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Prima Strada Pizza | Victoria | Cook Street Village, Fort Street at Foul Bay Road


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#1 Rob Randall

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Posted 21 September 2008 - 08:17 PM

Shannon and I tried Prima Strada out today after watching the Snowbirds show.

We shared two pizzas, the classic Margherita and the Napoletana. Both were excellent. I've had pizza in Naples and this was as good or better.

Those who are used to the Panago or Pizza Hut variety will find them minimalist but foodies will appreciate the way the few key flavours are front and centre.

The bill came to $32 for two pizzas and a cappuccino and a latte.

#2 aastra

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Posted 23 October 2008 - 04:21 PM

Very positive review of Pizzeria Prima Strada:

http://www.tripadvis...h_Columbia.html

#3 gumgum

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Posted 23 October 2008 - 05:01 PM

Been there a few times now. The pizza is probably the best in town.
The service is OK if you don't mind being told your pizza will be ready in 15 minutes and it's served on your plate 55 minutes later. And don't think you'll escape that by calling in your order and picking up. I called in an order and arrived to pick it up the half an hour later, when it was due to be ready. I stood there among a crowd of people waiting for there pizza and a table for another half an hour!
Mind you, both times I complained and receive, my pizzas for free. Which I give them big kudos for.

Still, it makes it hard for me to want to go back.
I don't think it's so much that they're busy. It's that it doesn't take a genius to figure out that they are very disorganized.

#4 Holden West

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Posted 23 October 2008 - 05:13 PM

That great wood oven could be their downfall. They might never be able to crank out the pizzas fast enough.
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#5 LJ

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Posted 24 October 2008 - 07:59 PM

That great wood oven could be their downfall. They might never be able to crank out the pizzas fast enough.



That would be ironic - business fails because they sell too many pizzas.

I had a similar experience at a club I belonged to, they had great, made to order pizzas which everyone ordered. One night they said they weren't serving pizzas anymore - they were too popular and the kitchen couldn't keep up.
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#6 gumgum

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Posted 24 October 2008 - 09:12 PM

If they figured out a system that allowed them to predict with relative accuracy how long it an order would take, it would be easier for the clientele to swallow.
I think of Stepho's on Davie, in Van. That place has got queues out the door every night and that doesn't seem to turn people off. As long as people know that once they're in, the service and food will be great they will keep coming back.
The ovens at Prima are a hindrance, but they need to work their supreme advantages.

#7 julienne

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Posted 27 October 2008 - 08:11 AM

That great wood oven could be their downfall. They might never be able to crank out the pizzas fast enough.


the thing about their oven is that it is assisted by gas. I hope they figure out the whole consistency and timing thing as they have such a great product.

#8 ptolomeus

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Posted 29 October 2008 - 09:30 PM

That great wood oven could be their downfall. They might never be able to crank out the pizzas fast enough.


Well, I´ve seen many such pizzerias with a wooden oven back in Europe, and most of them didn´t have that problem. If the pizza is made in the traditional Italian / Neapolitan method, the are very thin and the wooden oven very hot. In that way, a pizza is ready after approx. 3 minutes, if the oven is not a miniature one, it can hold three to five pizzas, that should make enough pizzas an hour. Most of the time is needed to warm up the oven before you can start baking pizza inside and if you don´t keep it at the right temperature, you loose time and energy (and the baking time for the pizzas become longer and longer).
If that doesn´t work, then it may lay at something different as the oven itself ... :rolleyes:
Just my 2cents

#9 Zombie T

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Posted 30 October 2008 - 07:02 AM

^ That could be a big part of their problem at least with the consistency of their pies. The first and only (won't be the last though) time I went the pies were a bit too wet and sloppy.
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#10 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 30 October 2008 - 12:56 PM

^ That could be a big part of their problem at least with the consistency of their pies. The first and only (won't be the last though) time I went the pies were a bit too wet and sloppy.


I'm so glad to see you write that -- I thought it was just me. Strada has been getting such high marks that I was afraid to disagree, but I've eaten there ~4 times, and each time the quality sort of dipped from the time before.

Last time I went the pizza was exactly as you describe it, "a bit too wet and sloppy," and coupled with some weird-tasting bean appetizer, the overall effect was ...unpleasant. I'm still hoping they'll pull me back in -- it's a nice venue.
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#11 gumgum

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Posted 30 October 2008 - 01:16 PM

Only once has the pizza been wet and sloppy for me. All other times the pizza was perfect.

#12 osmich

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Posted 01 November 2008 - 09:16 PM

I am glad someone has mentioned about the sloppy pies. I had the Margherita the other night and I was very disappointed with it. Very soggy crust.

I will wait for a bit before I go back, if at all.

#13 gumgum

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Posted 02 November 2008 - 08:02 PM

The one time I went there when it was sloppy, I found it pretty gross. I could understand why someone wouldn't want to go back after that. I just hope they get that problem fixed because when it's good pizza, it's phenomenal.

#14 amor de cosmos

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Posted 24 November 2008 - 01:50 PM

I checked it out today & although I thought it might have been a bit crispier it definitely wasn't soggy. I thought it was very strange to be able to taste every individual ingredient on the pie, but it was also really good. It would be interesting to find out if having the oven at 500 degrees (as it was today) or 900 (their oven's max) makes much of a difference. The server lady seemed a bit overbearing though; maybe it's just because I'm such a riveting conversationalist. :P

#15 Mike K.

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 07:36 AM

Dropped in at Prima Strada the other day. I ventured out for a walk and the girl at the door phoned me when my table was ready. Not many places will do that these days.

We ordered the mushroom (funghi, as it was called?) and Margherita. The funghi was great, but the Margherita was very soggy. Not sure why they haven't been able to fix this problem. Judging by other posts this has been an issue from the get go. When I return, I'll definitely inquire about the sogginess of a pie before ordering which should help in getting it replaced should it arrive in that condition.

Overall the food was good, albeit a tad pricey for the amount of ingredients. The staff was helpful and very friendly. The place was busy, so they're doing something right!

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#16 gumgum

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 07:49 AM

Been there a few times since my last post. The service is much better. I'm sorry to read you had another soggy one, because I thought the problem had long since been sorted.

#17 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 07:54 AM

Dropped in at Prima Strada the other day. I ventured out for a walk and the girl at the door phoned me when my table was ready. Not many places will do that these days.


Shouldn't that be standard practice? Milestones used to give out pagers, now that everyone has a cell-phone, this should be a no-brainer. In fact I don't know why more businesses don't put their phone # on their outdoor signs, lots would phone to enquire about a product or service as they drove by and were reminded of something, but few will 411 after they pass a place.

#18 Mike K.

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 08:06 AM

I happened to have recently dined at Milestone's, too. We were told to wait for 20 minutes, then "check back." It's lame, but that's becoming the norm these days.

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#19 Bernard

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 08:42 AM

I have wanted to go here, but the long wait has deterred me. Certainly I can not go here with the kids, so it would have to be on a date night with Sheila. Problem is there are many other restaurants I would want to go to first if going out for a dinner date.

#20 gumgum

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Posted 19 August 2009 - 09:09 AM

Why? There are always lots of kids. I always take mine.

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