Galveston.com Review

A Saturday night in August is not the smartest time to be cruising Galveston's Seawall looking for a place to dine. Everyplace was packed and we were about to starve when we spotted a beacon of hope, Russo's New York Pizzeria across from Stewart Beach at University Blvd. The place wasn't overly crowded and there was no line at the order counter. We made our selections and went out on the patio to hungrily await our food's delivery.

We took with us a quite fine but inexpensive bottle of Austrian Shiraz, which did increase our patience. The outside seating was fabulous. Comfortable furniture, a beautiful seabreeze, and the busy seawall far enough away that it was entertaining but not distracting. We had both ordered "small" bowls of soup, which were brought out in short order. Small they were not! I had the Tortellini Brodo, consisting of tasty cheese tortellini, chicken, spinach and tomato in a minimally-seasoned light broth. I totally coveted my friend's Tomato Basil soup, thick and creamy and delicious with fresh basil on the top. (That's what I'm getting next time.)

My Chicken Pasta Salad entree came out quickly, crispy greens with strips of tender grilled chicken, sweet Italian peppers, tomato slices, olives, and perfect al dente penne pasta, topped by a lovely mild garlicky pesto sauce. The generous serving was enough to save some for tomorrow's lunch. My friend's Shrimp Scampi was deemed to have properly al dente fettuccini with definitely fresh shrimp, but in need of more seasoning in the sauce. We topped this all off with a shared portion of Tiramisu which was a GIGANTIC serving, very light and whipped-creamy with a subtle mocha flavor. Mmmmm. None of that left to take home!

The New York Pizzeria menu--as the name suggests--includes pizzas of course, also available by the slice. You can pick from calzones, Italian sandwiches, a variety of intriguing specialties, plus a kid's menu. We really enjoyed the outdoor seating, which was popular that evening with families (as was the pizza). One group even dined out with their dog. The seated crowd was not overly large at any time but they do a brisk take-out business.

Russo's New York Pizzaria is not gourmet dining but offers a variety of dishes for reasonable prices. It provides an excellent outdoor dining venues and is a great place for families. Stop by for lunch, or dine on the patio on a pretty evening and take in the soft Gulf breeze.