Pizzeria 712 Review
Review by Dan Purdon
This weekend marked a great milestone in my quest to try every great restaurant that Utah Valley has to offer. I finally got to Pizzeria 712! Foodie buzz about this gourmet Pizzeria has been filling my ears for some time now. As you might know, the guys behind 712 went on to create Communal in Provo as well. (Which was amazing!) So how did the much-ado’ed Pizzeria measure up? Read on to find out!
Firstly, when my wife and friends were making the decision to hit 712, we completely forgot the fact that it was Friday night. Word to the wise: if you want to go here on the weekend, it’s definitely call ahead. We were told it would be about a 30-40 minute wait for our table of four.
We killed time by wandering the large building complex in which 712 is located. (You know, the one with the yet-unfinished twin building that stands right across from it. When are they going to finish that, anyway?)
Soon enough, we came back in and were seated near the outdoor portico. It was a perfect evening, with the sun just setting and a light cool breeze flowing through the doorway. Selections of local art hung from the walls, and the entire restaurant had a warm earth tone theme that felt very inviting.
We looked over the menu, trying to decide between the seven (or so) gourmet pizzas and the tempting lineup of appetizers and salads. The refreshing prospect of fresh melon with lime, mint, and sea salt got my attention from the appetizer menu, and I had to try it. As for the pie, my wife and I decided on a hand-made fennel sausage pizza with roasted peppers to share.
Our waiter brought out a tray of pita bread with hummus for the table to share. The bread was soft and the hummus flavorful, offering a nice Middle Eastern spice flavor with just a little tang. Shortly after, our melon appetizer arrived. It was a generous slice of cantaloupe topped with fresh mint and sea salt, served with a slice of fresh lime. The tangy lime juice, refreshing mint, and savory salt paired nicely with the soft, sweet melon, giving us a great palate-cleansing start to the meal.
Now it was starting to really get busy, so it took a while for our friends’ salad course to arrive. But they agreed that it was worth the wait! In fact, when we were putting in our orders, I was very close to getting the same exact salad for us. They offered me a bite of theirs, and the instant I tried it, I desperately wished that I had! It was in essence a Caprese salad, but it was without question the best I have ever had. They used fresh hand-pulled mozzarella, locally-grown heirloom tomatoes from Jacob’s Cove, fresh basil, and a smattering of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. These tomatoes were amazing, and the cheese was delicious with them. It deserves special mention in this review, even though I didn’t actually order it!
Our pizza arrived, and we happily dug in. The bread was thin and soft, and everything about it was incredibly fresh. The sausage and roasted peppers went together beautifully, and the fresh mozzarella and tomatoes bound it all together beautifully. Delicious.
Lastly, we ordered an almond cake with fresh peaches and cream for dessert. The cake was moist and mild, and the peaches and cream were both fresh (and local). It was a simple, balanced, and delicious end to the evening.
We had no idea how big the portions would be, but my wife and I took a gamble by splitting an appetizer, pizza, and dessert between us. The pizzas turned out to be big enough to feed two, but I ended up wishing that we had done a salad course as well. Still, I walked out satisfied - both with the experience and the amount of food.
Lastly, if you do go on a busy Friday or Saturday night (even with reservations), plan on about two hours for the full meal experience, just to be safe. It could totally ruin the fun if you have to leave early to make an appointment! In my opinion, though, the “slow food” revolution is totally worth the wait.
Pricing: Moderate $10-25 per person (not including drinks)
Pizzeria 712 - 320 S State Street, Suite 147 in Orem
Posted: August 22nd, 2010 under Guest Bloggers, Reviews.
Tags: Reviews
Comments: none


































