Posts tagged Riverside

“Do you have any camping experience? How do you like working with fire?” These are two very important questions asked to candidates during an interview at Riverside’s latest hot spot, Pele’s Wood Fire. Two large hickory and oak fire ovens demand center stage, with Madame Pele - the fire Goddess - beaming from above. The dome of each oven is a fiery 1,400-degrees and the cooking area is closer to 900, and after a mere two minutes to stretch the dough and top it, baking time for a pizza clocks in at just 90 seconds! You can see where those camping questions come in handy.

I was lucky enough to snag a sneak peek and stuff my face with seven delicious courses prior to Pele’s opening its doors to the masses on new year’s day at the corner of Park and King Street in historic Riverside. The space comfortably seats 160+ patrons and upon entering, you’re greeted by large windows, an elongated bar area, complete with 30+ beers on tap, full liquor, and wine list, and the scent of deliciousness wafting through the air. From the rustic bread baked in-house, to the hand-pulled house made mozzarella, touch-free restrooms, free wi-fi, to an upcoming loyalty card (think beer passport!), wet naps served for wing clean-up to to the mortar and pestle used to whip up a fresh pesto, Pele’s already has a laser-focus on attention to detail.

We sampled the seasonal selection of iced seafood and the presentation of raw oysters, Mayport shrimp and crab claws was beautifully complimented by lemon wedges and tangy cocktail sauce. The lemoncello wood-fire wings topped with fresh parmesan shavings, chilis and olive oil were a hit. And the basket of rustic, fresh baked bread with olive oil and fire-smoked spices was heavenly.

The arugula with Sweetgrass Dairy brie, roasted red pepper, pistachios, roasted onion vinaigrette and truffle honey was perfection in a bowl. Colorful, peppery arugula, creamy brie, bold red pepper, crunchy pistachios and sweet honey? A favorite.

Pele’s began as a catering business, and Pizzaiolo Matt Tierney gained fans by cooking up pizzas nearby at both Riverside Arts Market and Intuition Ale Works. This was my fourth time sampling the pizza and the margherita (buffalo mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil) was delicious as were the proscuitto and artichoke and mushroom formaggi (that’s “cheese” in Italian) topped with garlic ricotta, roasted seasonal mushrooms, fontina cheese and fresh thyme. You can craft your own as well, so there’s something for everyone.

Rivaling the arugula salad was the standout of the evening: black pepper spaghetti carbonara with smoked pork bellies, parmesan, tomatoes and egg-yolk cream: a home run! Kudos to Executive Chef Micah Windham on this one, and his encourage of Senior Sous Chef Mark Williams and Sous Chef Andrea Soccoro.

The coal-fired, dry-aged Manhattan ribeye was tender, well-seasoned and packed with flavor. Cooked directly on the coals of the fire, it’s served with sauteed spinach, whipped potatoes and a side of au jus and horseradish.

Three offerings from La Dolce Vita, or “the sweet life,” rounded out the meal. Traditional tiramasu, zeppoles (italian donut holes) and white chocolate cheesecake with cherry glaze accompanied by a chocolate-espresso pot de creme (like creme brulee, sans the sugary top). The contrast of smooth, decadent cheesecake to rich custard did me in. Three sauces accompanied the zeppoles - hazelnut-chocolate (reminscent of Nutella!), orange sea salt caramel and lemon custard. The first two were amazing, but I wasn’t impressed by the lemon. We received a cappucino featuring a stencil of Madame Pele dusted atop our Segafredo coffee from Italy.

Pele’s soon boasts service seven days a week starting at 7 a.m., serving up coffee, fresh breakfast pastries made in-house by Pele’s pastry chef, wi-fi, along with full lunch and dinner service. Welcome to the neighborhood!