Week 2: Latuff's Pizzeria

Prior to departing on our second consecutive Saturday evening pizza date, the hubby and I spent some quality time outlining our official pizza rating criteria.  Developing a consistent rubric for pizza grading is imperative if we want to be able to conduct a true "apples to apples" (or in this case, slice to slice) comparison.

We didn't venture far from home and instead, found ourselves at Latuff's Pizzeria which is located a mere 3.9 miles from our front door - a fact which begs the question, "Why, then, was this our first visit?"  I suspect my own reticence to dine there previously was largely due to my inability to pronounce the name combined with the generally poor aesthetic appeal of the building's exterior.  After an actual visit to Latuff's (whose name I am still unclear on how to pronounce), I must admit that it's actually not the building itself that's ugly.  It's just the sign.  And that is one damn ugly sign. 

The actual building itself isn't quite so ugly and appears to have a nice outdoor patio, although it was both hot, muggy, and about to thunderstorm the day we visited, so I admired the patio while hustling into the drier, less humid, air. 

It's important that you understand that I was actively campaigning for the title of Mayor of Crankytown on pizza day.  I was exhausted, I had a migraine, and I was not in the mood to be around people, places or things.  My better half, however, was jovial and in good spirits, so we were quite a force to be reckoned with.  It was this obvious difference in our dispositions that introduced the first rating criteria; pre-pizza mood.  We used a ten point rating scale, with one being "Mayor of Crankytown" and ten being "beyond awesome".  It is entirely possible that the pre-pizza mood may impact our ability to impartially rate the actual pizza experience, so in the spirit of transparency, here's how we were feeling as we pulled into Latuff's parking lot.

Pre-pizza mood Ratings:

Princess D: 3

Hubby: 8

Speaking of parking lots, we also agreed that we needed to evaluate the parking situation.  As I may have shared previously, I am a terrible driver and an even worse parker, if that's possible.  Every accident I've ever been in involves my car and an inanimate object, such as a fence; garage; snow bank; pillar; or expensive Jaguar at the Calhoun Beach Club parking ramp.  Parking ramps make me break out into hives, which presents a unique challenge Monday through Friday when I have to park in a ramp in order to go to work.  I am so parking phobic that there are establishments I will not frequent because the parking situation is not to my liking.  (Trader Joe's in St. Louis Park . . . I'm talking to you.)  But I digress.  To rate the parking situation, I asked myself, "Self," I asked, "Would I, a known terrible driver, be able to handle this parking situation on my own?"  And the answer for Latuff's is a resounding yes.

Parking Situation: 

Excellent.  Paved lot, wide parking spots, minimal hazards that I might smash into and a short walk from lot to pizza.  

Exterior Appearance:

I don't care what my mother (or yours) told you . . . . books do get judged by their covers.  And pizza places get judged by their exterior appearances.  Latuff's . . . eh.   At the risk of repeating myself, there's a reason I live less than four miles away and I never stopped here.  We know it's not the parking lot.  This place doesn't look like much on the outside.

Entrance/Welcome:

Last week, when we dined at Parkway Pizza, it was not abundantly clear what I was supposed to do upon entering the restaurant.  Should I sit?  Wait to be seated?  Go away?  Prior to my dining at Parkway, it never occurred to me to rate a restaurant's entrance/welcome, but after my own confusion and observing other equally befuddled Parkway patrons last weekend, it became clear that this is an important part of the pizza experience.   

When you walk into Latuff's, you'll see both a host/hostess station where someone will greet you and seat you as well as an area where guests can pick up pizzas for takeout.  Hence, there is a lot of activity in the lobby of Latuff's but minimal confusion.  We were seated within seconds of walking through the door, so I give them high marks for the welcome. 

Interior Appearance:

I'm not going to lie to you.  Latuff's is not winning any awards for interior decorating, unless there is an award for best Cracker Barrel impersonation.  There is a strong rooster motif, combined with very dim lighting.  If you're really into fowl, you'll feel right at home.  While the decor didn't do much to enhance my own pizza experience, the dining room is clean and tidy, so I won't deduct points for their obvious rooster love.

Clientele and Overall Vibe:

The clientele was a good mix of people who obviously eat a lot of pizza and probably enjoy some all-you-can-eat buffets as well and young families.  It was clearly a local crowd, and the place was hopping at 6:30 PM on a Saturday night. There were a few empty tables when we arrived but the place started to fill up by the time we left, and there was a steady stream of takeaway customers.  If you're a swinging single, I highly doubt that you'll meet your future life partner at Latuff's, but if you have small children or want to have a nice pizza dinner with your parents, I think you'll fit in just fine.

Waitstaff:

Our server, Heather, was great.  (Side note: under normal circumstances, I never like girls named Heather.  I have a long-standing tradition of making girls named Heather my arch-enemy.  Way to be the exception to prove the rule, Heather from Latuff's!)  She was extremely attentive, she made a personal connection with us, but she wasn't overbearing nor did she force me to talk to her through a mouthful of food.  The hubby's iced tea glass remained full, and she was quick to offer to get me a second Blue Moon.

Menu Selection:

Although branded as a pizzeria, Latuff's boasts a wide and diverse array of menu selections that include pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads.  I can't comment on their non-pizza menu items although I have it on fairly good authority (my friend Susan) that the lasagna is excellent and my dad fondly remembers the sausage and peppers meal he had at Latuff's not long ago.  And if this was a blog about sausage or lasagna, that would be relevant and interesting.  Moving on.  

There is a good selection of specialty pizzas available and of course, you can make your own.  In the spirit of, "when in Rome", we figured, when at Latuff''s . . . .   We ordered a 14" Latuff's special, a thin crust pizza topped with sausage, pepperoni, green olives, black olives, onions, mushrooms, and green peppers.  We may or may not have enjoyed a greasy plate of onion rings prior to the pizza.

Food Wait Time:

We are not patient people.  In fact, we are so impatient that we are borderline hostile - and there is nothing we hate waiting for more than a meal.  Because we are also fat and hungry.  All the time.  It took 24 minutes from the time we ordered our pizza until it arrived, piping hot and ready to enjoy.

Drumroll, please . . . the pizza itself:

Latuff's, I owe you an apology.  You are the pizza I never knew I could find within a 4 mile radius of my own front door.  Your thin crust is delectable and crispy.  Your sauce is tart and has just the right amount of tomato and bite.  Your toppings are fresh and plentiful and I, for one, appreciate that you did not over-cheese the pizza.  While I love cheese, I do not love excessive amounts of melted cheese that has the potential to coagulate into something designed to strangle me in my throat.  Your pizza is not dripping with grease, it's cut into fun to eat squares, and it goes great with a glass of Blue Moon, as pictured below.

Price & Value:

Latuff's wasn't a cheap date.  Our large specialty pizza - which was more than enough to feed two fatties with big appetites - was $23.95.  We ate 2/3 of it there and brought the rest home.  I'd love to tell you how the leftovers tasted, but the hubby ate the remaining pizza as a 3 AM snack while I slumbered.  I didn't hear any complaints, though.

Waiting for the Check:

I've explained how we're impatient.  We also loathe waiting around for the bill.  Our bill arrived promptly - we didn't feel like we were being kicked out but we also didn't have to beg for it - and we were able to make a speedy exit.  I needed to get home to change into elastic-waist pants after all that food.

Post-Pizza Mood

Although my mood was altered by beer (positively), both the hubby and I agreed that we felt like perfect 10's after dining here.  We also felt ten pounds heavier but we didn't let that bring us down.

Bottom Line:

The next time I'm hankering for a thin crust pizza, I'll consider making the trip to Latuff's, although I will probably opt for takeout.  Easy to find, easy to park, tasty pizza.  If you live or work within 5 miles of Latuff's, there is no excuse not to eat pizza here.  For the rest of you . . . would I make a special trip?  Probably not.  But if you are visiting beautiful Plymouth, MN with $30 burning a hole in your pocket and craving some pizza, you could do a whole lot worse than Latuff's.  Trust me.