BY NAYELI SANCHEZ

I could smell baking dough even before I saw the sign of Scardino’s Pizza, a restaurant nestled discreetly between two other stores in the South Hills Square of Hacienda Blvd. Upon entering, it was obvious why the scent had wafted so far: just behind the counter and a short line of people placing orders was a man shaping dough by hand and crafting a pizza with great fluency next to a large industrial oven. Though the small family-owned business only provides Italian food to-go, their presentation is very authentic, with unique elements, including a small tiled roof replica and ornamental grapes placed above the counter. Unfortunately, the waiting area is very small and is not at par with the visible cleanliness of the kitchen.

The prices at Scardino’s are decent as well, with whole pizzas ranging from nine to twenty dollars, depending on the complexity. Scardino’s also offers spaghetti, sandwiches, salads, and a variety of Italian dinners fit for a family meal. Apart from the vending machine by the counter, they do not offer drinks, but a75 cent can of soda would serve the purpose just fine. I ordered a slice of classic pepperoni pizza, and a roast beef and cheese sandwich for less than $8, but the downside is that it does take a while to prepare. A whole pizza requires a 20 to 30 minute wait. Thankfully, between conversations with the cashier and the friend I went with, my wait went by fast.

After having watched my pizza be made with generous amounts of ingredients, the slice that I pulled out from its wrappings was just as I expected. The slice itself was much larger than usual, clearly requiring the use of both hands and was actually dripping with soft golden cheese. Even from just the first bite, the taste of the warm 100 percent mozzarella and pepperoni set this slice above all the rest I had tried in the past. Even the texture of it was different, especially around the crust, where the outside was perfectly crunchy and the inside maintained a fluffy consistency. I just couldn’t help but take my time to savor it slowly, down to the last bite of crust. Though the pizza was a bit greasy from the amount of oil mozzarella releases when it is baked, it was nothing a couple of napkins couldn’t fix. Unfortunately, from another experience with Scardino’s, I found that once slightly cooled the cheese does not have the same texture and becomes very chewy; even an attempt at reheating the slice will not return the cheese to its oven-induced ooziness.

Knowing that the pizza would be a hard act to follow, I was still a bit disappointed with the sandwich. From its appealing appearance- a thick layer of roast beef and a slightly thinner slice of cheese visible between the buns- I had expected it to be just as unique as an experience as the pizza, but found it to be actually quite average. It might have been the fact that the bread had become slightly soggy around the cheese or that the roast beef was wanting some type of seasoning, but I had hoped for more. It definitely was not a bad sandwich; it was just lacking something.

All in all, I left satisfied with my experience. The next time I go I will not order the roast beef and cheese sandwich because the extensive menu is fulled with promising foods. Also, calling in advance to place an order would make things a lot quicker. Another lasting amiable quality of Scardino’s Pizza definitely has to be the people. If you do go to eat there, feel free to talk to the staff and if you are lucky, you might catch one of the cooks singing an Italian song as I did. Going to Scardino’s Pizza is an opportunity to help a local business, get an authentic experience with an Italian pizzeria, and eat good food.

Scardino’s Pizza is located at 1627 N. Hacienda Blv. at the South Hills Square in La Puente. To place orders, you can call (626) 918-1507.