The Prodigal Foodie Returns and so does Sauced!

It wasn’t my fault. I was kidnapped by a bunch of pregnant women who forced me to eat pickle flavored ice cream. Or was it that I was hijacked and forced at gunpoint to make pumpkin bread for Pickle’s co-workers? No, I remember. I was stuck in court proceedings allowing me to be adopted by Paula Deen!

Okay, okay, so it was my fault. No, Kalamata Jenn’s fabulous guest post did not jinx me to never post again! I say, let’s skip the requisite excuses and get back to nomming, shall we?

I’m not the only one making a prodigal return! Last night, the Tuesday Night dinner crew gave the new Sauced in the Paseo district a second chance.

As you may recall from my previous review, Sauced was not a place I was fond of. I wanted to be. I really, really wanted to be. But the devil-may-care attitude toward service and burnt pizza made it very difficult.

Due to the owners’ personal circumstances, the restaurant closed. And then, like a hero in the night, the owners of the Paseo Grill across the street swooped in and scooped up the successful pizza joint for a re-vamp.

I must say, they’ve done a fabulous job. They unknowingly followed my advice to the letter and maintained the spirit that was Sauced. The changes they’ve made to the restaurant focus mainly on the food and the service.

But let’s start with aesthetics. Most of the things we loved about Sauced are the same. Tons of outdoor seating, now complete with nicer chairs and tables, fire pits and heating towers galore to extend the outdoor season as long as possible. The fountain has sadly been filled in, but in the busy seasons, we’ll probably appreciate the extra seating.

However, in what I see as a show of their commitment to Sauced’s bohemian spirit, they didn’t just keep the aesthetics intact, they added to them. The walls in both the main dining area and the annex are now adorned with stunning, colorful artwork in a graffiti style, painted by a local artist.

Now, back to what really matters: the food. Fans of a purist nature may find the style of pizza slightly different from the New York style thin crust of the original Sauced. Whatever northern secrets make this style so delicious failed miserably here in the Midwest. The original Sauced pizza tasted more like mall pizza than New York pizza.

The new Sauced pie is still thin but thick enough to ensure it won’t be burned into tasteless cardboard. We tried the margarita and the Full Monty (loaded with meat) and they were both excellent. Just the right blend of sauce and cheese with plenty of toppings. Let me put it this way: I don’t care for meat on my pie. Take that however you’d like. That’s just how I am. Yet, I still found the Full Money to be delicious and I’m looking forward to having leftovers tomorrow.

Prices are a little higher but I’m certainly willing to pay for quality. By-the-slice is only available in your standard cheese, pepperoni and sausage varieties. And, they’re still working on getting their liquor license but the staff promised to have plenty of handcrafted beers on the menu when they do.

But the menu is varied, interesting and full of surprises. You’ll want to come back more than once to try all the options. And while you can build your own pies, there are specialties that make it easy to get what you need without discovering a host of missing ingredients.

By and large, the biggest change at Sauced is the attitude of the staff. We were greeted immediately by bright, friendly folks who demonstrated an obvious passion for the food. Most, if not all of the staff came to the annex to make sure we were okay, enjoying our meal and didn’t need anything.

It’s amazing how quickly you can win over a foodie with a delicious pizza and a smile.

So, I say unto you: if ever you scorned the previous Sauced, go forth and retry the pie. You won’t be sorry!