by Charlie "Two Snacks" Roscoe
Ahoy again, Me Heartys! I'm back and this time I've actually eaten at Cheesy Pete's Pizza Palace over at Retention Pond Lake. The excitement builds.
Pete Pedersson, owner, has recently added anchovies to the menu to satisfy the folks who are still coming for the long defunct fish fry Friday held at Frank's, the previous owner of the building. When they finally realize we're a pizza place, they say "OK then gimmie a pizza with anchovies, at least we'll get a little fish." So we had to add anchovies to the menu. I hate anchovies. I really liked that we didn't have anchovies. But now we've added anchovies."
And that's just one of the many improvements Pete has made since I wrote that first story. A comely lass in a half pirate-themed and half Hooters-inspired outfit took my order, and treated me like an old salt rather than the landlubber I am. Or so I thought. Turns out that's just a statue Pete bought to help "pirate up" the inside of the place. Lesson: don't have more than one rum and cola at their new outside bar before your meal. Lesson 2: You can buy a statue just like Pete's to "serve" you in your own house, I know because I 'm now greeted every morning by the image to the left.
Upon talking to a real person, I ordered two small pizzas, one pepperoni and the other a veggie medley with extra cheese. This IS Cheesy Pete's after all. Plus I got an order of fries and small salad as appetizers. The fries were hot and the salad was cold. Go figure… that's just how I like 'em!
When the pizzas arrived at the table they were still steaming! My first piece was wonderfully crisp on the bottom and the perfect temperature to burn the roof of mouth off on the top. Yowsa! What's not to love? That's pizza all right. I decided to have another rum and cola.
Pete's also started a new promotion: you come in with a parrot on your shoulder, your second pizza is free! Not a bad deal, especially if you own a parrot and are really hungry. I asked Pete if this is a parrot heavy area of Illinois. "I haven't seen one yet." he said. Hmmm? Good luck Cheesy Pete. You get 4 Forks Up and a "YO-HO-HO" from me!