Portofino Coal Fired Pizza

This second location is the beginning of a possible empire for locally born Portofino's. The casual, pizza-centric Italian eatery started out in Homestead but, by its slick Web site and uniform aesthetic across both locations, clearly has a grander vision. Luckily, the signature pie's crispy-crunchy crust stands up to scrutiny, and loyal Portofino's fans argue the place can beat out that other coal-fired guy spreading across town. A few standout points compared to the other chain: The waits, at least for now, are shorter. There is a kids' menu, featuring mini portions of simple classics like spaghetti and meatballs, cheese pizza, or the requisite chicken fingers, all coming with a sundae for just $4.95. Finally, when it comes to adult-size items, the selection is slightly wider, and prices slightly lower. Besides pizza, Portofino's, for instance, offers a small handful of pasta dishes, like baked ziti ($8.95), as well as a few sandwiches, like a coal-fired roast beef on focaccia ($8.95). There are even two pasta-less, coal-fired entrees: salmon and brick-pressed chicken, both served with variations on red potatoes and seasonal vegetables ($13.95). It's the pizza you'll really want to try here, though, which coal-fired fans will know features a thin, well-done crust, just shy of burned. Though this means the slices are thinner and less bready, there are plenty of ways to make them more toothsome. How about the Portofino Special, which comes topped with sausage, meatballs, peppers, and ricotta cheese? Or a classic Philly cheesesteak? Or, for the vegetarians, a creation with goat cheese, eggplant, caramelized onions, peppers, parsley, and mozzarella, too? Best of all, the menu is easy to decode because the prices here are flat for all of these specialty variations -- $15.95 for a 12-inch small, or $18.95 for a 16-inch large. You can also create your own, with a base price of $11.50 or $14.50, respectively, and add on small servings of toppings for $1.50, and large toppings for $2.50.