Last week I went to Ian's Pizza on State Street in Madison. Ian's is not just a regular pizza place. They use fresh ingredients in all different kinds of ways so the pizza tastes awesome and is healthier, too. I went with a friend and my mom, and I will tell you about our pizza, the staff at Ian's and the restaurant setting.
I ate the seasonal special "Chili Cheese Fritos". It had real Fritos, cheese and chili, just like it says. It was delicious!! My friend had "Pepperoni Mushroom". She had never liked fresh mushrooms before, but she gave it a try and the mushrooms were her favorite part. She said "I can't stop eating my mushrooms!!". We shared a "Mac n' Cheese" pizza, and this was my favorite. The noodles were cooked perfectly "al dente" (not too mushy, not too hard) and the sauce was rich and creamy. My Mama Mia ate a Mediterranean piece called the "Kalamata Mozzarella". It had greek olive puree, fresh mozzarella slices and roasted red peppers. She could taste every ingredient and thought the combination was perfect together. On all pieces, the crust was light (like a crisp cracker) and didn't take away from the flavors of the toppings (like a thick crust would). The price of an Ian's slice fit in my mom's budget at $3.50.
We went to Ian's around 5:00pm, and we were greeted immediately by one worker, and another asked us if we had any questions about their menu. Behind the counter there were about 5 pizza pies with different combinations of slices. She gave us a "tour" of what was there and told us about all of the ingredients. They looked freshly made and it was pretty hard to choose what to order. There was also a good selection of drinks, including a line of Izze soft drinks. The pomegranate flavor was suggested to us, and we were not disappointed! It was a little sweet and a little sour, and went very well with our pizzas.
I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff. They seemed excited and proud of the food they were selling to us. They even let me come behind the counter and take a picture with them, holding a piece of my favorite "Mac n' Cheese".
The restaurant itself was clean and tidy. There are newer wooden booths, the lighting was slightly dimmed (too bright of lights can make it feel like a cafeteria), soft funky music was playing and there was funny poster art on the walls to give diners a laugh. Last but not least - a sign of a well kept restaurant is a clean bathroom. Ian's passed the test!
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest rating, I rate Ian's a perfect 10. Every pizza is made with fresh, flavorful ingredients. There are combinations my mom likes and wacky ones for me, too, and they all taste awesome. Their fresh ingredients makes me excited about food and trying new things with my friends. The staff is friendly and helpful, the setting clean and relaxing, and the cost is the same as a greasy fast food chain. When there's a choice, I suggest Ian's every time!
