Piztros Pizza Review - Wichita, KS

I drove by Piztros for the first time a few weeks ago. It was pretty clear that the name of the place was a play on words, combining pizza and bistro into a new word. The bright green logo and modern look of the building hinted at the fusion cuisine I would be likely to find inside, but my dining companion was not expecting what we found on the menu (though he was not disappointed.) Oddly, the place doesn't resemble a bistro at all (reminds me more of a sushi bar) - there are no French things on the menu, the wine selection (though solid) is not particularly extensive, and there are no typical bistro type items to be found. Instead, the menu is comprised largely of California-style pizzas with influences from around the globe. The drink centerpiece is the frozen daiquiri in all of its permutations, and there is also a selection of pastas and entrees that incorporate a variety of flavors not ordinarily found in either a pizza place or a bistro. The prices are varied and range from $9 for an individual pizza to $22 for the tenderloin, offering a nice selection for diners.

On this, my first visit to the restaurant, I ordered a potato pizza. I was intrigued by the combination of Yukon gold potatoes, prosciutto, pancetta, crème fresh and fresh sage listed in the description. Not wanting to combine this particular culinary delight with a daiquiri, I ordered a simple beer (there were plenty to choose from,) after perusing the wine list and finding nothing tantalizing. My companion settled on the Manicotti. He couldn't resist a cool icy drink on the hot April evening and ordered one called the Zombie. The drink was comprised mainly of rum, orange Curacao, and a mix of pineapple and orange juice. It was good (tasting mostly of pineapple juice,) but not so terribly impressive for the price. We chatted with our waiter about how the pizzas were cooked, inquiring if they were made in a wood-fired oven, or a standard pizza oven. He told us that they used a specially built pizza oven that used high technology to cook the pizzas at a very high temperature in a matter of seconds. I was impressed by the heat, but my husband was not - he likes the smoky flavor of wood on his
pizza. He assured us that it would be just as good as any wood-fired pizza. The arrival of the pizza did not live up to this promise, however. I found that I missed the hint of smoke and it was certainly not crispy, though I imagine it might have been when it first came out of the oven. The 9" pizza was a nice size for a diner with my modest appetite and looked quite delicious. The first bite proved disappointing, however. The fresh sage was dried by the time it made it out of the 900 degree oven and offered little of the flavor which I had been looking forward to. I found myself yearning for some sort of flavorful cheese (perhaps Fontina?) or even the pungency of a little garlic, rather than the bland crème fraiche which seemed to be simple sour cream. The pancetta offered a pleasing cured saltiness, which complemented the potatoes nicely (were they really Yukon gold? I have my doubts . . .) but somehow the other ingredients didn't't offer enough flavor to make use of the creamy base that would have been a delicious counterpoint to something more pungent.

Upon tasting my husband's Manicotti I began to feel more hopeful. I could tell instantly that the pasta was freshly made - it was tender and toothsome. The filling was a creamy, well-balanced blend of ricotta and seasonings; the cream sauce had a rich, complex cheesy flavor that made me wonder if they had used a bit of tangy Gorgonzola or some wine. It had a healthy, but not overpowering dose of garlic and was garnished with a red pepper pesto and some garlic toasts. The most disappointing thing for my husband was that he could not order a salad with anything but vinaigrette - this to me, seemed the only thing that truly hinted at bistro. This was annoying and perplexing. For a place that has flavors that are all over the map, one would think a bit of variety in salad dressing might be in order.

All in all, Piztros is a great place to go if you want to go out with some friends, munch on some pizza's and have a drink, but their menu needs more focus and better execution if they want to please the foodies in the bunch.