Little Italy had always been one of my favorite places for takeout even before the current environment surrounding Covid-19. Even when I'm out at other bars that serve great food, I get that occasional itch for Italian. For the most part, the restaurant comes through without a hitch but not during my last visit. During a past Saturday, I attempted to order the Sausage Parmigiana Sub. The lady taking my order asked "you want an Italian Sub?" I confirmed I wanted the SAUSAGE Parmigiana sub, with the emphasis on "sausage." Then the lady asked me what kind of potato chips I wanted: plain or barbecue? I clearly replied by saying "plain" potato chips (I actually would have preferred French fries but wasn't offered that option). So, what happens next?
As it turns out, the Italian Sub is a really good sandwich. It has pepperoni, ham and salami bonded by quite a bit of mozzarella cheese. Also with lettuce and tomatoes, the sub is a cheesy delight that almost made me forget that it wasn't my choice. The sub comes with an olive oil-infused Italian vinaigrette that surprisingly makes the sandwich tastier. In all, the Italian Sub is a great sandwich and a nice consolation for a botched order.
SIDE NOTE: For "plain" chips I swapped the Lay's BBQ chips in my order with Brim's Classic Potato Chips. In comparison to Lay's and other major brands, Memphis-based Brim's is just as good and a greater value. When you buy a bag of Brim's, you are not only contributing to the local economy but you are also keeping employed people who are in need of a second chance.
Some of Brim's employees are people who had been in trouble with the law and want to get back on track with a good job and a stable life. There aren't a lot of companies that are willing to hire "troubled" people but Brim's has stepped up in a big way to help out. Brim's is a good company that I hope remains successful, especially with its
BBQ Rib Chips that totally outclasses Lay's barbecue chips. I talk more about the chips on
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Calzone vs Stromboli
I was about to end this review when I was reminded that Little Italy sells calzones and strombolis. Because I was stationed in Northern Italy, I never had a calzone that is a staple in the southern part of the country. As for the stromboli, it is a creation of Italian-Americans like the muffaletta and cioppino (they were created in Philadelphia, New Orleans and San Francisco, respectfully and (with the exception of "N'awlins") places that I'm not familiar with). Until writing this post, I've never had a stromboli and on one hand could count the number of times I had a calzone (all from Little Italy on the recommendation from my Atlanta-based sister). Now, what is the difference between a calzone and a stromboli? A calzone is basically a pizza folded in half with the sauce, cheese and meats stuffed inside it while a stromboli consists of meats and cheese rolled up by pizza dough (kinda like a burrito). To get a sense of what both are like, I decided to get both and compare them.
To start things off, I chose the calzone that has been a go-to in the past. As you can see above, it's basically an Italian version of a turnover filled with a lot mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. At $5.25, that's all you get and additional toppings cost a dollar each. For this calzone, I chose sausage because it's my favorite meat topping at Little Italy. Unfortunately, the sausage was smothered by all the cheese in the calzone.
For someone looking for a meaty meal, this calzone wasn't it. The cheese to meat ratio seemed like it was 5 to 1, something that I wasn't looking forward to. Now this is not to say that I didn't like the calzone, especially when I dipped in marinara sauce and eaten with garlic knots. Still, the calzone seemed more like a big Hot Pocket than a pizza. I appreciate the quality that went in to it, especially the dough used to make the buttery crust that enclosed the calzone. Despite that, I probably won't order it again unless I get it loaded with enough "toppings" to make worthwhile that will cost as much as an actual pizza.
"SIDES" NOTE: The garlic knots are a great side item for calzones and almost everything else on Little Italy's menu. Freshly made, the knots are soft and kinda sweet even with the garlic in it. It comes with marinara sauce (one cup, despite what's depicted in the picture; the other cup came with the calzone), although the knots were so good that I didn't need it (which was a bonus given that I used a lot of it on the stromboli that I ate later).
Even though the knots were good, if I had craved for a meaty side instead, the fried calamari (as in squid) is not a bad option. Compared to other places that I've had it, Little Italy's version is tasty with a decent amount of crunch that's not on par with restaurants like
The Majestic Grille but it's good enough to balance a really cheesy calzone. Regardless of which side/appetizer you choose from Little Italy, you'll be reasonably satisfied.
A day after the calzone, I switched it up in getting the stromboli. Unlike the calzone, the stromboli is leaner and more meaty. Despite being wrapped in pizza crust/bread, the stromboli felt a lot like a burrito. After taking a couple of bites, I took a picture of its inside to see what was in the stromboli.
Unlike the calzone, it had a lot more sausage in it with just enough mozzarella cheese to make it interesting. As with about everything else I mentioned so far, it comes with a cup of marinara sauce for either dipping or pouring. I eventually opted for the latter, pouring in the sauce to make the stromboli more pizza-like. For my side, I got
French fries that were okay (not that crispy) that matched up well with the stromboli and helped me finish off that cup of marinara sauce that I kept from the day before. At $5.25 that includes the sausage, the stromboli was a better value in terms of a meal that satisfied my appetite without leaving much of a mess. As far I'm concerned, the stromboli won me over, for it's a better fit for what I'm looking for, an inexpensive pastry that's meaty and filling. When I get the stromboli again, I will eat it with potato chips to get the most for my money.
Overall, Little Italy offers excellent food that is high in quality and great in value. In terms of authenticity, it's as close to Italy as one can get while living in Memphis (there are a handful of others that are just as good, such as
Aldo's Pizza Pies). As much as I like the food, Little Italy has never been a place to dine in. I can't quite put my finger on it, but maybe the restaurant has more of a Sbarro-like feel to it. It's not a place that you can hang out in, but more like a store where you just come and go. Fortunately, that's not a bad thing when it serves great food and excellent (but not perfect) service.
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