On a lazy March Saturday at my local Starbucks blogging table, I read a comment from one of my readers recommending Salvo’s Pizza in nearby Smyrna, a bustling little town southeast of Nashville. It piqued my interest since Salvo’s owner was founder of both Sal’s Pizza and the former Hickory Hollow Mall’s Pizza Picnic.

With no real plans for the day, I convinced Mrs. Pie to go there for our lunch date. Braving the morning’s snow flurries, we arrived at Salvo’s located next to a strip center on a Sam Ridley Parkway side street. The first thing we noticed was the enticing wide variety of Italian dishes displayed on the $7.99 lunch buffet, a great bargain. Although tempted, the Snob doesn’t think it’s fair to assess buffet slices, so we opted instead for the $12.25 Extra-Large (16-inch) Hand-Tossed Cheese Pizza. (Fans take notice:  They also make Sicilian pizzas.)

We started off with some delightful salads of which we gave two thumbs up!  Our pie came out looking great on top.  A look at the bottom regrettably told me it was a bit undercooked. Later, we both agreed that our pie’s potential would have been better realized by three more minutes in the oven. What the dough lacked in crispness it made up for by being thin, chewy, and tasty. The cheese (a mix of Mozzarella and Romano) was nicely melted and apportioned. The tomato sauce, though, was unseasoned and could have used at least a touch of oregano. Unfortunately, they had no oregano for us to sprinkle on top, so I did something I rarely do and added some red pepper flakes to liven up the flavor.

Next time, I will ask for it to be cooked well-done, since I won’t have to critique it “as served.” Had it come out that way during this visit, Salvo’s would have received a much better rating on the Snob’s scale.  It won’t be a regular Snob destination since Smyrna is off my beaten path, but I won’t hesitate returning when I am in the neighborhood.

Salvo’s pizza is made in the classic style that I prefer with excellent ingredients in the right amounts.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing    

Salvo’s Pizza
701 President’s Place
Mount Rushmore Shopping Plaza
Smyrna, TN 37167
615-220-6030
www.salvopizza.com