Add a little spice to your life and stop in for a little or a lot of something at Pizza Karma - a friendly - and surprisingly GREEN! - addition to Apple Valley's dining scene. It is part of a Twin Cities chain which opened in 2018 and now includes food trucks and quite a bit of creativity and quality.
My first taste was fairly close to the restaurant's opening. I met a friend from a former job for a little catch-up lunch. We agreed by the end that we felt fairly smug at our discovery.
We'd had the whole place to ourselves and a wonderful lunch to boot. Somehow, it didn't feel strange to be alone in this lively, bright space. The decor is bright, but it was tidy and cozy at the same time. The sounds and scents around us enabled us to just settle in and chat comfortably, rather than feeling powerfully aware emptiness. It wasn't empty at all - there was a busy kitchen that created soul-satisfying menu items. Just reading the menu felt a bit adventurous, definitely beautiful: "served with a golden raisin ginger sauce," "tossed in our karma masala blend and parmesan cheese," and "topped with lime-kissed onion-pepper medley."
The atmosphere was warm. And this persistent little voice in my head wanted to steal that classic line from Ted Lasso's eternally sunny Mexican football star Dani Rojas ("Futbal is life!") and make it my own: "The spices and sounds of cooking are LIFE!" ... because truly, there is a warmth and a life that comes from the kitchen and this kitchen seemed to feel a bit homey - perhaps because the staff (even the manager - ? - I should have asked for a name, since I knew I would be reviewing and I do know the drill of this wonderful and worthy work) checked in and made sure we had all we needed.
My friend and I shared a 10" small tandoor-fired butter chicken pizza and some masala fries. We intended to order a second 10" small tandoor-fired hot honey pear pizza (one of the specials - it had white garlic sauce, pear, brie cheese, carmalized onions, shredded mozz, and was drizzled with hot-honey, sounding too divine to pass up. But, it got missed. And as we looked at the spread in front of us, was plenty of food! We worked on just what we ordered and we had pizza to spare.
On a second visit - just grabbing an appetizer assortment this time as takeout for home: Alphonso Mango Frappe, Garlic Cheesy Naan Bites, Paneer Poppers, and Masala French Fries. Once again, everything was freshly made and delivered with a welcoming smile.
A fun (and GREEN) tip: The serving platters are compostable. Unfortunately, the current garbage system at Pizza Karma can only accommodate recycling and landfill options. However, diners that compost at home could take their trays with them and make a little extra difference.
As far as some of the things I usually note and notice - I did not pay intentional attention to the accessibility features of this restaurant. However, this was an open restaurant and the staff were very accommodating and helpful. I do believe they would provide help in any way requested. I do know they provide curbside pickup service if an order is called ahead. This feature was a little awkward to actually use because there was nowhere to pull in and no number to specifically call once ordered and the staff seemed somewhat surprised. So, that might be something to consider - if you do call ahead, just check in when you get there. There could be some miscommunication on that within the ordering apps and the staff. read more