4.5 stars
My family and I decided to order takeout from Mercato Roman Pizza the other night and were glad that we did. The menu was limited, but also very innovative. We had been craving pizza, so we wound up ordering 3 of those, as well as some meatballs to start. When we arrived at the restaurant to gather our items, we were in awe of its cute, cozy nature. The wood-burning oven added a real warmth to the already adorable space, which was also BYOB.
The ride back home was tough, as the smell of the food was extremely enticing. Once we arrived home, we immediately proceeded to fix ourselves plates of the yummy looking dishes. The Veal and Ricotta Meatballs were light, fluffy, and stuffed with ricotta cheese. They were served in a savory San Marzano tomato sauce that was perfect for dipping into with the included Sourdough Crostini. In the end, I was extra grateful for the red sauce, as our pizzas offered very little of it.
The pies were made on extremely thin, crispy crusts, made of sourdough with lower carbs and gluten. The Truffle Potato variety was topped with thinly-sliced, Yukon potatoes, fresh rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, and truffled sottocenere cheese. The sottocenere was aromatic and flavorful, but the roasted rosemary sprigs really brought life to each slice. The Shrimp Scampi pie used an interesting cheese blend of Caciocavallo, Parmesano, and Pecorino. It was lightly kissed with what they called a "Tomato Mushroom Cloud" that was heavily garnished with garlic bread crumbs, which really made this a flavor powerhouse. Each slice was also topped with a large tiger shrimp, which were supposed to be marinated, but were actually plain and undercooked. I would have really loved this pizza best if the shrimp had been more cooked through. Instead, my favorite pie was the Prosciutto di Parma one, which was served at room temperature, likely to preserve the quality of the meat, which had been aged for 36 months. The tender, thinly-sliced prosciutto was draped over layers of fresh mozzarella, blistered tomatoes, and arugula. Aged balsamic vinegar had been drizzled over the top, but also managed to bake into the crust. That pizza was pure perfection!
We were thrilled with everything that we ate and planned to go to Mercato to see how the pizza would differ when it was eaten live. I am sure the pizza would be gooier and cheesier, while the warm environment would provide a delightful environment to further enhance the culinary experience. read more