Intimate Shop Offers Plentiful Pizza

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice:

Overview: Dominick's Pizza Shoppes is a small restaurant in the Somerset Shopping Center, just off the Somerville Circle in Bridgewater. Nestled in a corner of the center, it offers a variety of pizzas, Italian dishes, cheesesteaks, salads and subs, all perfect for eating in or bringing home to the family.

Décor: The decor of the restaurant is fairly simple, with the counter just as patrons walk in the door. There are about 10 tables off to the side for sitting and eating, and the walls are decorated in sports and other memorabilia. A television on the wall was set, at least when I was there, to ESPN. The restaurant is fairly small, so it can get crowded if you are just ordering to go, but if you plan to stay, you can retire to a table while waiting for the food to be ready.

The Drinks: This is a standard pizza shop and the offerings include all manner of sodas, iced teas, juices and water.

Entrees: There is nothing shabby about the dishes offered at the shop. Aside from standard options of hot and cold subs, Philly cheesesteaks and salads, the restaurant offers baked ziti, eggplant, manicotti, lasagna and other standard Italian dishes. But the shop mostly focuses on its pizza selection, which ranges from regular cheese to a tomato pie, BBQ pie or even a baked ziti pizza. And if you'd like to build your own, topping choices range from meatballs, onions and bacon, to artichoke hearts, sausage, broccoli and fresh spinach.

But I opted to be a little more adventurous and try one of the classic stuffed pizzas. I purchased a slice of the spinach stuffed pizza, which, for those who have never seen it before, is basically a pizza sandwich—the bread topped with mozzarella cheese, spinach and ricotta cheese, and layered with another piece of bread on top. The piece came out hot and moist, and while I enjoyed the concept as a whole, I have to say there was a bit too much ricotta cheese. The ricotta actually overpowered the slice of pizza, giving it a bit of a cream cheese taste that took away from the rest of the ingredients.

Now aside from the pizza, the business also offers calzones and strombolis, and my dining partner opted to create his own calzone with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Although he enjoyed it, and the bread was thick with the toppings very generously included, he said there was too much ricotta in his too, and it made it a little difficult to eat.

Looking around at other diners in the restaurant at the time, it seemed safe to say that people favor the plain cheese pizza, but if you're heading over there, remember the restaurant can only give slices of the pieces it has in its container at any one time. Pies can be made to order.

Desserts: There are no real desserts to speak of at the restaurant, just the standard ice cream pops and bars to choose from.

Service: The service is quick, as patrons order their food at the counter when you first walk in the door. Pizzas already made are served and Italian dishes are made, all ready to order, within 10 minutes or so of ordering.

Dominick's Pizza Shoppes
Address: 307 Route 202/206, Bridgewater
Phone: 908-526-0330
Cost: $