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Pizza done the Windy City way

By Sharon Ginn Times Correspondent
Published October 26, 2007

The restaurant is part of a long-planned expansion by the company into west-central Florida. Two other Giordano's restaurants, owned by the same franchisees, already have opened in Port Richey and Brandon.

General manager Jonathan Van Steenis, a Chicago native who opened the other two stores and is now at the new location, said construction delays at the other restaurants led to the delayed opening on Dale Mabry. "We don't try to open all of them at the same time," he said.

Giordano's is best known for its Chicago-style deep dish pies, but also offers a thin-crust pizza enjoyed by "a lot of the New Yorkers in Florida," as well as Italian restaurant pasta standbys, Van Steenis said.

The restaurant does not accept reservations, but Van Steenis offers advice for the extra hungry or time-pressed. "The Chicago-style pizza takes 30 to 35 minutes in the oven," he said. "I tell people, 'Call in, preorder ... and your name goes on the (seating) list.'"

Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Sunday.

Speaking of pizza ...

Brian Edwards calls himself managing partner of his new SoHo Pizza Joint, but that doesn't mean he's leaving the pizza-tossing to others. He's also chief dough maker.

This month, Edwards opened SoHo Pizza Joint at 1818 W Platt St., at the corner of Fremont Street. It's in the building that until last year housed one of two Zudar's Deli Cafe restaurants (the other Zudar's is still open at 201 W Platt).

Edwards said he has an agreement to make and sell two types of popular local pizzas: Gino's New York-style (hand-tossed) and Parranelli's Pi (stone-seared pizza). For now, SoHo Pizza Joint is open for dinner only, but Edwards said he expects to be open for lunchtime by the first of the year.

Hours are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. As of Nov. 7, the restaurant will also be open until 3 a.m. on Wednesday nights.

Lots of accessories

Carol Berg has done a little bit of everything in her working career. Now she's decided to open a store that sells a little bit of everything.

Carol Lynn's Collection, an expansive accessories shop at 3345 S Dale Mabry Highway, is expected to open early next month. The 2,400-square-foot shop, which until a few years ago housed the Pop 'N Sons diner, will sell accessories for women, men, teens and younger children.

What will make the store stand out is its vast selection, made possible because it has so much square footage, said Berg whose middle name, of course, is Lynn.

"The average boutique has (for example) a tray of 72 rings," she said. "I'll have 10 times that."

Berg said she has worked in the automobile finance industry, sold retail furniture, and helped her husband with his wholesale jewelry business. Carol Lynn's will have a lot of jewelry, she said, but she also wanted to bring in unique items. Her most fun find? A company that makes shoe covers in fashionable prints ($15) that can make pumps or flats look like a different pair of shoes.

Do you know something that should be everybody's business? Call 226-3394 or e-mail sharonlginn@yahoo.com.

.the find

Halloween doggie costume

Abe's ready to go trick-or-treating in a pirate party collar, $8.99, and Jack Sparrow hat (comes with pirate suit not shown), $24.99. Halloween's going to the dogs at Wag's Pet Boutique, 304 E Davis Blvd. Call 258-9181.

- Amy Scherzer

[Last modified October 25, 2007, 07:51:05]