Nachos have an edge over Farrelli's signature pizza

CODY WALKER, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 2, 2001

Those who visited Farrelli's Pizza & Pool Co. last week found the restaurant in full Halloween mode. Wide-eyed ghosts gazed at buck-toothed jack-o'-lanterns; Frankenstein's monster sat placidly in a corner.

The tricksters are gone; the treats, presumably, linger.

For the 11-year-old I brought with me, those treats included a pod of video games and a bottomless glass of Mountain Dew (glistening at our table, in all its antifreeze-like glory). Nachos, a salad and a couple of pizzas jostled for space in our figurative mixed bag.

Farrelli's has something of a split personality: half family dining hall and half lounge and pool room. On the restaurant side, you'll encounter kids' art and soccer parties; on the lounge side, you'll see pull-tabs and televised Sonics games.

The main draw is pizza, apple-wood fired and served in a variety of styles. Gourmet bases include pesto, herbed olive oil and honey Dijon. A choice of 26 toppings allows for creativity (how about walnuts, shrimp, zucchini and minced shallots?).

Appetizers range from breadsticks to spicy chicken wings. We started dinner with a half order of nachos ($5.50), generously topped with two cheeses and Farrelli's taco ground beef. These are top-notch nachos, the kind you gobble up while your friend plays Mortal Kombat and Ms. Pac-Man. But beware the salsa: it's watery and weak.

Like the salsa, the 12-inch cheese pizza ($9.95) proved a bit on the bland side. More interesting was the 12-inch Greek pizza ($12.95), topped with feta and mozzarella cheeses, spinach, olives, salami, roasted garlic, tomatoes and pepperoncino. The only problem with the Greek pizza was that the tomatoes, cut in unwieldy chunks, repeatedly fell off the pie.

Lunch at Farrelli's affords a few more choices, including a 6-inch pizza and a customized calzone. Other opportunities for a midday energy boost come in the forms of focaccia sandwiches, lasagna, stuffed pasta and baked salmon.

Those with a sweet tooth might try the dessert pizza, a disc of dough brushed with butter and topped with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla-maple icing. Another option: grab a mint on the way out.

Or just wait until January, when Brach's will be releasing candy corn "in Valentine attire."

Cupid corn: it's a scary thought.

Cody Walker is a writer and teacher who divides his time between Olympia and Seattle. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.

Farrelli's Pizza & Pool Co.

Two forks: Average

- Location: 4870 Yelm Highway S.E., Lacey, 360-493-2090.

- Food: Average. Choices include apple-wood fired pizzas, salads and dips. The nachos are a smart choice.

- Value: Average to good. A 12-inch pizza starts at $9.95.

- Beverages: Full bar, soft drinks, juice, milk, iced tea, coffee.

- Service: Good. A cheerful team of servers.

- Atmosphere: Average. Lots of windows, but they look out on a parking lot.

- Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday and Tuesday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday.

- Reservations: Recommended for large parties.

- Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express. Personal checks accepted.

- Smoking: Allowed in the lounge.

- For children: Yes. A children's menu includes pizza, nachos and breadsticks.

REVIEW GUIDE

Five forks: Excellent

Four forks: Very good

Three forks: Good

Two forks: Average

One fork: Fair

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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