Dining review: With Cesar's Oven, Huffman gets a friendly neighborhood pizzeria of its own

Based on geography alone, the commercial strip on Huffman Road is my go-to shopping area. It has almost everything you need to sustain a household: a grocery store, pharmacy, dry cleaners, gas stations and a few nice coffee shops. But, in a culinary sense, it's a bit of a desert. With a few notable exceptions (Southside Bistro, Sushi Garden, Taco King), the street is dominated by fast food.

And while there's nothing wrong with the occasional Happy Meal, the corporate presence leaves the area feeling a bit soul-less. A McDonald's branch does not a village make. So I was excited when Cesar's Oven and Deli opened recently in a strip mall near at the corner of Huffman and Old Seward. Because what every village square needs is a good, local pizzeria.

We recently planned a family game night and decided to let Cesar's Oven cater. I called in a takeout order and when I arrived — a few minutes early — they volunteered to bring my order out to my car when it was ready. Small gestures like these make a routine transaction feel personal. The pizzeria is unexpectedly quaint, with a few small tables for dining in, an appealing dessert display, and a sparkling new interior decorated with old, framed black and white photographs. For a casual joint, it is warm and inviting.

The menu is modest — a manageable list of specialty pies (with the option to build your own), hot and cold sandwiches and a handful of salads. We ordered the Yankee Pepperoni (to please my kids), the Old World Margherita (to please me) and the El Bandido Mexican-themed pie (on a lark).

First things first: The Yankee Pepperoni ($19.95 for a 16-inch pie) is, for me, nostalgic of the pizza I grew up on in New Jersey and New York in the '80s and '90s. It's the iconic New York-style pie. And if you're tired of hearing me complain about underseasoned dishes, read on. Laden with crisp, spicy pepperoni, this pizza is a bit of a salt-bomb. And, frankly, I approve. I also approve of the fresh-tasting, slightly fruity tomato sauce — not too sweet, not overly reduced, this is a lovingly crafted marinara. The pizza was a crowd pleaser, and my dreams of a pepperoni pizza breakfast for the next day were dashed.

The Old World Margherita ($16.95 for a 12-inch pie) is a much more nuanced affair. The (probably apocryphal) origin of this pie dates back to 1889 in Naples, where it was created to commemorate a visit from Queen Margherita. (Please don't enlighten me. I love this story and will cling to it stubbornly.) It's the most basic and, in my mind, the most classic of pizzas. This tri-colored combination (red, white and green — the colors of the Italian flag) of fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, should only be attempted if you're confident in the quality of your ingredients and your crust. Cesar's handily delivers on both. The fresh mozzarella is soft and buttery, a well-proportioned sprinkling of basil lends a fragrant, peppery note, and the fresh tomatoes help cut through all the creaminess. And the simple, subtle pie allows the chewy, flavorful crust to shine through. My dogs, who generally get at least some of my crust, are not big fans of Cesar's. Sorry boys. Have a biscuit.

The El Bandido ($16.95 for a 12-inch pie) is one of those offbeat "specialty" pies that I generally avoid. I tend to stick to more traditional Italian flavors on the theory that you should always order within the kitchen's area of expertise. There are plenty of exceptions (I'm talking to you, Gyro Pizza at Moose's Tooth) and this is another. This combination of garlic sauce, seasoned ground beef, chorizo, pico de gallo, and a chipotle sour cream is well thought-out, well executed and packed with flavor. Spicy, highly seasoned and full of heat due to a generous hand with the jalapenos, this pizza is like Taco Tuesday on a crust. It's a dish I'll return to — especially when I'm not in the mood for pizza but am outvoted by the rest of my family (a weekly occurrence).

I returned the following week to pick up lunch to share with a friend. This time, I ordered off of the sandwich/salad side of the menu, opting for the classic Italian hero ($9.75), the Reuben panini ($10.25) and a spinach salad ($8.75) to share.

When I placed my order, they mentioned they were out of Italian rolls for the hero and offered to substitute focaccia bread in its place. I said it would be fine. It wasn't. Instead of a focaccia roll, my sandwich was served on two thick slices of white bread (nice quality white bread, to be fair). The fillings didn't stand a chance. The pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, tomato, onion, pepperoncini and a balsamic dressing all made for a nice combination, but this sandwich needed a firm crust to hold it all together and to keep it from getting soggy. I'll know better to change my order the next time they're out of the appropriate bread.

The Reuben sandwich was, as described, classic. It's the sandwich you picture when you crave that particular salty, smoky, tangy combination of pastrami, cheese, sauerkraut and creamy Thousand Island dressing that makes a good Reuben. It was served on a nice marble rye and was toasted to a perfect, melty consistency.

The salad was unexpectedly good. Fresh spinach, dried cranberries, grapes, pecans and blue cheese crumbles are a hearty and appealing combination.

Cesar's Oven isn't reinventing the pizza wheel. But it's offering up good-quality, well-prepared food with a sense of fun. And it's making my neighborhood feel more … neighborly. Change takes time, and I'll take mine one slice at a time.

Cesar's Oven & Deli

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, Sunday 12-8 p.m.

Location: 1120 Huffman Road, Ste. 5

Contact: 907-222-1754 and cesarsovenak.com

***

$$