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Red Rossa Napoli Pizza

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 by Alyice

I love to eat out at places that cook foods I cannot cook or foods that taste better than what I make at home but I cannot stand eating out at places that offer foods I could have easily made at home—for cheaper—or at places with poor customer service and lousy food which brings me to my first entry and the reason I chose to start this blog—Red Rossa Napoli Italian Pizza.

We’ve lived in South Dakota for three years now and every few months my husband suggests we try Red Rossa but the majority vote has always sent us eating elsewhere—that is, until this Tuesday, April 29, 2008 when I finally caved. You see I am not a huge pizza person. In fact, I’d rather not eat pizza because the grease and sauce just doesn’t sit well with me. But my daughter is a HUGE pizza fan and my husband wanted to treat her to a real Italian experience, or so he was hoping…

The Red Rossa in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is located on the corner of a little strip mall across from Scheel’s and the $3 movie theatre so your first reaction is to think, “Fast food, how great can it really be?” Even entering the establishment, where you order and pay at the counter, has you thinking “fast food” experience. But that’s where the entire “fast food” mentality ends.

The staff, having realized it was our first time to Red Rossa took the time to tell us all about their wood fired and roasted pizzas, answer our questions about various ingredients, and allow us to sample the various mushrooms available as well as their sorbet.

After ordering The Roman Pizza without green peppers and substituting spinach, the Margherita Pizza, The Chop Chop Salad (large), and drinks we sat down to await our meal. It was then that I was truly able to observe the staff and the ambience they set.

One gentleman hand-tossed pizza dough as he softly spoke to the two children inquisitive about the entire process. The staff worked together in complete harmony, with smiles and laughter, as they prepared one pizza after another—some for take out, some for dining in. Then as our meals were delivered the wait staff thanked us for coming and hoped we’d enjoy our meal. They even indulged in a little chit chat.

That’s when I heard something I haven’t heard in a very long time. My daughter, with a genuine smile on her face, said, “They’re nice. They make you feel welcome. It’s like they want you here and so they treat you special.”

As for the food, I just have to say: “I have finally found a pizza that I will eat!”

The Roman Pizza was fabulous. The bread was slightly toasted, the cheese perfectly melted, and the ingredients fresh. I especially enjoyed the combination feta cheese and smoked mozzarella. The pizza was light and airy. It didn’t feel heavy or greasy.

And that large salad easily served four people as a side dish. And unlike those chain restaurants that simply chunk some lettuce on a plate with a piece of tomato and a cucumber or two, this salad was packed with fresh ingredients like smoked mozzarella, thin strips of salami, chunks of rosemary-sage chicken, freshly diced tomatoes, whole garbanzo beans, shredded parmesan cheese, and a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette.

The food was presented so beautifully that it actually felt like you were sitting in a gourmet restaurant instead of what, by all accounts, looks like a clean fast food joint. In the words of my husband, “It’s fine dining at a budget anyone can afford.”

If you’ve been contemplating checking out Red Rossa Napoli Pizza, I highly recommend it! Just drive to 3412 S. Western Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57105 or call 605-339-3675 for a pick up!

Until next time…

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Good Evening South Dakota!

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 by Alyice

I need a new blog category like I need a hole in the head but tonight I experienced a wonderful meal at a fabulous little restaurant in Sioux Falls called Red Rossa Napoli Italian Pizza and I had nowhere to share it. So here I am…starting a new blog category about my journey through life as a South Dakotian (if that’s even a word).

I thought about jumping in and telling you all about the restaurant but I’ll save that for later this week. For now, let me share with you a wonderful commentary I helped my husband write up when he thought he was going to be a real estate agent.

In the words of Noel…

My great-grandparents came to America to start a better life and ended up in South Dakota—of all places. My grandparents raised my parents here, as did many of my aunts and uncles. But about the time my parents hit adulthood, they were off for bigger and better things—resulting in a move to sunny California. That’s where they raised us kids—all 8 of us!

When it came time to retire, however, my parents returned to South Dakota to live out the rest of their days. They’ve been back here for several years now and we, kids, have visited often. We’ve come during the rain, during the snow, and even during the hot summer months. But none us thought we’d ever live here—that is until two years ago when I felt the importance of being close to my aging parents. After accepting a job offer from Hutchinson Technology, my family made the bold move here and to be quite honest, we’re pretty glad we did!

My wife, children, and I have lived in several different states over the years, but it’s South Dakota that feels like home. We’re not sure if it is knowing we have a rich history here, knowing we have relatives here (even if we rarely see them) or if it’s the calming nature of the state, but we’re glad we came! And that’s saying a lot from a self-proclaimed “cold hater” such as myself.

There are some things you should know, however, if you plan to relocate to South Dakota.

Winters are long. Yep. Very long. If you don’t like the snow or the cold, South Dakota may not be the best place for you. And winters can be harsh. We have blizzards that close down complete highways and hail the size of golf balls.
The history of The Wild West and the American Spirit is very much alive in South Dakota. There is much to explore, to learn, to absorb. You’ll be enlightened by the rich history and find yourself wondering why you ever wanted to live in the hustle and bustle of the outside world in the first place. Seriously, it’s a beautiful part of the country and things really do run much slower here.
South Dakota has a lot of farm lands. We are a farming state. You’ll see tractors driving down your city street to get gas at the nearest gas station at all hours of the day and night —well, not in the bigger cities like Sioux Falls or Pierre. And the farmers here are fighting long and hard to keep this a farming community.
Summers are short. Since South Dakota truly does experience all four seasons, it’s no surprise that summer is short—three months to be exact. No sooner do we get used to the warmer weather does it begin to change. And because our summers are short, we pack a lot of outdoor entertainment into those months!
South Dakota is truly breathtaking. The uncluttered landscapes make drives in South Dakota feel like heaven on earth. Of course, driving the flatlands (prairies) can get monotonous when you must drive 45 minutes or more to and from work every day.
The winds are strong in South Dakota. It’s actually been said that the winds in South Dakota could supply enough electricity to fuel half, if not all, of the United States.
Hunters come from miles around to visit South Dakota. We’re a big pheasant state and hunters kill and take home more pheasants in South Dakota then any other state.
Motorcycle riders come by the herds, every year, to visit South Dakota and take part in the Sturgis festivities. And since South Dakota doesn’t require motorcyclists to wear helmets, many motorcyclists come just to have the freedom to ride dangerously.
South Dakota is home to Mount Rushmore–which many believe should be one of the Seven Wonders Of The World. Millions of people flock to South Dakota every year, just to get a glimpse of the famous heads carved into a huge mountain.
South Dakota is home to one of the worlds largest Buffalo herds. Preserving these beautiful creatures is an important task to South Dakotans who believe buffalo bring the past into the present.
Archeologists spend a lot of time digging up ruins in South Dakota. In fact, the T-Rex hosted in Chicago’s Field Museum came from South Dakota.
South Dakota is home to Laura Ingalls Wilder, the famous novelist whose Little House On The Prairie books inspired the hit television series, Little House On The Prairie starring Melissa Gilbert.

There’s plenty more I could tell you about South Dakota, but I’ll leave it to your imagination. After all, life wouldn’t be worth living if there wasn’t a little mystery in it.

Until next time…

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