Splash of Flavor 2015: Garlic Bread at Theo’s Pizzeria

LILY K., Watertown Splash staff

Theo’s Pizzeria & Grill at 389 Trapelo Rd. in Belmont is the right place to go.

With 30 seats overall, Theo’s has a nice appearance. The first thing you see when you order are the organized metal bins of food, usually for the sandwiches, items such as shredded cheese, peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes.

(Hey, you can place your vote here!)

The inside kitchen is always clean, even with many things going on at once. It’s the best place to go to for a quick and nice order. A TV is near the ceiling of the seating/eating area.

There’s pizza (of course!), sandwiches, fries, all you could possibly want. Although the menu has many great things to pick from, one of the most delicious foods is the garlic bread.

Making it is simple, but how it tastes isn’t simple at all.

It begins with a sub roll, about a foot long. The roll itself is smooth and soft on the outside. It is cut through the middle, but not too far.

The bread is laid out a little flat, and the garlic spread comes in. The garlic spread consists of a few main ingredients: vegetable margarine, water, salt, whey, romano cheese, garlic, and dehydrated parsley. The paste is sticky but easy to work with.

The paste is spread with a butter knife on one side of the bread, a not too thick but not too thin layering, and then on the other side, the same amount. Once both sides have an equal amount that looks about right, shredded parmesan cheese is sprinkled on. The parmesan is added to both sides, but carefully around the edges. Too much paste could melt near the outside, or even go through the bread, making the wrapping oily. Too little paste could be centered to the middle, leaving too much plain bread.

Once that is done, the sub’s two open sides are closed and brought to the oven. The oven is heated at 475 degrees, and fortunately, only takes two to three minutes to bake properly.

This, again, is another great thing about Theo’s. All of the food is made quickly.

After a few minutes, the bread is taken out of the oven. The outside of the roll is a light, rich brown with barely any cracks on the surface. The texture is very smooth, and the bread is very crispy. It only costs $2.60.

And then we get to the best part, the part that everyone waits for — the amazing taste.

The first bite is crunchy. The bread crackles around the outside, and then becomes soft and creamy. The first thing that comes up is the parmesan and the salt, which is a strong taste. Slightly melted cheese that drizzles around the side has an amazing flavor. After the cheese comes the garlic itself. The inside of the bread is just as fluffy as before, which makes it even better.

Out of all the great things on Theo’s menu, the garlic bread is probably the one that tastes the greatest. But the only way to find out is by going to Theo’s Pizzeria & Grill.

(Theo’s Pizzeria & Grill, 389 Trapelo Rd., Belmont. http://www.theospizzagrill.com/)

(To help pick the 2015 Splash of Flavor winner, cast your vote at http://tinyurl.com/3h532cs. Voting is only open until May 1, 2015.)

–April 3, 2015–