Volume CXXXIII, Number 15 February 8, 2002 f

Benzoni's offers taste of Italy
LAUREN McKEE AND KERRY ELSON
STAFF WRITERS

The Ferocious Foodies, after a long hiatus due to crap weather, finally collected sweaters, gortex, waterproof substances, mittens, ear muffs, and small warm mammals and headed into the snow. After a frigid dawdle down Main Street, they finally saw the comforting signals of a fire house. They had an important call to make: BENZONI's.

Benzoni's is located off Main Street. (Henry Coppola, Bowdoin Orient)

At first, they feared they did not have the correct location. There were few clues that a quality food establishment existed within the practically unmarked brick building. However, after cautiously entering, they were comforted by a friendly hostess, warm fire place, and cheery open kitchen. Throughout the spacious, multi-level restaurant, families and Bowdoin students sat in wooden grottos. The foodies wanted to sit back and stay a while.

The menu featured more than just famed pizza; salads, calzones, and pastas diversified options. Pleased by overall low prices, the diners chose house and greek salads, a "red white and green" calzone, a broccoli, chicken, and cheese calzone, and a ridiculous pizza topped with bushels of antipasti ingredients.

Salads sufficed; the Greek salads had high quality olives and feta cheese, while the house salads (despite a predominance of iceberg lettuce) were, well, house salads. Once the "leisurely" service brought the main goods, the foodies smiled over the feast before them.

Everything looked freshly prepared and hot from the oven. The ricotta
cheese in the "red, white, and green" calzone provided a simple background for spinach and red peppers. The thick crust might have overpowered this interior, but it made the meal hearty. The only drawback to choosing one's own calzone ingredients is that if the combination lacks some pungency or real flavor, it is one's own fault!

Such was Kerry's situation. Her advice: choose your calzone ingredients
wisely, and make sure to ask for a cheese with punch, such as feta. Pizza is a simpler palate; open your mouth, recite options which sound good, and enjoy your food. Lauren and friend selected spinach, feta, sundried tomatoes, olives, and artichoke hearts. The gourmet combination included ingredients not listed in the "make your own pizza" section, but the waitress was accommodating to our wishes. The thin and crisp crust was a perfect background for such tempting morsels.

The canolli, although consumed quickly, lives on in the hearts and minds of those who have experienced it. The cookie like shell surrounded a thick, icing like cream which Kerry believes tasted too much like powdered sugar. The rest of the dining party shook their heads and kept eating, stabbing Kerry with their poised forks.

Thus, the foodies left filled, fulfilled, and with cash to spare. Everyone paid less than fifteen dollars per person for three courses and drinks. In addition, Benzoni's has the best atmosphere of any Brunswick restaurant the foodies have frequented. And dude, that's saying a lot. Even more than the bushels of goods heaped upon Benzoni pizza.