Pizza aficionados rejoice! There’s a new pizza joint in town, and it serves flavorful, no-frills pizza by the slice. Mark and Candice Myers, owners of Trees Lounge in Kapa‘a, opened up Rocco’s Pizza a month ago at the Harbor Mall
Pizza aficionados rejoice! There’s a new pizza joint in town, and it serves flavorful, no-frills pizza by the slice.
Mark and Candice Myers, owners of Trees Lounge in Kapa‘a, opened up Rocco’s Pizza a month ago at the Harbor Mall in Lihu‘e. The two brought in Chef Ofring, who used to manage the bakery at Safeway, and turned him loose to create a menu.
He kept the menu simple: The restaurant offers pizza by the slice, salads, hot wings and sub sandwiches, all under $10. Whole pizzas range from $14 to $24.
While may restaurants sacrifice quality in order to keep their items affordable, Rocco’s Pizza doesn’t succumb to that pitfall.
The hand-tossed pizzas are topped with fresh ingredients. Rocco’s creations range from old favorites such as pepperoni, Hawaiian and veggie, to the exotic, including margherita (pizza topped with fresh basil and tomatoes).
Their piece de resistance is Rocco’s Pie, a heaping portion of pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, mushrooms and olives.
I sampled slices of pepperoni, sausage and mushroom and veggie pizzas (which go for $2 to $3 per slice).
The pizza is simple — a medium crust topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and a variety of toppings. Pizza connoisseurs who look for out-there concoctions, including pies loaded with dessert toppings, barbecue sauce or ethnic delicacies would be disappointed.
If you are looking for a New York-style of pizza — large, foldable and delicious — Rocco’s Pizza is for you.
The crusts were baked to perfection: Crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. The pizza sauce uses a mixture of herbs and spices, which makes for a rich and flavorful sauce that creates a delicious base for the pie.
For those who want something on the lighter side, Rocco’s Pizza offers a variety of salads, including garden, chicken Caesar and antipasta salad ($8 to $10).
I sampled the antipasta salad ($10), which was loaded with a variety of colorful vegetables, including olives, tomatoes, onions and peppers. Rocco’s added a Hawaiian twist by serving slices of SPAM in the salad, in addition to cut-up pieces of pepperoni and ham. The hardy portion can easily be split by two people.
I moved on to the hot wings ($6 for six pieces). The chicken wings were covered in a savory sauce, which had enough kick to make the tips of my lips tingle from the spiciness, which is enough for my mild palette. Those who favor a spicy sauce might be disappointed with the lack of punch the hot wings offer.
Behind the counter, the staff at Rocco’s was friendly — if the pizza you want a slice of isn’t pre-made, they’re be glad to make it for you.
Rocco’s Pizza is located downstairs, next to Blue Hawaiian Helicopters at the Harbor Mall in Lihu‘e. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Visit www.RoccosPizzaKauai.com for more information or call 245-2266.
