Bang a gong for Fong's (unless you have a hangover from one too many tiki drinks).

King Ying Low. A fair number of you probably never heard of it. And those who have probably never ate there. It was once Des Moines' oldest Chinese restaurant, starting as a chop suey joint in 1907. In 2008, in the wake of a kitchen fire, the restaurant shuttered its doors for good.

In 2009 Fong's Pizza opened up in King Ying Low's location, not only keeping the decor but incorporating the Chinese theme into many of its appetizers and pizzas, while serving up a dizzying array of tiki bar cocktails. Fong's late-night slices of pizza – once the exclusive domain of Big Tomato on Ingersoll – became a favorite of Court Ave. patrons, along with Fong's Farmers' Market breakfast pizza [see blog post].

I settled down there recently for a pizza and finagle a half-order each of the Chinese Cheesesticks and Pizza Rolls for the price of a full order.

Wrap mozzarella sticks in egg roll wrappers and deep fry. These Chinese Cheesesticks are genius enough, but then there's the Pizza Rolls: egg roll wrappers hand filled with pepperoni, Graziano's sausage and mozzarella. Jeno Paulucci may have been the creator of this classic snack, but Fong's reboot is to die for. A cheesy, savory, crispy snack for the kid in us.

Each appetizer comes with a side of chunky marinara, which complements the Chinese Cheesesticks but is an unnecessary addition to the flavorful Pizza Rolls.

The Spicy G pizza starts with the house spicy red sauce, topped with pepperoni, Graziano's sausage, jalapeños, and mozzarella. A good balance of flavors. Not too spicy for my capsaicin-tolerant palate, but still offers a zesty, warming heat in the back of the mouth. The flavors remind me of a very cheesy Italian grinder with banana peppers, but minus the peppers' vinegary bite. The thin crust is soft enough to fold up, but the rind exhibits a near cracker-like crispness.

Before Gusto, Fong's, Centro… there was Something Italian.

Before Gusto… Before Fong's… Even before Centro's coal-fired ovens started pumping out pizza, there was Something Italian.

If you frequent the Downtown Farmers' Market, you'll know Something Italian for their breakfast pizzas and frittatas. What you don't know, unless you're a hungry downtown worker, is that Something Italian has been offering pizzas, pastas, and salads for lunch from their location on the Skywalk level of the Kirkwood since December of 1999.

Back in the day I'd sniff about Something Italian – and Battani's across the street – around closing time to score unsold pies on the cheap. In later years I'd slip in for some hot slices-to-go while en route on work duties, but of late that routine has waned. So when I had some time off recently, I sat down there for the very first time to critique some of their fine builds.

First slice I tried was the Papa Luigi, a venerable standard with mozzarella, banana peppers, black and green olives, pepperoni, Graziano's Italian sausage, green peppers, and mushrooms. Light on the red sauce, the toppings alone power this fine slice.

Next up, another favorite, the Portabella Alfredo. Starting with a base homemade Alfredo sauce, the pizza is topped off with mozzarella, portobello mushroom, Roma tomato, artichoke hearts, and spinach. No shortage of meaty portobello chunks, and the slices of Roma tomato offers up a bright contrast.

Something Italian's thin crust sports a golden hue underneath, yet is also quite pliant. These slices warrant folding! The rind however can be a task to chew. Sometimes impossibly so.

Another pizza of note on Something Italian's menu is the Deep-dish with pepperoni. Not as voluminous as a true Chicagoland deep-dish, but still a sight to behold with its ample portion of red sauce atop. The tender crust is quite brown on the bottom with significant charring: you WILL taste it. The flavorful red sauce does dominate the pepperoni, and the layer of mozzarella – though not as thick as some Chicago pizzas I've enjoyed – does its job to segregate the crust from the sauce. And I do enjoy the texture of this crust. Even the high-sided rind is easy to chew and I can appreciate the flavor of the crust, being brown but not burnt.

Recent eats: Rock Power Pizza, Chisme, La Michoacana.

UPDATE: Rock Power Pizza and Chisme have since closed. Rock Power has since reopened as Chef D's Rock Power Pizza.

Having enjoyed Rock Power's Everything Sauce when I could purchase it at the Downtown Farmers' Market, I was curious about their pizza. After a couple of failed attempts – one time I was hours early before they opened, the second finding them closed 25 minutes past their posted opening time – I finally got an opportunity. Their large bacon cheeseburger pizza sports an impressive number of pickle slices: visually appealing, but overpowering. After a few slices, I peeled off the rest and ate them separately. Pickles aside the pizza was tasty enough with a good balance between cheese and the Everything Sauce. Pieces of ground beef, onion, bacon were evenly distributed, but boasted little flavor due to their fine size. Larger chunks would have been more complimentary and satisfying.

On an April visit to Chisme for lunch I got to try their chips and salsa. The salsa was cool, fresh, and tomatoey. So good I'd drink it like a tomato sangrita with shots of tequila blanco. Tortilla chips were fresh, crispy, lightly seasoned.

I took the opportunity to take in the sights and tastes of Valley Junction's Festival Cinco de Mayo earlier this month [see blog post], and was entranced by the chorizo and onions that La Michoacana was grilling at their tent. Upon my return I ordered instead the spicy pork tamales, with sides of beans, rice and pico de gallo. Outstanding flavor, with no slouching on the heat!

I needed something to wash down such a fine repast. Chisme had just the thing with its Lime Drop Martini, made with Absolut Citron, a lime-infused simple syrup, and shaken with ice. Sweet and tart: a fine drink for a hot afternoon. With just enough room in my belly for one more nosh, I went outside to Chisme's tent where Chef Jesus was offering up slices of his Al Pastor pizza. A cheesy, meaty marriage of marinated pork and mozzarella, with green salsa, cilantro and onions adding subtle flavors. Comfort foods of the world unite!

Kicking it old-school with Paesano's Pizzeria

For all the years I've had delivery from Paesano's on S.W. Ninth, I never once stepped inside until this past winter when I ordered carryout. A month ago I rode the bus down to Rock Power Pizza but not finding them open – despite their posted hours on the door – I went to Plan B and revisited Paesano's for a sit-down meal.

For starters I ordered the Super Salad with lettuce, onions, mushrooms, mozzarella, some shreds of red cabbage and carrot, and a peperoncini and slices of cucumber for garnish. Canned mushrooms were a disappointment. The house Italian dressing is bright, zesty, and clingy enough not to pool up in the bottom of the bowl. Despite the mushrooms I polished off the salad with relish.

Next up: crisp, golden onion rings. The crunchy breading adhered well, nor was it overburdened with oiliness. Excellent rings!

For the main course I settled for the Graziano sausage grinder, with the namesake Italian sausage nestled in a hoagie roll, topped with mozzarella, and superbly toasted. With a choice of hot or sweet peppers, I opt for both. A bargain sandwich with big, bold flavors. A great finish to a delightful meal.

Desirous for a sit-down pizza I return later in the week for one most unique: Aunt Angie's Special. Built with capicola, fried sweet peppers, meatball and hard-boiled egg, it's a sight to behold and almost qualifies as a breakfast pizza. The chopped homemade meatballs are dotted with spots of tasty, crisp char from their stint in the oven, and the taste of egg is an unexpected pleasure. The entire concoction reminds me of an Italian grandmother's lasagna, if I were only so fortunate in lineage to have one.

Paesano's bucks the local tradition of crispy thin crust by offering a crust just as thin, but quite tender in comparison. The rind does however offer a satisfying crunch.

Relative new kids on the block like Chisme, Fong's and Gusto have made their mark on the culinary scene with their inventive, unique pizzas. Paesano's Aunt Angie's Special proves even old-school pizzerias can throw a curve or two as well.

Wasabi Chi: Fung shui for your belly.

I had an unexpected lunch date at Wasabi Chi on Douglas Avenue recently. Looking over the vegetarian options I was pleased to find a couple of offerings and a decently priced lunch special perfectly suited to my selections.

The Sushi Bar Lunch Special is your choice of rolls – two or three – served with miso soup and a small salad of iceberg lettuce with dressing. I selected the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll and the Mixed Veggie Roll.

Presentation was eye-catching. It was like a battleship had set anchor on my table. The Sweet Potato Tempura Roll with lightly battered and fried sweet potato planks hid a pleasing crisp within its nori and rice confines. Mixed Veggie Roll offered aparagus, avocado and shoestrings of cucumber. All in all, quite good and filling.

Recent eats: Grillin Guys from Iowa, Auntie Anne's, Capital Pub and Hot Dog Co.

UPDATE: Capital Pub & Hot Dog has since closed.

I don't frequent mall food courts much, but on one occasion at Merle Hay Mall the Grillin Guys from Iowa piqued my interest. I ordered up a cheeseburger, fries and drink combo. The cheeseburger was unremarkable, being more bun than burger. You could add whatever condiments to your hearts content, but then you're further masking the taste of the burger. The crinkle-cut fries were much better, being quite golden and reasonably done. The seasoning though was uneven: some of the fries were too salty. One bright note: I got a lemon Starburst with my order.

What's more synonymous with indoor shopping malls than a Auntie Anne's pretzel? After the disappointing cheeseburger mentioned above, I felt the need for something more delectable. A jalapeño and cheese pretzel elicited a few minutes of pleasure as I tore off chunks to stuff into my mouth. The crunchy cheese that had formed on the underside was the best part.

After a couple of visits to Capital Pub & Hot Dog Co. last year [see blog post], I was intent on returning to tackle their half-pound hot dog, the aptly named Homewrecker. Finally getting the opportunity I order one with blue cheese and Capital's nuclear sauce, with a side of waffle fries. The surprisingly creamy nuclear sauce is equally hot and flavorful, the pungent blue cheese was abundant, and the big-ass all-beef hot dog was appropriately meaty. Seasoned waffle fries filled the remaining gaps in my belly very nicely. On my return, I'd like to load up one of these bad boys with chili, cheese and onions. You might want to avoid me for a day or so afterward.

Jewish Food Fair at Temple B’nai Jeshurun

Preparations.	Hamentashen.
Rugalach.	Matzo balls for soup.
Noodle kugel.	Knishes.
Brisket.	Challah.
Chopped chicken liver on challah.	Chicken soup with matzo ball.
Hot dog. Kosher? Of course!	Haroset and hummus.