Emilio's Pizza

Fresh ingredients are important to the homemade pizza and dinner entrees at Emilio?s Pizza. Now, even the menu is fresh. ?We just came out with a brand new, expanded menu,? announces Emile Lahood, owner of the family-operated pizzeria that opened two years ago at Drake and Prospect roads, in Strongsville. ?We?ve added a lot of new items.? The fresh new additions include the Philly Steak Sub, featuring lean beef, green peppers, fresh mushroom and onions?$5.75 for a small one, $7 if you choose to prolong your enjoyment with the large one. The Philly steak sub joins the roster that is led off by Emilio?s Sub, which includes grilled chicken, banana peppers, onions and mushrooms?for $5.75 and $7.25.


?Emilio?s sub is very famous,? Emile insists.The new addition to the pizza menu is Emilio?s Choice veggie pizza, which is topped with diced tomato and onion mixed with Italian olive oil and an Italian blend of oregano and Feta cheese. ?All of our pizza toppings and everything else we serve is fresh,? Emile insists. ?Paulette (Emile?s wife) hand chops all of the vegetables herself. We don?t freeze anything except our potatoes. Other places are cutting corners with frozen ingredients, but I want my customers to be happy. We absorb the cost by being frugal in other areas of our business that don?t affect quality and taste.? Emilio?s pizzas feature a zesty, homemade red pizza sauce or a creamy garlic butter sauce, with a choice of toppings?and a special cheese blend that doesn't burn in the oven. That?s a family secret.Specialty pizza creations include such unique pies as the Philly Steak Pizza and the Buffalo Chicken Pizza.If you prefer a calzone, Emilio?s offers a choice of six kinds, or, build your own calzone with a choice of four items, for $6.25. Emilio?s fresh menu also includes three new appetizers?breaded mushrooms, jalapeno poppers and breaded zucchini?all served with ranch or marinara. ?Our most famous appetizer is our shrimp wraps,? Emile says of the family?s own creation?six large shrimp wrapped with hard salami and grilled to perfection. You can?t get them anywhere else, he says. Emilio?s pasta dinner selections include long-held family favorites that the Lahoods now share with their customers. Emile suggests the family?s unique made-from scratch lasagna, for $7.95.?It?s not like anybody else?s recipe,? he explains. ?We use ground beef that we grind ourselves, and a combination of three cheeses?Provolone, Parmesan and Mozzarella?instead of cottage cheese that other people use. It is very famous.?

Like Emilio?s other pasta dinners, you can add a small garden salad?but it?s really huge?with homemade dressing and garlic bread for an extra $3.95. ?Our three homemade dressings and home-baked croutons make our salads very popular,? Emile reveals. ?Paulette doesn?t trust anybody to make the salads. She makes them herself.?

Along with Emilios? carryout menu, the family offers on-site catering of any party or event. ?Our catering prices are better than anybody?s,? Emile declares. A half-tray of lasagna or chicken Marsala? the two priciest selections?costs just $25.95 and serves 10 to 15 people. You can feed a party for less than a buck a head by ordering a half-tray of spaghetti for $14.95. ?We?ll even handle all of the set up and the clean up,? Emile promises. ?And be sure to top off your carryout dinner or catering event with a fruit tray or a tray of Paulette?s famous
homemade pastries.