Featured Restaurant

Bacchus Wood Fired Pizza
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Troy, New York; the home of Uncle Sam is a city that contains both rich history and a wide variety of restaurants just waiting to be discovered by hungry patrons. This months featured restaurant has been awarded to Bacchus Wood Fired Pizza, located at 33 Second Street, Troy, New York 12180 . Located in the heart of the historic city of Troy I was eager to find out how Bacchus (meaning Greek god of wine and intoxication) would rise to the challenge of my hungry stomach.

When I walked into the restaurant my eyes focused on a large wood fired oven that was modeled after the Greek god that bears the restaurants name. The fire itself is cleverly designed to be the mouth of the Greek god Bacchus. The restaurant was separated into three sections, each surrounded by exposed brick giving it an “old world” feeling. The first main section contains six typical tables and chairs with a good view of the chefs themselves tossing the pizza dough in preparation of the upcoming orders. The second area contained wooden booths perfect for casual family dinning. The third area contained a full bar and high top tables. There is also a small semi-private “lounge” spot that is tucked away to the side of the booth area. The service was prompt and friendly. I was immediately greeted by a waitress who showed me to my table. I was handed a menu and started to search for a new dish to try. When reading the menu two words came to mind; simple and organized. The menu was separated into sections containing full mouth watering descriptions of the appetizers and entrees along with very reasonable prices. I did not have to look through several pages to choose my meal.

When looking for an entree one meal stood out, The Hercules (A trio of prosciutto, ham and Italian sausage with roasted red peppers tossed in lemon wine sauce. Served over bowtie pasta). This large portioned dish is perfect for those who love meat with their pasta dish. The combination of sausage, prosciutto, and ham tastes amazing. The lemon wine sauce was very creamy and delicious.

Since wood fired pizza is this restaurants specialty, I had to taste a few pizza pies. There were eight specialty pizzas to choose from, all can be ordered in either eight inch or twelve inch sizes. The pizzas that caught my eye were the Broccoli Ultimatis (Garlic, broccoli, plum tomatoes and roasted garlic alfredo sauce topped with mozzarella) and the Mozza “Bella” (Sliced meatballs, fresh mozzarella, spinach and fresh garlic with their red sauce on whole wheat dough). The pizzas were given a generous portion of toppings. The golden brown crust has a light and chewy texture. I appreciated the rustic appearance and wood fire taste. If you don't happen to see a pizza/pasta dish that interests your taste buds, you can become your own chef and create a custom pizza/pasta dish of your liking. A large variety of traditional pizza/pasta toppings are available.

If one should travel to the Troy, New York, whether for business or partaking in the many festivities this great city has to offer, be sure to pay a visit to Bacchus Wood Fired Pizza. There are many great tasting pizzas and entrees to satisfy your hunger. The design of the restaurant was very unique and impressive. You will be guaranteed friendly helpful service and food that is satisfying and delicious.

Review by Michael Weissman (Chief Culinary Consultant)

Photography by Bryan Case