Came for Pizza, Loved Everything Else – Monzu

On a random Monday night, I wasn’t planning on eating out but was out anyway and felt like pizza. I Googled “best pizza near me” and ended up deciding on Monzu. When I arrived at about 6:30PM, the place was packed and buzzing. Even with everything going on, we were able to make a last minute reservation and were seated promptly. The lady who sat us offered a choice between complimentary sparkling or still water. A nice touch. Shortly after, the support staff brought some bread and whipped ricotta. The bread itself had a very nice spongy texture (like a sourdough but if you read below in the menu, its inspired by an Italian island) with a nice crust though I would of preferred it to be served warmer. It came with whipped ricotta. You can also order loaves of the bread to go and I did noticed the kitchen packing a few orders.

A few minutes later, our server came by to take our drink order and drop off some food menus. We had a perfect seat in front of the kitchen and I was able to be entertained all night by how busy and well run it was.

The restaurant in general was VERY well run. Considering they were completely packed, and there appeared to be only 1 or 2 servers and many LARGE groups, we rarely waited for anything and someone always came by to refill water or check in on us. I think the place is extremely well organized in terms of servers, support staff, and management. The kitchen was equally well run with lots of good prep (for example, I observed a fridge of pre-portioned items) and good division of labor by item/cooking method. As a bonus, I saw the wood fired oven in use throughout the night for searing huge steaks.

For starter, we had the torta fritta with prosciutto. After discovering this in Bologna Italy, I always get it when its on the menu. These were well executed and delicious. The dough was puffy, had a good amount of fat in the dough, were warm and soft. The prosciutto was of high quality, the thickness was perfect (not too thin), with great color and texture.

The pasta was equally delicious. The pasta was made in house though could be more al dente. It wasn’t over cooked and had a little bite. It was somewhere in between. The sauce was creamy and extremely wells seasoned and savory. The mushrooms and veal all added complexity and flavor.

The pizza, which we came for, was just ok. I prefer more sauce and cheese. The pepperoni was delicious and our server made sure to tell us the story of where they came from in Italy and how they were produced.

For dessert, the donuts. Basically like a cream puff. Also just ok.

Overall, I was impressed by the service. Considering there was only one server, we never waited long for anything and he seemed to be always available even though he was waiting on probably 8 tables and soe of them groups of 8 or more people. Support staff were also amazing. It should be noted that they have live jazz on some nights which I definitely want to be back for. I also want to go back and try some more of the pasta, appetizers, mains and pretty much everything but the pizza. Highly recommend if you are looking for an Italian restaurant slightly from the strip.