If you ask East Enders, the November opening of TONY BOOMBOZZ PIZZA AND VINO (2813 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 394-0000) was long overdue. Previously, those hankering for one of owner Tony Palombino’s award-winning pies had to trek to Crescent Hill or the Highlands for what is arguably the city’s best pizza. The new spot, near Hurstbourne’s intersection with Westport Road, is a decidedly hip and wholly different Boombozz: 80 seats, limited service and an expanded menu that includes 18 pizzas (plus the usual choose-your-own-toppings options) pasta, salads, panini, desserts, beer and wine. The other Boombozz sites sell just pizza and panini.
On Mondays and Tuesdays, the new Boombozz also offers a veritable “happy meal” for adults, dubbed the “2 for $20.” The special includes a choice of any pizza, any salad (from five selections) and two glasses of wine (from an eight-label list) — a fitting and filling feast for two.
You can maximize the bargain by ordering from the Signature Pizza menu, home to the shop’s priciest and best-known pies, including the Pollotate (marinated chicken, roasted potatoes, red onions, Asiago and mozzarella, $14), the Portobello Bello (portobello mushrooms, red peppers, spinach, Asiago and fontina cheeses, $13), and the Chicken Fajita (chipotle sauce, grilled chicken, roasted peppers and onions, tomatoes and a blend of cheeses, $14). Frankly, I dig the new menu’s five Neapolitan pizzas, which are “less is more” pies built on thin crusts that are both crisp and chewy. My top pick to date is the Nonna (Italian sausage, prosciutto, onions, mozzarella, Asiago and Romano cheeses, $9).
The salads are also quite good, especially the Chicken Gorgonzola (a mix of spring greens and Romaine, grilled chicken, Gorgonzola, Granny Smith apples, candied walnuts, tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette, $7.) If you want to bring the kiddos along — and many parents do — check out the special for them: a small cheese pizza and a soda for $4. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
— Steve Coomes