Sunday, October 18, 2009

Fratelli's Wood-Fired Pizzeria


It was just about the perfect evening. My husband, son and I strolled downtown on a crisp October Saturday night, enjoying the changing fall leaves. There's a part of me that really loves big cities for a variety of reasons, the tendency to walk to one's destination being one of them. I enjoy the thought that downtown Siloam is a sort of scaled-down version. (I know, it's really scaled down, but it captures the essence.) "Why don't I do this more often?" I mused, as we passed great scenes like this one:


Our destination was the newly opened Fratelli's Wood-Fired Pizzeria. The restaurant's warm glow beckoned us in from the chilly street, and we found a recently vacated, cheery red booth near the door. My husband kicked off the evening with an IBC Cream Soda, one of the many bottled beverages available. He then ordered a "build-your-own" pepperoni pizza ($8), and I chose the veggie pizza ($9). As an almost-vegetarian, I was thrilled by the selection of vegetable toppings. Happily, diners can choose up to five from the list for their veggie pizza. I chose: artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, onions, grilled eggplant and fresh basil. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for the pizzas to arrive! While we waited, I enjoyed a side salad ($2), consisting of mixed greens and cherry tomatoes with olive oil & balsamic vinaigrette. (A house vinaigrette and ranch dressing are also available.)


When the pizzas arrived, I was completely delighted. The colorful veggie pizza was a feast for the eyes. It was piping hot, straight from the brick oven. The hand-tossed crust was the right balance of delicate crispness on the outside, and warm chewy goodness on the inside. As stated in the menu, the quantity of the toppings complimented, rather than overwhelmed the simple flavors of the crust and the sauce. It was all that a great pizza should be!


Fratelli's is operated by brothers-in-law Scott Jones and Tom Ledabrand, and their goal is to create true Italian-style pizzas. Many of their ingredients (the flour and plum tomatoes, for example) are imported from Italy, as is their state-of-the-art brick oven. Fratelli's variety of pizza toppings also echos the restaurant's Italian flair: whole-milk mozzarella cheese, arugula, garlic slices, prosciutto (Italian ham), pancetta (Italian bacon), gorgonzola cheese, and speck, an Italian ham that is both cured and smoked. I greatly appreciate their quest for authenticity, as it makes their restaurant truly unique in our town, not to mention region.


The establishment also continues to serve its legendary gelato, fully rounding out the Italian experience. I couldn't help peeking in the case to check out the current flavors, and I was intrigued by the Autumn Spice Crunch and the Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbetto. Feeling hungry yet? Get yourself down to Fratelli's- manga!

Fratelli's is currently open Monday-Thursday from 5-9 pm, and Friday & Saturday from 5-10 pm. For more information, call 524-0766.

6 comments:

  1. We had pizza Friday night, and it was YUMMY! I'm sure Fratelli's will become another Siloam Springs favorite! --Karyn

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  2. That is our 1973 autostick VW beetle. We love our Vw's :)

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  3. Good pizza, we got some for carryout last night. I tried the "Three Little Pigs." It's hard to believe that soon we'll have three tasty restaurant choices right downtown.

    Heidi, do you know anything about the new Red Door Market around the corner from City Barber?

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  4. Thanks for the great review, Heidi! We hope everyone will have as good an experience as you did!

    Tasha (supportive wife, sister and sometimes worker, too)

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  5. Karyn- I agree!!

    letseatpaste- the "Three Little Pigs" pizza sounds yummy! I got to try the Gorgonspeck pizza last night. It was super! As for the Red Door Market, I saw a sign out on the street that says it is opening at 10 am Thursday the 22nd. Apparently, it will be a convenience store-type place, with snack and convenience items. But they will also carry fun foods for gift baskets, like Amish jams, House of Webster products and War Eagle Mill items. Supposedly, customers will be able to assemble their own gift baskets. I'm very intrigued, and I plan to stop by tomorrow. Visitors on opening day will be able to sign up for a drawing for a gift certificate. Fun!

    Tasha- thanks for reading the blog, and I'm sure it feels great to have the pizza making in full swing. Congratulations!

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  6. Brandy- your Beetle is awesome, and so picturesque!

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