In one way, Mark Twain's is a blast from the past, reminding me of the pizza parlors we used to have when pizza was just beginning to be popular. It's an old storefront that could use some renovation, with a wide-open kitchen and a juke box full of superannuated (but highly listenable) records. The menu, however, is much more modern, and would be just right in a brand-new pizzeria. The pizzas are made in the old-fashioned way, the crusts a bit more pillowy than New York pizzas, and loaded with thicker layers of toppings. A surprisingly good part of the menu here is the sandwich department. These are baked to toastiness after being made.
Dan Greenbaum--who came from an Uptown bistro (I forget which one) opened Mark Twain's in 1985. The unique menu was there from the outset, along with the references to Twain's novels. Pizza had not yet been invented when Mark Twain was writing, but when Greenbaum opened he found a manniken of the writer and had a display window the perfect size for it. It worked in terms of making the place memorable.
A long room with an open kitchen at the rear, often full on weekends. Owner Jaques Broussard is constantly moving around, touching base with all the customers.
The unique combinations here are not merely offbeat, but the best pizzas in the house. Don't get your heart set on a sandwich on weekends; they shut down that part of the menu then.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 1 |
