Michael’s Pizza and Pasta
Story by Anna Nolen • Photography by James Roney

                Savory sauces, fresh mozzarella, homemade dough, sausage and meatballs – seasoned with a zest of herbs and spices to create an appetizing palette of robust flavors, are all elegantly blended for an authentic Italian meal right here at Smith Mountain Lake. 

                Michael’s Pizza & Pasta, which opened last August at Halesford Center in the former location of Mario’s Pizzeria, offers a broad menu that puts all of your favorite Italian flavors into seafood, chicken, veal and pasta dishes. According to restaurant owner and Italian food enthusiast Michael Ralph, some of the most popular dishes among patrons include Chicken ($9.99) and Veal Parmesan ($11.50), Veal ($11.50) and Chicken Marsala ($11.99), Ziti Primavera ($9.99), and Fettuccine with your choice of shrimp or chicken, and red or white sauce ($9.99-$13.50).

                “I love Italian food,” said Ralph, a native of South Florida. “My intentions for the restaurant were to have the best quality food, at reasonable prices, in a family atmosphere.

                “This place feels like an extension of my own kitchen,” said Ralph, who purposely designed the restaurant with a casual decor.  “And I have a wonderful staff.”

                Ralph said he aspires to satisfy a hunger in the growing SML community for traditional, Italian-style cuisine. Michael’s is a place to rediscover your sense of taste for hearty pastas, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs and tender chicken and veal smothered in white cream or tomato sauces. Ralph said one of his favorite dishes is a baked ziti with whole-wheat pasta and meatballs.  

                The restaurant also offers specialty pizzas that feature a handmade, thin crust topped with one of 20 made-from-scratch sauces – it’s “Italian fare with a New York flare.” Some of the unique pizza choices include the Margarita Pizza (chunky mozzarella, garlic, oregano and tomato sauce) and the Eggplant Pizza (fresh eggplant and ricotta cheese). For those who prefer traditional “Italian specialties,” there are calzones, stromboli, sausage and pepperoni rolls, all made with the mellow taste of creamy mozzarella ($6.50-$7.99). Michael’s also serves cold and hot sub sandwiches. 

                “We only cook with the freshest ingredients,” said Ralph, who has food shipped in twice a week from a distributor in New Jersey. 

                Ralph, who worked in an Italian restaurant as a youth, planned to cook in his new restaurant, until he connected with Edwin E. Cruz, a chef from Honduras who happened to be in the right place at the right time. 

                “He found me. It was a blessing,” said Ralph. Cruz, who was trained in a New York Italian restaurant and school, uses his inherent skill and hands-on training to create innovative recipes and a stock of intriguing sauces.  

                Despite the already extensive menu,  Ralph and Cruz said they have plans to add a few new dishes, including Penne a` la Vodka with Chicken, Shrimp Parmesan, a ribeye dinner and a number of seafood dishes smothered in a special pink sauce – a unique harmonization of Alfredo, red sauce and parmesan. Cruz also takes requests from customers.

                Beverages from a diverse selection of wine and domestic and imported beer are available to complement your entrée, which is served with bread and a salad. And the restaurant’s desserts are almost as varied as the entrees, including treats from Sweetie’s in Lynchburg. Choices include a tropical carrot cake, tiramisu cheesecake, and a pumpkin cheesecake with melt-in-your-mouth bourbon crust.

                Ralph said he has plans to continue increasing the appeal of the restaurant with a fireplace, flat screen TVs and wireless Internet connection, and expansion is always a possibility.

Michael’s Pizza & Pasta is located in Halesford Center on Rt. 122, just north of Halesford Bridge. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 297-8900.