Leigh Ivey, Editor-in-Chief
After deciding to continue the search for Cookeville’s greatest restaurant,
I was faced with a problem--all my fellow restaurant reviewers graduated last
year, leaving me alone.
Luckily, Emilee Chaffin and Senka Hadzimuratovic quickly agreed to fill the
shoes of the lost reviewers.
We decided to take our first journey to Gondola Pizza, the Greek and Italian
restaurant across for the Highland 10 on Jefferson Street.
Gondola has been around this town for as long as I can remember, but since
it recently reopened, we thought there was no better place to begin the year’s
restaurant critique.
Arriving for lunch on a Saturday, we found the restaurant nearly empty of customers.
Shrugging that off, we followed the hostess to a table near the back of the
small restaurant.
I was quick to notice the country music playing on the radio...not exactly
Greek or Italian music, but fine by me.
A waiter immediately appeared at the table and took our drink orders, bringing
them to us so quickly that he must have run to fill the glasses.
The menu at Gondola is about as eclectic as it could be. With everything from
hamburgers to Hawaiian pizzas to spanakopita, the menu presented a problem when
deciding what to order.
I couldn’t decide between a burger and pizza, but Emilee cleverly pointed
out that I could get the pizzaburger. As good as that sounded, I chose a personal
cheese pizza (very daring, I know).
Emilee ordered a mushroom, pepperoni, and cheese stromboli, and Senka chose
the Greek pizza, minus the onions.
When the food arrived, I was disappointed, because despite how good the food
looked, it tasted only mediocre.
The pizza dough was somewhat tasteless and the sauce reminded me of...well,
I don’t know, but not pizza sauce.
Emilee enjoyed her stromboli, though, and Senka said her pizza was good. We
meant to order baklava for dessert, but somehow we forgor.
Gondola Pizza did not prove to be a big contender in our quest for the perfect
restaurant.
With only average food and service, the restaurant received only two stars.
Emilee remarked, “The food we ordered was decent, although Leigh Ivey
should have gotten the spanakopita. Itwould have greatly improved out dining
experience.”
Hope we make a better selection next time!
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Article prepared for web by Steven Linger 6-Sept-2002