Continuing my tradition of posting restaurant reviews over my last few posts, I figured – “Why not keep a good thing going?” (at least for now). In Texas, we’ve been out of quarantine for a few months now, but even then, with things not fully back to normal and the perceived risks, we still tend to order in food more than we have before. And I’ve had some great spicy food and want to share my experiences with my readers!
My last review was on pizza, specifically Blaze Pizza, known for their “Hot Link” pizza for a Heataholic like myself. Today’s is a little more broad – not just pizza, but full-fledged Italian!
That brings us to Tony C’s. Tony C’s is a quaint little Italian and pizza place not too far from my house in suburban North Austin, Texas. Located in a semi-strip mall (no, not one of those loud, obnoxious ones with loud, chatty teenagers and tweens running amuck), it provides a way to enjoy nice Italian food in a quiet, relaxed setting. Oh yeah, and not only can you eat outside, but if you have kids (like I do), the outside area is enclosed and has toys for them to play.
Alright, on to the food! So many great options. Starting with the appetizers, first off, the Peroni (beer-battered) mushrooms are hands down, the best fried mushrooms I have ever had – EVER! The truffle aioli and the deep frying just makes these mushrooms melt in your mouth. No, they’re not spicy in and of themselves, not spicy at all, but the flavor in both the mushrooms and the breading is out of this world and they just hit the spot – whether you dip them in hot sauce or not!
Continuing with the appetizers, the antipasto…I’ve often wondered – if I eat a plate of antipasto and a plate of pasta, will that cancel each other out? 🙂 Sorry, had to insert that dad joke! While the antipasto does contain meat, you can request without if you’re a vegetarian like me. This does include three spicy tidbits – the first are the Pepperoncini peppers. I like Pepperoncini’s but there’s nothing unique about them. A good kick that I enjoy, but I can just as well get at Papa John’s. The second and third, however, are what made the meal and added the spice to it. The second are the sweet and spicy roasted red peppers – possibly, pickled, or maybe just spritzed with vinegar and salt, but a low-spice and flavorful way to kick off your meal. Saving the best of the antipasto for last are the red Peppadew peppers stuffed with goat cheese. Neither baked, nor fried, nor even toasted, it’s simple, but oh so good and has just that perfect kick you’re looking for! Small red Piquante peppers with soft goat cheese – you can eat one or more in a single bite, but after you’ve had one, you’ll want to savor that taste, as I did, and eat slooowwwwwwllllllyyyyy.
Peppadew peppers are based on the Peppadew brand name of the South African food company Peppadew International. They are well known for their brand of Piquante peppers named accordingly. These peppers are pickled before being jarred and shipped globally.
Added to all of this, with the appetizers were those delicious zucchini sticks with lemon aioli. And finally, who can forget the baked Buffalo Mozzarella – while some may think of it as a gigantic fried cheese stick, with its homemade breadcrumbs and melted texture, it’s an awesome precursor to any main course!
Done with the appetizers, it became time to move on to the pizza! My personal favorite is the eggplant – if pizza and eggplant Parmesan had a kid, it would taste like this! 🙂 Crushed pepper is a staple, as always! But truth be told, the appetizers filled me up so much that I could barely eat a slice and saved the rest for tomorrow’s lunch – happens every time at Tony C’s. EVERY SINGLE TIME! However, no matter your preference, pizza connoisseurs alike will embrace all they have to offer.
Finally, if you have enough room for it (I never do and it becomes part of next day’s meal), save room for dessert – I always love Tony C’s Tiramisu, but heard a lot of great things about their NY Cheesecake, which, one of these days, I’ll try if I can make it that far down my meal!
Details:
- Address: 2 locations, but I go to the one on Avery Ranch (10526 West Parmer Lane, Austin, TX 78717)
- Phone: (512) 255-9463
- Website: www.tonycs.com
- Menu (can vary slightly by location): https://www.tonycs.com/menu
Spicy Flavors:
- Antipasto (Pepperoncinis, Roasted Red Peppers, Cheese-stuffed Peppadew Peppers)
- As always, crushed red peppers on your pizza – I’ve told them several times to add the crushed red pepper before popping in the oven. They’re usually good about remembering.
Personal Faves:
- Peroni (beer-battered) mushrooms – THESE ARE THE BEST FRIED MUSHROOMS EVER! NO CONTEST!
- Antipasto (without the meat)
- Baked Buffalo Mozzarella
- Zucchini Sticks
- Eggplant Pizza
- Truffle Shuffle Pizza (the truffle oil is strong in this one, but your taste buds will thank you!)
- Tiramisu (for all you sweet-tooth-ers)
1) Are these some of the best fried mushrooms you’ll eat? NO! These are THE BEST, HANDS-DOWN, NO-CONTEST fried mushrooms you will EVER find. EVER!!! 2) Antipasto – yes, they everything including the peppers on a bed of salami – THIS TIME! – but that’s purely my fault for forgetting to tell them no meat. Starting with the left-most and going clockwise – Parmesan cheese, Provolone cheese, pickled Mediterranean olives, tomatoes and artichokes, roasted red peppers, Pepperoncini peppers and goat-cheese stuffed Peppadew red peppers. 3) A closeup of the stuffed Peppadews.
Spice on, my friends!
