Photo Submitted by Marquel Bowen
I am not a pizza lover but after my visit to Momo’s Pizza it has become clear I have been eating the wrong type of pizza. I had never heard of the restaurant until this week when a few colleagues were discussing their lunch plans. I became intrigued and wanted to see what the hype was about.
Upon my visit to the restaurant the unfamiliar environment immediately struck me. When I walked in, I felt like I was in a scene of a 1980s movie. The environment had a rough, edgy look. However, it was interestingly tasteful. I had no doubt in the facility’s cleanliness; what made it edgy was the fact that it wasn’t trying to operate as a modern 21st century facility.
There were several antique works of art to include pictures of Elvis Pressley, Johnny Cash, Bruce Lee and Tallahassee. The facility also was showered with refrigerator magnets, clothing patches and promotional wall art for beverages. Before visiting Momo’s I could not recall the last time I laid eyes on refrigerator magnets. The experience definitely evoked early childhood sentimental moments and inadvertently made me feel right at home.
Another interesting feature was the checkered floor in the dining area. I believe this was a huge factor as to why I felt trapped in the 80s inside of the local restaurant.
After being graciously greeted by the staff I sat at the bar and ordered a slice of pizza topped with Italian sausage and mushrooms. I must admit I wasn’t very hungry but I did feel like nibbling on a late-night snack. To my surprise, when my order was presented to me I was certain that my order was screwed up. I was presented with a monstrous slice of pizza that was literally bigger than my head.
I chuckled when the server told me that they serve pizza in a New York style and it became very evident of my lack of traveling experience. I grabbed the fork and knife on the plate and cut a piece of the pizza and instantly was hooked. The pizza was prepared to perfection! The cheese was glamorously melted and served as an anchor for the flavorful Italian sausage and mushrooms to the tomato-filled base crust. What was most impressive is the pizza was not hard to handle. Typically with larger dishes it can be tough to manage, but that was not the case with this pizza.
As I ate the pizza I watched the Celtics battle the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener. I found myself on the edge of the seat celebrating each team’s successes and before I knew it the television screen and the music of Biggie Smalls playing on the restaurant’s speaker system consumed me. For a moment I forgot I was in Tallahassee and even forgot what year it was. When it was halftime I decided it would be best for me to go home before it got too late. I found myself lingering in the restaurant and basking in my final moments for the night. Momo’s Pizza will definitely be getting more of my money.