MidiCi, the Neapolitan Pizza Company, has over 30 franchises across the United States and boasts a high-end restaurant feel without the high prices. The newest addition in the restaurant chain opened in late August on East Franklin Street.
MidiCi offers a wide variety of Neapolitan pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven. The Double Pepperoni is the best selling gourmet pizza, but, if that doesn’t appeal to your taste, the restaurant also offers Hawaiian, margherita and prosciutto and a dozen more gourmet pie ranging in price from 11 to 14 dollars. The classic pizza menu also offers a create-your-own option to fit any and all pizza needs with prices varying from eight to ten dollars.
MidiCi’s claim to fame is the functional art, which includes a gold plated wood-fired oven located in the restaurant’s “heart,” its kitchen the middle of the restaurant. Customers can watch classic Italian food being prepared from the comfort of their seats. The ovens are not the only functional art MidiCi uses; the Virroria, a flywheel manual prosciutto slicer, and a copper Athena espresso machine are two additional pieces the restaurants carry.
The classic wood-fired margherita pizza at MidiCi was delivered to my table in under 10 minutes but lacked enough sauce to balance the cheese and dough. The authentic Italian pasta is amazing and reason enough to go and try MidiCi. MidiCi offers a pesto pasta, rich in basil and fresh zucchini, that I highly recommend. MidiCi also offers vegetarian versions of many dishes, including the truffle calzone and the macaroni and cheese. Another phenomenal dish MidiCi serves is the spicy penne arrabiata with fresh grilled chicken. Arrabiata is a spicy sauce made from garlic, tomatoes and dried red chili peppers, cooked in olive oil.
Desserts, including the phenomenal tiramisu, cost eight dollars or less. Though the tiramisu is my favorite of the desserts MidiCi provides, the best-selling dessert is the signature Nutella calzone. The Nutella, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and ricotta have been deemed “amazing” on TripAdvisor, and the dish is considered a highlight of the restaurant.
Customers will be greeted by friendly faces, polite service and a pleasant ambiance. After 8 p.m. MidiCi offers appropriate entertainment to its customers: vintage Italian movies, with English subtitles, projected on the walls.
