Revie w Southwind Pizza has the recipe for success
Rivah Fare
Southwind Pizza
by Deborah Haynes PLACE t was a sparkling Saturday in Mathews Court House, with goings-on galore. The weekly Farmers’ Market at Historic Mathews Court Green was in full swing. The Visitor’s Center in old Sibley’s Store was attracting its share of seasonal tourists and sightseers. Shops and eateries all over town were abuzz with activity. My husband and I strolled about together for a bit; then leaving me to “shop ‘til I dropped,” he wandered over to the Mathews Art Group’s Gallery to see the offerings and share conversation with patrons and exhibitors. When we met up later, we were both ready for a good meal. We headed straight to Southwind Pizza. PAST Neither of us had ever been to Southwind, and we were excited about our first visit. This charming restaurant, located in a circa1920s building once home to Lee Miles’ General Store, has earned a reputation as a popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Known first and foremost for its good food, Southwind also has established itself as a lively entertainment venue for musicians, local and beyond. Southwind’s owners, Ned and Dia Lawless, opened their restaurant some 11 years ago and have never looked back. Dia said, “We are very fortunate to have this building and we count our blessings every day for each person who walks through our door.” Ned is Southwind’s cook—his culinary skills are obvious and his recipe for success is simple. According to Dia, “We focus on local produce and seafood. All our ingredients are fresh, typically organic and chemical-free. Our dishes come ‘in parts’ and we put them all together to create what we create, right here.” PRESENT Southwind has porch seating for those wanting to watch the hustle and bustle on Church Street and the Court Green while they enjoy their food. For cool afternoons and evenings, there’s even a chiminea outdoor fireplace to knock the chill off. We opted for inside seating and were delighted with what my husband dubbed the “general store decor.” Setting the stage are polished-wood floors and tables, teal-painted tongue and groove ceilings and walls, and a shiny bar that looks as though it could have been the store’s original counter. There are dozens of artifacts displayed on shelves and hung in interesting arrangements all around. From guitars and banjos to antique tools and vintage Coke bottles, the collections reflect slices of life from the building’s beginnings to this year in the 21st century. Now, add fresh flowers on the tables and fun bluegrass music in the background. The setting is complete. PERFECT Southwind offers a nice selection of salads, sandwiches and daily entree specials, all prepared with the freshest available ingredients. A popular feature sandwich, the “Cow Creek” burger, is made from “Never, never (no chemicals, ever)” grass-fed Black Angus beef. At the other end of the spectrum, the “Milford Haven” is a “meatless” sandwich with fresh mozzarella, pesto,
If You Go I Southwind Pizza 44 Church Street Mathews, VA 804-725-2766 southwindpizza.com Find us on Facebook
Open Wednesday: 4-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday: 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Open later on music nights.
On the Menu Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Seafood, Steaks, Chicken, Pizza, Nightly dinner specials Price range: $5-$20 Specialty wines and beers, including eight Microbrews on tap Dine in or take out
Did you know? There’s toe-tapping and finger-snapping aplenty on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of the month when Southwind Pizza brings in regional talent. Music starts at 8 p.m. See website for schedule. Thursday is Animal Jam Night—bring a pet item or food for the residents of the GloucesterMathews-Middlesex Animal Shelter. Bring your instrument and join in or just listen and have fun! Starts around 5 p.m.
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roasted red pepper, spinach and tomato on focaccia bread. Dinner specials include such mouth-watering selections as fresh backfin crab cakes, baked local fresh flounder and all-natural Black Angus New York strip steak. Entrees are accompanied by a dinner salad and sides like hearty cornbread or summer squash cakes topped with dill sauce. Wild Fresh King Salmon, encrusted, baked, then topped with, a creamy Dijon sauce is a special that was recently served up at Southwind. “Like” their Facebook page, so you’ll be sure to see special offerings like this one, when they are available. PIZZA Southwind’s pizzas are crafted with dough that is made “from scratch” daily, then hand-tossed, loaded with fresh, natural ingredients and hearth-baked to perfection. You can “build your own” with your choice of toppings or you can pick one of the specialty pies listed on the menu. There are 12 specialty pies on the menu, all named for local and easily recognizable locations. For example, there is the Gwynn’s Island pie, a New Point Island pie, a pie called Tangier Island, and so on. From traditional to gourmet, each pizza has its own distinct personality and the descriptions are fascinating. Our pizza choices were as different as night and day. Thank goodness, Southwind offers a seven-inch pie (along with a 12-inch size) so we could each easily indulge our personal preference. When it comes to Italian food in general and pizza in particular for my husband, it’s all about Italian sausage. I think Southwind put the Big Island pie on the menu especially for him because it’s everything he wants in a pizza. Italian sausage for the true sausage lover, sweet tomato-based sauce, generous chunks of onion and green pepper, mushrooms, mozzarella and pepperoni—it’s got it all. It looked and tasted wonderful and my husband enjoyed his classic pizza to the max. I knew immediately that the Berkley Island specialty pie was the one for me. Olive oil lays the foundation, spinach and artichokes give color and crunch, and texture comes from the mozzarella and feta cheeses in this pizza. Tomatoes, black olives and onions add more interest to the mix and a subtle kick from fresh garlic and oregano lingers on the tongue. The taste was bright and delicious. Southwind Pizza has an extensive wine list and also offers eight microbrews on draft, in addition to other popular varieties of beer. I decided that beer was the drink to go with pizza, and ordered a Richmond-made Legends Lager. The beer was very good, although a glass of red wine also would have been a fine complement to the pizza. PROMISE When our plates were empty and we drew sighs of satisfaction, our attentive server, Gwen Beattie, tempted us with luscious-looking sweets that included homemade chocolate, key lime and lemon pies, and carrot cake. We found it hard to say “no” to her “Did you save room for dessert?” question. “Next time,” we promised. And there will most decidedly be a next time. We promise.