Biloxi has a brand new Italian restaurant off Highway 90. The food rates 5 out of 5 stars
Biloxi has a brand new Italian restaurant just off the waters of the Mississippi Sound.
El Fornino Pizzeria just opened in late February, bringing the Coast authentic Italian entrees and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Reviews are beginning to trickle in for the restaurant alongside Edgewater Mall and they are more than promising.
We paid the establishment a visit to see for ourselves.
Vibe — 4 out of 5
Black ceilings and black booths stretch the length of the spacious dining room.
The light fixtures are dim and tight with the ceiling, creating a lunchtime vibe reliant on the natural lighting from the windows lining the storefront.
Courtyard violin music dances around the room and a lone vased flower accompanies you at your table.
But the star of the show introduces itself the moment you walk in. A massive, raised wood-fire pizza oven stands proudly separate from the kitchen.
Its flames constantly flicker from inside the ornate dome. Today it cooks at a modest 650 degrees, but can reach 1,000 if need be.
My only critique on the vibe are the powder blue walls devoid of any artwork. But the restaurant just opened and this is a minuscule and arbitrary note.
Food — 5 out of 5
Pizzeria may be in the name, but if you’ve read any of my reviews from restaurants with “steakhouse” in the name you know I am immovable when faced with the allure of pasta.
Pasta has my heart and soul. It’s an art form and a love letter.
My server recommended the pasta alla vodka. I put my blind faith in this stranger.
Out came a bowl of pasta doused in a creamy vodka sauce and topped with cheese and basil. This one was served with chicken, but all pastas can also be made with shrimp, sausage or meatballs.
It was wonderful. The sauce was perfect. The noodles noodled. My faith in the server paid off. Remember, kids: always trust strangers.
Then came the churros. Yes, churros. They arrived as four stacked as a hashtag (no, I do not know the actual name for the symbol and, yes, you should question my qualifications).
They were glazed in caramel and chocolate and serve with dipping sauce. Each churro had a perfect crunchy outer layer and a sweet, soft center.
If the pasta was a gondola trip down an Italian canal, the churros were a romp through the carnival.
A perfect score.
Value — 4 out of 5
The service is fantastic and the servers are knowledgeable and helpful. The menu is simple, but elegant and offers a wide range of items.
Most importantly, the quality of food delivered to the fullest and without an eye-popping bill to finish. My meal plus a full pizza, another dessert and a drink came out to $60 — an easily manageable tab for a fine Italian meal for two.
El Fornino combines every element necessary to thrive in a food-rich community and successfully brings its own unique combination of pizza and high-level Italian meals that is likely to carve out a spot in your rotation.
Address: 2650 Beach Boulevard
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
