Michael and Cami Groeschen have a smart idea in Gusto, their four-month-old pizza parlor under the roof of what once was Cherrington's Restaurant in Mount Adams. Offering casual Italian fare with family-friendly atmosphere, the place fills an untouched niche in dining on the hill. And with a little fine-tuning, it could live up to the palatable and atmospheric distinction suggested by its name, the Italian word for "flavor."
The Scene
A friend and I slid into a brightly lit booth around 8 o'clock on a Wednesday evening. Gusto's dining room seats 40, but this evening it was seating only us. Immediately noting the lack of music, filled only by the drone of a box fan and clunkering of the kitchen, we soon fell victim to self-entertainment, like my friend trying on the Styrofoam to-go box after pointing out its uncanny resemblance to a storm trooper helmet.
The décor seems a little confused: Look up, it's a bistro. Look down, it's a diner. Above, warm, tangerine walls and matted photographs create an uncluttered, contemporary feeling. Below, painted brown wood paneling and a pastel Aztec border (with matching curtains) detract from the beautiful new hardwood floor, inciting the decorating guru with me to blurt out "Value City," quickly requesting I not quote his snobbery. (Oops).
The Scoop
The menu is a promising pastiche of conventional and creative pizza, pasta and subs. There are notable Cajun and worldly influences and less ingredient redundancy than you'll find in most pizza joints. Daily specials include potluck, quiche and homemade desserts. A Brie Wheel appetizer ($7.25) reflects Gusto's Mount Adams locale, but pepperoni or cheese pizza-by-the-slice ($2) reaffirms its true character.
We sampled every section of the menu except the pastas, starting with stuffed mushrooms ($4.95), complimented by a glass of Kempton Clark "Mad" Zinfandel ($5) for me and a Warsteiner ($3.50) for my friend. Really, the only way stuffed mushrooms can go wrong is if they're too greasy or not hot, and these were neither. Next, we happily crunched our way through the generous portion of "Antipesto" salad ($6.25), a colorful bowl of fresh Romaine and iceberg tossed with crisp veggies, marinated in vinaigrette and served with provolone and pesto. We were less enthusiastic about the gumbo (cup $2, bowl $3). In need of a swift Cajun kick, it seemed more like seafood gravy with rice.
In addition to marinara pizza with standard toppings, six specialty pizzas (12-inch for $13; 15-inch for $15) include the Twice Baked Potato with green onion, red pepper, cheddar and bacon (optional), and The Big Easy with crawfish and andouille sausage. We chose the "Asparagusto:" asparagus, Alfredo sauce, sliced tomato, provolone and Parmesan.
I'm a fan of crispy crust that encases a soft middle, piled high with flavor. This thin crust didn't exactly resemble the cardboard platter it arrived on, but it was slightly parched. The flavor combination would be tasty, but there weren't enough herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of the asparagus, and I couldn't distinguish between the Alfredo and smothering Glob-O-Cheese.
My friend also ordered and barely touched the goetta sub, which tasted much as it appeared -- like a Hoagie bun with a bland slab of ground-up pork and oats, no sauce, a few measly garnishes and a boring side of coleslaw.
Gusto did achieve some measure of redemption with dessert. Inspired by the cookie, the Snickerdoodle Cake ($2.95) recommended by our server was as heavenly as it was uncomplicated, with melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon icing layered between disappear-before-your-eyes cinnamon cake.
The Sizzle
Open until 2 a.m., the walk-up pizza window would be a great fix for the late-night munchies. Unfortunately, the locals I've asked about Gusto tell me the pizza (especially the by-the-slice variety that sits in a heated cabinet) is stale crust with too much cheese and not enough sauce.
Go: 950 Pavilion St.,
Mount Adams
Call: 513-333-0170
Prices: Moderate
Payment: All major credit cards
Hours: TuesdayThursday 11 a.m.10 p.m.; FridaySaturday 11 a.m. midnight; Sunday 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
Red Meat Alternatives: Plenty
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