Moretti’s is no secret. Although, one might be inclined to think so, considering its lack of attention.
The family-style Italian restaurant, on the corner of Hilyard Street and Broadway, appears to have had a little trouble attracting business since it opened in early September. However, things seem to have been picking up a little lately, and the restaurant’s efforts to keep customers are obvious.
During my most recent visit, the hostess, in a blatant attempt to make me feel welcomed, was indisputably friendly — perhaps a little too friendly even. Ironically, an overdone effort is a sure bet to make customers feel a little on the uncomfortable side.
Despite the initial uneasiness, things picked up a bit. My waitress, of course, was quite amiable, and there was never a moment in which my Coke glass was empty. She was also very apologetic for the “hours,” as she put it, that it took for her to serve my meal. Actually, those hours were only about 10 minutes or so — not bad at all for a pizza.
Judging by the taste of it, pizza seems to be the specialty of the house. The thin, New York-style crust is a masterpiece. The cheese is gooey and tasty but surprisingly not too greasy, and the toppings are delicious, and there are so many to choose from.
The price is a little steep, however, which is definitively a drawback. There are four pizza sizes: small, medium, large and giant. A one-topping small pizza will run you $8.75, and a giant is $16.10. And, of course, expect to pay more for gourmet toppings and specialty pizzas.
But if sharing a pizza doesn’t work out, go for the calzone. For only $6.25, you can get a gigantic three-filling calzone. And what makes it so huge are the plentiful ingredients. Be sure you really like what you order in your calzone because you’re going to get a lot of it.
Plus, there’s always the option of choosing a main dish. However, those that I’ve tasted, including the chicken parmesan and the lasagna, are a bit bland. Maybe it’s a lack of spices in the sauce; maybe it’s the meat itself. Regardless, these dishes are not on the top of my list of recommendations.
Of course, no matter what you order, you will be subjected to some of the best bread served at a family-style restaurant: tomato olive. The incredible part is that Moretti’s bypasses the butter and offers oil and vinegar instead. Even if the bread is the only reason you visit this establishment, you’ll probably find that it’s worth it.
Although, dining is not the only reason to go to Moretti’s. At 10 p.m., the restaurant transforms into a 21-and-older night club. An unusual mix, you ask? Yes it is.
Sure, it’s a nice idea to cater to the college crowd at night, but decorative plates on the walls and a lovely fountain near the dance floor is likely not going to attract those interested in the night life. And as I’ve noticed during my few visits there at night, Moretti’s doesn’t really pull in a large crowd. The dance floor’s relatively small, which really doesn’t even matter when nobody’s dancing, and the three pool tables are in a tight space, making some shots rather difficult.
But there are some definite advantages. The tables used for the restaurant provide a wonderful place to sit and talk in an area where the music isn’t blaring into your ears.
The drinks are also pretty good, and because the place isn’t crowded, the service at the bar is immediate.
And there’s still food. Pizzas are available all night long, and so are most of the appetizers, including Italian-style nachos, an unusual but tasty item.
Moretti’s has some improvements to make, but overall, it’s a pretty good place to frequent. Its location near campus is ideal. There’s no reason more people shouldn’t go there, if for no other reason than to check it out and decide for themselves.