Bambino’s offers slice of New York
By Jon Busdeker on Jul. 12, 2007
Lynchburg is a long way from New York City, but there’s no need to get a plane ticket for a taste of the Big Apple.
On U.S. 29, past the congestion of Wards Road and into Rustburg, there’s Bambino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant. The Italian restaurant offers New York-style pizza for anyone looking for a slice of the city that never sleeps.
Inside the restaurant, there are about two dozen tables covered with white table clothes. The walls are decorated with scenes of old Italy. The faux brick painted on the walls tries to add to the feeling of a small café somewhere in the country shaped like a boot.
Bambino’s opened three months ago. And according to Veronica Pazmino, the restaurant manager, a group of owners thought the location would be fitting for a pizza place because no one nearby makes pies.
Pazmino is originally from Ecuador, but has lived in the Lynchburg area for more than 10 years. She said it is odd that a woman from Ecuador runs an Italian restaurant, but added the food speaks for itself.
The menu is typical Italian fare with plates of spaghetti, eggplant Parmesan and baked lasagna. All the house specialties are served with a house salad and a piece of garlic bread.
“We make it right away (when you order),” Pazmino said. “We make it fresh. Everything is fresh.”
Bambino’s also offers calzones and submarine sandwiches like steak and cheese and chicken. For the lunch crowd, there are six specials including a spaghetti plate or a personal pizza that include sides and a drink. None of the specials are more than $5.50.
But Bambino’s is all about the pizza. Painted on the outside of the building, there’s a giant, 8-foot slice of pizza with gooey cheese dripping down and toppings stacked high.
The real thing served inside the restaurant is the same, with loads of cheese and lots of toppings — it’s just a little smaller than 8-foot. And it’s made by a guy from New York, Pazmino said.
“That why we (call it) New York-style,” she said.
Any pizza connoisseur will tell you, before a pie, you need breadsticks. Bambino’s breadsticks — six in all — come covered with cheese and dusted with parsley. The appetizer, served on a funky square plate, is doughy in the middle, crunchy on the sides and comes piping hot.
Bambino’s pizza, prepared with fresh dough made daily, comes in three sizes with your choice of toppings. The specialty pizzas include a Hawaiian, meat lovers and a veggie pizza. If you want a pizza with everything, get the Bambino. The pizza is topped with green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, onions, bacon, black olives, Parmesan cheese and extra mozzarella cheese.
There’s no skimping on the toppings at Bambino’s, and each topping gets a say with your tongue’s tastbuds. Take a bite and the olives stick out. The onions stick out. The green peppers stick out. You paid for the toppings, so you might as well be able to taste them.
The pizza is thin and not crunchy. The crust on the pizza’s outer edge is built up, so you have something to hold on to. Then, when the cheesy part is gone, you still have a good hunk of crust to eat. Also, pizza at Bambino’s is perfect for folding over.
When you head’s turned, and you’re stuffing that folded slice into your mouth, check out one of the signs tacked on the restaurant’s wall:
“Life is not life at all without the great taste of Bambino’s.”
COMMENTS
Is this another Mexican Restaurant with a new name and fare?
Since when would a place with a name like “Bambino�s Pizzeria & Restaurant” make you think it was Mexican?