can dream it, I bet you Mangiamo is willing to put it on a pizza crust for you. 



Mangiamo Pizza Buffet
579 Kerr St., Oakville
http://www.mangiamopizzabuffet.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/mangiamopizza