I look back at some of the titles of these posts and see how cheesy and nerdy some are. Well what can you do?  You just got to be you.  

This is a throwback to a pizzeria I’ve been going to since as far as I can remember, or maybe just the early 2000’s, Mamma Lucia.   And for this review, I find myself at the first location I ever visited, Rockville Pike.

I’m going to cut the melodrama off at the head right now. Rockville is near where I grew up.  I have more than a handful of memories growing up here and eating pizza will always be a part of mine, and I suspect many folks’ childhoods and beyond.

But ominous things are happening.  The city continues to grow in congestion and traffic is deteriorating.  I’ve always had a hard time driving to the the strip where the pizzeria is located. Maybe that’s part of the charm for some.

But for me I just want to park, do my errands, grab some food, and go about my business.  I can find some solace in this, without rushing like the rest of the world.  And I’ve done my share of rushing to.

After that inspiring preamble, how was the pizza?

I walked in at the most apropos time, of around 11 am.  Many of the pies were yet to be cut and looked fresh right out of the oven, so I had my hopes up.

Your truly ordered a cheese and one I’ve never seen before, lasagna.  Yes I said lasagna. That’s the photo you see at the top right.  A visual masterpiece is one way of describing it. More on that in just a few sentences.

Their cheese slice has always been adequate. It never blew me away.  This time it was even crunchier, like a well-done piece of toast.  It didn’t wow me but I know many of my fellow pizza lovers love that bite.  It’s New York Style at its core,  but not for me. It’s good enough to eat, to finish, but not my favorite. The cheese and sauce were tasty but got lost in the mix of the crust somewhat.

Back to the lasagna. The sauce was added after the fact. I wish I had gotten a before photo. This was tremendous.  You could call this a pièce de résistance.

The same crust works masterfully.  The ground beef, ricotta cheese, and tomato sauce thrown on is a trio of emotion.

The crunch mirrors the effect of the lasagna noodles.  It’s an incredible substitute that seems to be intended. If not, it’s a stroke of genius nevertheless.

This was a random visit.  It was one of happenstance and coincidence, or maybe not.  I was reminded how stuffy and chaotic the area was.  The Rockville area has grown exponentially.  It’s not necessarily good nor bad.  It’s what it is now.

I love coming back.  I have plenty of family and friends in the area so any visit, planned or not, specific occasion or not, is fine with me.

With a half-dozen locations and presumably growing, this is only the beginning. A couple of pals have suggested in the past I expound on their restaurant.   The carry-out menu is only scratching the surface. A full-on lunch and/or dinner is coming.  I look forward to it and you’re more than welcome to join me.

Best,

Ideen