Italian cheese steak done right at Joey Garruba's

January 24, 9:56 PMPasco County Food ExaminerSusan Slade

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Italian Cheese Steak

Yet another restaurant has recently opened in our neck of the woods. It is Joey Garruba's Restaurant & Pizzeria. It is located on the south east corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Congress, in the same plaza, as Save-a-Lot.

Do you remember a pizza restaurant catching fire a couple of years back? Well, this was the place.

Mike and Michele, who are the owners, worked really hard on transforming this building into a little bit of Italy. The walls are paneled halfway up, and then finished off with decor that was inspired by a trip to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg a few years back. Mike and Michele have been married 13 years, and during this time, it has been Mike's dream to open this restaurant.

Food and the restaurant business are in their blood, as Michele's grandfather had the first Italian deli in Pasco County. You may remember G & G Italian Deli which was started in 1972.

Hubby and I sat at one of the 5 tables in the center of the restaurant, and there were 5 booths to the side. Their seating capacity it around 60.

The menu is simple and easy to read. They have appetizers starting at just $1.95 and up to $6.95. The wings, we were told was Uncle Barney's secret recipe, that has been handed down through the generations. There are sides, salads, pizza, pizza turnovers, stromboli, hoagies, burgers, and dinners. Their soups change on a regular basis. The desserts are not on the menu, but I noticed Cannolis @ $2.50 and a slice of cheesecake, for $2.49.

As the hoagies were so big, hubby and I went for the Italian Cheese Steak @ $6.49. This is their specialty and has Genoa Salami, steak, ham, Capicola, Provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. These are made fresh to order. When ours arrived it was huge, so they brought us 2 plates and cut it in half. The bread was exceptionally soft, and the flavor of the combination of the meats, and cheese left a spicy, but not a hot taste in the mouth. Mike said that it was the Capicola, which is a spiced ham, that gives it the extra flavor. We had coffee with our lunch, but there were coke products, beer and wine, to chose from.

The restaurant was busy while we were eating, and I was told that they get their 'regulars' coming back time and time again.

Opening times are 11.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They are closed on Sundays.

This couple have so many plans for the business, and when Michele isn't in the front of the house, she is home schooling their children. There will be specials to come and lots more. I really hope that Mike's dream stays true for them, and continues for many years.

Joey Garruba's Restaurant & Pizzeria,

6516 Massachusetts Avenue,

New Port Richey.

Telephone 727-846-1010.

If you enjoy this then you may like to read Rustico Pizzeria Restorante and Sandwich Shop.