Il Moro

When I was a kid, “Italian food” meant Shakey’s, Straw Hat, and Sir Pizza, and this was a good thing. Few things could excite a little boy’s heart more than those white banjo hats, the old movies, and the mojo potatoes that epitomized “Ye Olde Shakey’s Pizza Parlor.” Am I dating myself or what? Shakey’s hasn’t run old movies and brought out those dudes in banjo hats in decades. But I love nostalgia. Today, if you visit Shakey’s, you’ll still find a very tasty pizza and a heart-clogging lunch buffet. Not bad, if you ask me. And then there’s Sir Pizza, which has one last store in the El Monte area. There was still one in Covina when I was a kid, near the Magic Recipe by the 10 Freeway. For me, Santa Claus was the delivery man from Sir Pizza. The most convincing proof that my mother loved me was her phone call to this guy, such was my love for Sir Pizza and my crazy shallow idea of love. Pepperoni and cheese, that is all it took. Today, Italian food is weird. Take for instance Il Moro on Olympic. They serve veal cut with a “stew” poured over it which looks more like a mole. They will also serve you an appetizer of crudo, which is really Italian sushi. They will serve you something called a “zucchini flower” which is said plant filled with a type of glorious cream. They will serve you a dessert cake filled with a coconut cream and surrounded by a mango sauce. You will wonder, “where are the mojos? Where is pepperoni with dripping, gooey cheesey crust? Where is Sir Pizza?” And as you wonder this you will realize that you have cleaned your plate. Ah, Il Moro, bella alimentare.