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Chow Bella
A new Warehouse District hideaway serves hearty, old-school Italian.
To the people who have already discovered Joe's/Nona's: Please don't hate me for telling all of Cowtown about this fabulous new restaurant. Roll your eyes and tell your friends that you were there first--because you were--and complain that now you may have to wait a few extra minutes for a table. But isn't it worth it to ensure the survival of some of the best pizza and pasta in town? Tucked away in a quiet corner of the warehouse district between a levee and the Montgomery Ward building is Greenleaf Street, the new home of pasta and pizza so good it'll make you quiver. Divine crust makes a divine pizza. Joe Colaku's crust is lighter than most, with a flaky, pastry-like consistency. Although it is fluffy, it is also strong and toothsome. It supports the toppings without disintegrating or breaking up. The "special" pies are unique and memorable. Say "Hello Beautiful" (ciao bella) to the Chobella pie. It was topped with ricotta, mozzarella, fresh garlic, sliced tomatoes, and ground basil. Although my companion thought the garlic too intense, I found it ass-kicking magnificent. It was strong and could overwhelm, yet it did not. Even Napoleon never had such a good "Napolitan" pizza. Another special pie, Baked Ziti Pizza, seemed so unusual that I had to try it. I thought perhaps it would be a pizza made of baked ziti. Nope. It was a pizza topped with baked ziti and was also fabulous. Who'd have thought that pasta could be a topping for pizza? Joe did; it's his invention. It is filling but not overwhelming. The crust is topped with a layer of baked ziti with ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. The pasta dishes we sampled showed remarkable quality and passion. The Alfredo sauce tops the rich scale. It was robustly flavored with heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese, with a sprinkle of parsley and black pepper. The Bolognese (tomato and cream) sauce was also rich if a bit less creamy, studded with ground beef and red peppers. Surprises are rare in Italian food. The baked ziti pizza was one exception; the rolls were another. Joe rises before the sun to make rolls from scratch. Each one is a perfect rolled gem, caressed by garlic, parsley, and a hint of Parmesan cheese. The cannoli, another delightful example of the genre, is also made in-house. Call the décor post-modern, "I Italy" excess. The walls are painted with shiny enamel in the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. Light bulbs in the smoking section are similarly patriotic. Posters from films like The Godfather adorn the walls. Instead of flowers, vases are filled with uncooked spaghetti, adding a little interest to the bright décor. Although the restaurant is named for Joe and his mother, Nona (which means grandmother in Italian), Joe's wife, Elida, is a greater presence. She makes every visitor feel like an old friend.
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