Dough

This week, I travelled to Italy and back in a matter of hours. Twice.

Ok, not really, but I thought I did.

And you can, too.

This week, I finally went to the much-talked-about restaurant, Dough, located in Castle Hills, south of 410.

I had wanted to try Dough for quite some time, but my Italian husband is a pizza snob, and wasn't interested in trying it unless a fellow Paesan recommended it.

Being of Italian heritage myself, I hope that my unequivocal endorsement will be enough.

You know you're near Dough when you approach and see the very full parking lot. That's always a good sign. Another good sign, literally, is the Zagat rating sticker posted on the front window.

But, my favorite is the restaurant's boast that it is the only restaurant in San Antonio to be certified by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as an authentic Pizzeria Napoletana. Wow. It's the real deal. There was even a ceremony in June.

There are strict requirements to be a Pizzeria Napoletana, specifically, the use of particular ingredients and methods.

Dough makes its own mozzarella, hand-tosses the dough, grows its own herb garden, and gets its produce from local farmers. Oh, yes - the tomatoes were red, red, red, and very juicy. Perfecto!

My adventures at Dough started on Wednesday. I had lunch with my friend, Catherine, who is married to an Italian as well. We ordered and split Burrata Caprese and an arugula and prosciutto pizza. Now, caprese salad is one of my all-time favorite foods - buffalo mozzarella with tomates and basil. It reminds me of our weekly lunches with my in-laws when we lived in San Francisco.

But, THIS caprese salad was unlike anything I've ever had, and I am spoiled for life. This homemade mozzarella was creamy, and was layered with marscapone (the same cheese used in tiramisu), ricotta, and truffle oil.

One bite, and I could hear angels singing in my head. I wanted to eat the whole thing, but it would have been poor etiquette and a hit to my waistline.

The pizza was equally stunning - the taste and smell literally made me close my eyes and feel like I was in the Piazza Navona.

I was so impressed that I bought a gift certificate for my parents, called them on the spot and said, "You have dinner plans tonight."

My dad - a non-Italian, but we'll forgive him for that, has been to Rome over twenty times, speaks the language better than any of us, and is about to lead a tour group to Italy.

Would it pass his test?

My parents decided to order the same food that I had earlier in the day, and they were not disappointed. They also enriched the experience with Pellegrino with lemon, cappuccino, and tiramisu, all of which they raved about.

My dad marked his exuberance for the cappuccino so completely, that the manager thought the waiter had written out his own comment card. Coming by to investigate, the owner introduced himself to my parents, and got into a discussion about Italy and food. (My two favorite subjects, by the way.)

As a treat, Doug Horn (see where the name "DougH" comes from?) gave my parents a 15 minute tour of the restaurant - during the busy dinner rush! He showed them why his cappucciono is so authentic, demonstrated how they make the bread every day, let them see the three-and-an-half ton oven from Naples, and sent them on their way with a large loaf of fresh bread.

Generously, they brought half of it to me, and just the scent of it transported me to the motherland.

Two days later, I was back, introducing it to other friends, and I expect to go back to Italy, er, Dough, again soon.

I'm just glad that I don't have to fly over water to get there.
*****************
Dough
6989 Blanco Road
San Antonio, TX 78216
210-979-6565
Visit Dough's Website!

Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch, closed for siesta, and open for dinner - "until the fresh mozzarella runs out"