Culinary Journey

This week my lovely wife is engaged in a residential colloquim for school at the Hyatt Regency in Alexander, Virginia. I have tagged along as companion, confidant, cohort, consol and comforter, as is appropriate. Since she is engaged most days from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. or later, that leaves me to my own devices for Lunch. Fortunately for me there is 23rd Street, just past Eads headed away from the Jefferson Davis Hwy. For a block, you have, on both sides of the street, a cornucopia of eating establishments that are best described as "Mom and Pop" meaning they are not a part of a chain restaurant. To this street I have dedicated my stomach to travel every day at lunch to sample the various fares, and to report on them here.

Yesterday was the Pizzaiolo. Featured in the June 2008 Washingtonian's "100 Best Bargain Restaurants", the Pizzaiola features stone cooked pizza, among other tantelizingly sounding pasta and sandwich dishes. While there I had the Diavala Pizza which is a New York style pizza featuring sun dried tomatoes and hot Italian sausage. Having eaten my way across more than one continent, I can attest to the variety of "hot Italian sausages" that exist, but was willing to give this one a try.

When the pizza arrived, it was as tantelizing to the eyes and nose as it sounded. A paper-thin, properly cooked crust topped with an aromatic blend of sauce, cheeses and sausage made the waiting worth while. On my first taste of the pizza I thought that I had eaten hotter sausage before, but then my hair folicles started to tingle and I knew I was in for a real taste treat. With my second bite my forehead started to pop out in sweat, and my sinuses achieved a new sensation of clarity. This was no ordinary sausage pizza!

Topped off with a local amber ale and a tall glass of ice water I am hoping that sometime during this week I will go back. If my wife has to come to Alexander again for another such event, I know I will be back. If you find yourself within a 50 mile radius of Alexander, Virginia, head on down to Jefferson Davis Hwy, close to the Ronald Regan Airport, and turn up-hill on 23rd Street. On the corner of 23rd and Eads you will find the Pizzaiolo, and it will be worth the trip!