I arrived specifically at Oven & Shaker because I wanted the Cauliflower pizza, which had not been on the menu my previous visit. I was really tempted, just like last time, with the Bianca pizza, boasting teleme, truffled sottocenere, bufala mozzarella and fried sage.

Also new to the menu was a pizza of Blackberry and Peach with garlic, arugula, pecorino, rocotta and aged balsalmic. They also had more specials in the Finger * Fork section (the small plates). But, fearing that the Cauliflower, just like the Brussel Sprout pizza, might be a seasonal and therefore temporary offering, I went with that as my pizza choice. I was very glad I did. But damn you Oven and Shaker, with your temptations that will bring me back again…!

I started with the fried risotto balls, or aracine. They came in four different flavors, and not able to decide, I didn’t decide at all and got them all. They are very filling- I would only be able to eat 2 slices of my pizza when it would arrive later, and based on delicious the pizzas are, would rather leave the room for more slices. Ranked in order of
what tasted best of the four Aracine:

1. suppli al telefono, wild mushroom risotto, smoked mozzarella and tomato ragu aracini
2. lager beer risotto cheddar salami aracini
3. aracini of basil risotto with house mozzarella  and fresh tomato sauce
4. herb risotto wtih summer vegetables and  fonduta aracini

Even though it was Friday, the restaurant was not very busy, possibly because there were other summer festivals going on that night as well, though it was also pretty early on a Friday- maybe everyone was at happy hour still (O&S’s happy hour is only until 2:30-4 or 10-midnight). Thanks to the lack of crowd, I was able to really admire how long and incredibly well stocked with bottles the bar was.

Also, not being in the weeds greatly improved how quickly I got my food and how well it was executed, and the staff was able to be more attentive in checking on me, bringing food to me promptly, and removing finished service ware.The atmosphere was much more relaxed and casual, rather than leaning on the frenetic side during my last visit.

While I awaited my meal, I enjoyed a drink that had caught my eye on a previous visit and had remembered, so this visit I didn’t hesitate to reward myself. The Oven and Shaker’s Pepper Smash comes with lots of mint leaves, Krogstad Aquavit (a caraway/anise flavored vodka), lime juice, maple syrup, and freshly extracted yellow bell pepper juice for a very smooth liquid taste of… the description that comes to mind is je ne sais quoi.

It had citrus flavors and a little tartness from the lime but not too sour or acidic thanks to the maple syrup, and then add in that freshness of the bell pepper with the flavors of caraway and anise… it all came into to a unique medley that is refreshing and easy to drink but that you want to sip to have those flavors roll and rest on your tongue.

Meanwhile, the pizzas are all cooked in the wood fired oven so it is ever so lightly scorched for some burnt smoke flavor: this time when it arrived rather than soggy it was a nice thin crisp yet doughy consistency which I enjoyed.

The ingredients on the pizza of the roasted cauliflower, mozzarella, provolone, olive, spring onion, Mama Lil’s chilies, crumbled salami was a wonderful mix of the crispy salami and the soft creamy cheese with the tangy bits of olive and taste of smoke from the slightly scorched pizza foundation.

I’m coming for you Bianca pizza… I’m coming back for you.