RESTAURANT REVIEW: Second Grady's a fine slice

St. Louis Toasted Ravioli, served with marinara, is an appetizer at Grady’s Pizza and Subs.
St. Louis Toasted Ravioli, served with marinara, is an appetizer at Grady’s Pizza and Subs.

Grady's Pizza and Subs might be new to west Little Rock, but it already feels as worn-in and comfortable as one's most accommodating pair of fat pants.

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Special to the Democrat-Gazette

Grady’s Muffuletta features ham, turkey and salami topped with a blend of olives, tomatoes, red onions, garlic, parmesan and Italian dressing.

That's largely because Grady's original location, still thriving on West 12th Street, has been a neighborhood fixture since 1981 -- the year MTV began, Ronald Reagan became president and Luke and Laura got married on General Hospital. It was a time when no one used words like artisanal cheese, gluten or tomato varietals. Pizza -- pure and unpretentious -- was just pizza.

Grady’s Pizza and Subs

Address: 10901 N. Rodney Parham, Little Rock (original location, 6801 W. 12th St., Little Rock)

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Cuisine: Pizza, calzones, pasta, salads, sandwiches

Credit cards: AE, D, MC, V

Alcoholic beverages: Full bar

Reservations: Large parties only

Wheelchair accessible: Yes

Carryout: Yes

(501) 904-2822

gradyspizza.net

Grady's simply decorated second restaurant, situated on North Rodney Parham Road at Shackleford Road in the space that formerly housed saloonish Lone Star Steakhouse and, most recently, snazzy Ponchito's Mexican Grill, has been bustling since its April opening. During our recent afternoon and evening visits, its parking lot, dining room and bar area have been full of customers as hungry for the feel of familiarity as they are for muffulettas, Frito chili pie and pizza (and, yes, this being 2016, they do have gluten-free).

Grady's serves salads, sandwiches, pasta and calzones, but it's pizza that takes up much of the menu real estate. A baker's dozen of specialty pies ($12-$18.95) come in three sizes. Or create one from 20 toppings ($1.25-$1.75; includes mostly traditional options and nothing more exotic than artichokes). Decisions don't stop there. Available crusts are traditional, seven-grain whole wheat and gluten-free (the last one is 11-inch only, add $1.25). Sauce options are homemade red, Alfredo, Mama Rosa, olive oil and garlic, salsa, sour cream or barbecue.

While waiting for pizza to bake, consider an appetizer or salad. An order of St. Louis Toasted Ravioli ($4.75 for six), served with marinara and dusted with grated parmesan, made for a tasty, not-too-filling shared starter. Another satisfying option is the ultra cheesy garlic toast ($4.75 for four pieces), also served with marinara, though admittedly that's essentially just ordering pizza before the pizza. Wings, guacamole, homemade chips and soup are other selections.

Sizable entree salads ($8.50-$9.50) -- like Grady's Chef ($8.50), piled with ham, turkey, tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, bite-y red onion, green peppers and mozzarella, and the Blackened Chicken Caesar ($8.50), with romaine, not particularly spicy chicken breast, parmesan, and croutons -- can make a main course for one or a shared appetizer for two. There's also a simpler Garden Salad ($2.75-$4).

We were intrigued by our first pizza, the Charlie's Favorite ($12.95-$18.95), proudly presented on a stand and generously topped with ground beef, red onions, green peppers, green olives and jalapenos, Steve's St. Louis cheese blend (see below) and by request, pepperoni. While the dominant flavors were the briny olives and brash jalapenos, the pizza had an unexpectedly creamy mouth feel and flavor that I could never quite identify.

By the second pizza, a North St. Louis Special ($12.95-$18.95), and after a cold leftover slice of the first, I'm pretty sure I have the answer: cream cheese! There has got to be cream cheese in Steve's St. Louis cheese blend! I called to query a staff member, but she couldn't say, and a manager did not return my call (probably because the phone message went something like: "Obsessed woman called and kept asking about cream cheese"). I was so distracted by the mystery of the St. Louis (they really like that city here) cheese blend, I'm not sure I gave the pizza as a whole much attention. The sausage slices were particularly good, though.

Six pasta dishes ($9.95-$12.50) come with garlic toast and a choice of soup or salad. My Italian companion was pleased with his plate of spaghetti ($9.95) with a homey, rich meat sauce (red sauce and meatballs are other options), and he's fairly picky about such things.

There's a Kid's Menu with chicken tenders, grilled cheese or spaghetti served with salad for $5.99. For adults, there's wine, booze and beer and various pitcher, bucket and pint specials. Desserts, though we never got around to them, are Lemon Ice Box Pie ($3 slice, $12 whole) and St. Louis (where else?) Gooey Butter Cake ($3.25 slice, $15 whole).

Grady's offers several Meal Deals ($7.25-$8.45) -- for example, a half sandwich with a small garden salad or soup, or Chili Mac with garlic toast and a small garden salad -- that would be grand choices for lunch.

We went for two sandwiches, which came on our choice of "baked fresh since 1981" bread (onion, hoagie, multi-grain whole wheat hoagie or rye), a choice of side (baked potato salad, coleslaw or homemade potato chips) and a pickle spear.

Beefy, saucy and cheesy, the Homemade Meatball ($7.95) and a side of slightly soft homemade chips made more than a full meal for me.

My friend reports her Grady's Muffuletta ($7.95) as a "wow" with "great flavor with olive salad, multiple meats and thin bread that soaked up the oil/vinegar from the salad. I had the potato salad; the creamy concoction of sliced potatoes and dressing that had plenty of punch proved a worthy accompaniment."

Service can be a bit scattered at peak times, but everyone we encountered was cheerful. And the food, particularly at lunch, came out quickly.

Given its good food and good nature, we predict this second Grady's could endure some 35 years too.

Weekend on 06/09/2016

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