SETTEBELLO Remains Surpassingly Superior

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On the rare occasion when ELV is forced to venture over one mile east of the Strip, that very fact has been known to throw him into a dithering tailspin. Something akin to the heebie jeebies crossed with snarling disgust, if you will. Between the characterless “neighborhoods,” poor planning (“let’s put all our retail on a single, bottle-necked road”), insane traffic, monochromatic houses, and dearth of  good eats, he is one unhappy camper whenever even the thought of traveling toward Sunset and Sunset crosses his mind. (For the uninitiated, there is truly an intersection denoted as such – yet another testament to the lame brains we elect.)

Downtown Henderson and Boulder City have their charms, but there’s no disguising the fact that there’s no good place to eat in either of them.

To be fair, a few gems exist among the zircons in this gastronomic wasteland; Todd’s is a treat, Valley Cheese and Wine is always winning, Hank’s and Bratalian are top notch, and Crazy Pita and King’s do a credible job catering to the less-than-cosmopolitan crowds. But if there’s one place that’s surpassingly superior, and succulently supreme, it is Settebello — a purveyor of Neapolitan perfection amidst this perennial, perceived, pervasive paucity, causing all others to pale before the pulchritude of its pies.

Just look at those tasty snaps above. If they don’t make your mouth water, perhaps you should prod your person for your parsimonious pulse.

ELV’s meal above, with an expensive-but-worth-it Italian craft beer (Friska), and a soda, came to $47.

SETTEBELLO PIZZERIA

140 South Green Valley Parkway

Henderson, NV 89012

702.222.3556

www.settebello.net

Eat These Now – Two Pizzas at DUE FORNI

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Brock Radke threw down the gauntlet this week by comparing Summerlin pizza (mainly Grimaldi’s and Due Forni) favorably to the superior pies being produced at the east end of town (by Settebello and the original Grimaldi’s). ELV, demonstrating the diplomacy and pizza sense for which he is known, will not take sides in, nor enter this forno fray, but rather, simply chime in by suggesting two pizzas at DF that are worth a special trip: the thin-crusted piccante — strewn with hot soppressata, bufala mozz and fresno peppers —  and the signature Due Forni pie — a mélange (ELV loves him his mélanges) of San Marzano tomatoes, house made sausage, Nueske bacon and pequillo peppers.

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A Good Book Needs a Good Calzone and Downtown Needs a SETTEBELLO

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John Mariani’s new book: How Italian Food Conquered the World (2011 Palgrave MacMillan) is an essential read for anyone (and everyone) who loves Italian food, Italian restaurants, Italy (or IT-ly as my dear, departed dad called it) or any and all things Italian…which is to say, pretty much all of us. It chronicles the success story of this immigrant cuisine — from the 19th Century splash the Del-Monico brothers made among New York society to the mystique of Rao’s to the world-wide rise of Super Tuscan wines out of the ashes of Dago red — and is so fascinating, we hardly wanted to finish it.

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