EatBeat: Hot Pie Pizza in WPB, Organic Music Cafe in Lake Worth

July 17th, 2009 · No Comments

Fans of the original Fire Rock Pizza in downtown West Palm will be happy to know of the newly opened Hot Pie Pizza in the old 123 Olive location – on Olive.

John Reis, enthusiastic owner, has a smaller, cozier spot to do his New York-style coal-fired pizzas once more.

“I went to Washington state,” he said, for ideas on expanding and building the oven for the new spot. “It’s 24-inches wider, and burns much more efficiently — it gets what they call a full-coal burn.”

A tough economy

That results in better pizzas – and go with a better value than at the Clematis locale – a too-big operation for Reis to make money in this economy. “It’s smaller — I have more control. Everything here is a great value. I have a great wine list,” he said. “I decided the way to make money is not to gouge. There are restaurants selling Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio for 54 bucks. That’s crazy in this economy.”

People know what wine costs, especially at Publix, he said. He decided to be more in line with their pricing. “I’m selling Ferrari-Carrano for $35. Publix has it for $32. I’m making $3 – that’s it. But I have to charge something for washing the glass, serving the wine, and stocking it. But my corkage fee is only 10 bucks — really! I know restaurants that get $20 or $35 for corkage.”

No problem finding help

His menu includes a few sandwiches, salads, and a small appetizer list — his famous “coal-fired wings” are still there. And, a root-beer float is the sole dessert. “I love ‘em – that’s why!” he laughed.

“I have a full bar, and six bottled beers and three on draft. I have great talent – some of the best in the business – behind the bar and as servers. It’s a tough market out there and people are glad to get work. I tell you what: I put an ad on craigslist for a delivery driver — and within one hour of posting it, I got 54 calls – almost one call per minute — and 32 people were on my doorstep within two hours. It’s crazy, and sad, too that so many are out there looking for work.”

A re-do of the interior made it more inviting than his first spot. ”We’ve become an after-work, stop-in place – I redecorated with all earthtones — nothing so flashy as the neon and bright stuff in the old spot.”

Hot Pie Pizza

123 Olive Ave., West Palm Beach
561-655-2511
Open daily, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; delivery available

Organic Music Cafe serves vegan, raw fare

A new Lake Worth eatery is dishing up organic, vegan and raw food fare – along with live music and dancing. Diners who went when it first opened enjoyed the veggie burger with raw carrots.

For lunch and dinner they have a variety of dishes on the menu – along with veggie burgers there are other sandwiches, salads, soups, etc. that fit a vegan diet (eating nothing with a mother). Several dishes are made for those on a raw-food diet (nothing “cooked” over 115 degrees).

Open late on weekends, the cafe features dancing (and dancing lessons), a drum circle, open mic nights and more.

On Saturdays, they feature a “high tea;” and on Sundays, a Sunday brunch.

Lake Worth Organic Music Cafe

332 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth
(561) 667-8775; www.organicmusiccafe.com
Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday brunch. Closed Monday-Tuesday