Mellow Mushroom – Pie Of Divinity

Well, this weather beats all I’ve ever seen. I was snowed in last week and didn’t venture out, but the spring-like weather this week allowed me to scout for a place I haven’t been before.

Mellow Mushroom has been around a while, but it wasn’t visible on the roads as I would pass looking for places to eat and I had never been. On a whim, I took a road off of Shallowford and saw it.

When I walked in I was greeted by a boy who had prettier hair than me! It was past his shoulders with such nice curls and he was wearing a yellow toboggan. It was cold in the place, but the way he had it setting high on his head, I thought maybe he was trying to look like a mushroom.

He was a handsome young man and so nice. Why, he even picked up a plate from under the counter to hand to me, but he saw a spot on it and put it to the side while handing me another plate that was cleaner. He sang while he worked and he had a good voice.

I had it in my mind that I wanted to try pizza, but I was by myself. I have said before that when I eat pizza, I don’t like the personal pan ones that are small because pizza is just better when you have a large flimsy piece and to me the crust is different when the pizza is small. I considered a calzone - they looked really good, but I knew I wanted pizza. There were so many to choose from!

I got a chuckle from some of the names of the pizza and one of them made me look twice! From the description it was the pizza I wanted to order, but I wasn’t sure how I would say it or if the folks at Chattanoogan would let me write it! Here goes… it was the “Holy Shiitake Pie”. I love those mushrooms and it had caramelized onions, mozzarella and Montamore cheese and drizzled with garlic aioli and black truffle oil. There was a “Funky Chicken” and a Kosmic Karma which also looked good, but I really wanted the Holy one, I just had to be brave enough to say it.

The boy who took my order had long hair also and had a beard to boot! In my day, people who served food covered their hair or wore it short, but I just minded my own business.

When I gave him my order I paused and the words came out as clumsy as a newborn colt trying to stand up. “I’ll have the Holy Shi-i-TAKE pizza.” The boy gave a slight laugh and corrected my pronunciation. “The Holy Shii-TAH-Kee Pie, yes – that is my favorite,” he said. I believe all my life I have emphasized the wrong half of that word which just goes to show you that even old folk learn something new.

I ordered a medium pizza for $19.30 and the boy asked if I were a carnivore. For a split second my mind saw a dinosaur and I stumbled again trying to keep up with today’s lingo saying, “Well, I like meat!” He suggested I add steak to the pie and said it made it really great. I was afraid steak would mellow out the flavor of my Holy mushroom and declined his suggestion.

While I waited, I scribbled a few notes down and looked around. The décor had a 1970s look to it with a lot of ‘flower power’ and they were playing really jazzy music and my shoulders started to dance a little.

When my Holy pie arrived it looked too pretty to eat! The aioli garlic sauce was drizzled on top with a swirl. This place made everything ‘funky’. I have to admit I was a little disappointed to see the mushrooms chopped so small on the pie. I expected chunks of mushroom, but I must say that I could still taste the mushroom in spite of their size.

I’d like to say that the aioli sauce made the pie, but every flavor on the pie stood out! Each ingredient was beautifully complimentary to the other. The flimsy bigger slices made it better and I was right to order a medium-sized pie. Besides, it was so good that I didn’t mind taking it home to have again later.

I was full after just one piece but I talked myself into grabbing a second piece. I could barely finish it and asked the boy for a box. When he came back he said in a sing-song voice, “Are you sure you aren’t thinking about one more slice?” trying to tempt me. I told him no and he slid the rest of the pie into a box for me.

When he laid my bill down, I noticed the bottom of the ticket had three choices for a tip amount. It listed 15 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent as suggestions and it tallied for you what those percentages are from your total. I liked that. I wish all the restaurants would do that. Some people can do that in their head, but not me. Others may get out their calculator, but I usually just round up to what I think it may be and just hope I never short change them.

This place was cozy, funky and simply delightful! It definitely gets a Willie Mae “Whee-ee-doggie!” If you haven’t found Mellow Mushroom yet, they are off of Shallowford Road across from Embassy Suites on Lifestyle Way. It may seem a tad bit more than you may be used to paying for pizza, but it is worth it. It isn’t just pizza… it is a work of art. And they will even make sure you have a clean plate!

Hours:

Sunday-Wednesday

11AM - 10PM

Thursday-Saturday

11AM-Midnight