Meatball Deep Dish Pizza made with meatballs, ricotta, onions, and mozzarella
Goddess Salad made with little gem lettuce, green onions, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and creamy pesto dressing
My dining companion and I stopped by The Star on Grand, a pizza restaurant on Grand and Elwood in Grand Lake, in late July. (I've been to The Star and the related Little Star on Valencia in the Mission many times before, but I'm surprised I haven't reviewed them sooner...) Known for their deep dish made with a cornmeal crust, they also serve thin crust pizza, salads, sandwiches, and cocktails.
On this visit, we started with two delicious cocktails, which I both don't remember the names of and only have a blurry photo to prove their existence. Just the same, I remember thinking they combined unique flavors into very well-made drinks. We then shared the Goddess Salad made with little gem lettuce, green onions, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and creamy pesto dressing. As a recent convert to the joys of little gem lettuce procured from a local farmers' market, I know we really enjoyed this photogenic dish that balanced salty, sweet, and creamy flavors.
For the main course, we got the Meatball Deep Dish Pizza made with housemade meatballs, ricotta, onions, and fresh mozzarella. I always love a deep dish and any pizza with meatballs, so this was quite a treat. I love their cornmeal crust, which adds texture and flavor, and makes it hard to go back to a regular flour crust elsewhere. I also like how they let their ingredients speak for themselves; this dish is made of only a few things that are all executed perfectly.
The next time I stop by, I want one of their personal pizzas for lunch. I may try another type of deep dish, but it is still very likely to have meatballs.
The Star on Grand
3425 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94610
Open: Sunday - Thursday 11:30am - 9pm, Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 10pm
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