New pizzeria offers a slice of New York

By Nikki Villoria

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 | 1:55 a.m.

Radio City Pizzeria has opened up shop in the new Tivoli Village mall, offering diners what its chefs call the closest thing Las Vegas has to real New York-style pizza.

“It’s not just a pizza place but something a little bit more special than that,” said founder Elias Ghanem Jr.

What sets the pizzeria apart, he said, is the unique layout, tranquil location and distinctive recipes.

Nestled in the European village-styled setting, shoppers can turn down one of the mall’s stone sidewalks and stroll into the shop where smells of fresh oven-fired pizza fill the air and photos of New York City entertainers cover the walls.

“My mom was a Rockette in Radio City in New York, so that’s kind of where the concept originated,” Ghanem said. “My family has been in the business for years back there.”

The restaurant offers passersby a look through the windows at pies being flipped. And an open counter allows diners to see their food being prepared and to interact with the cooks.

The pizzeria prides itself on a custom-designed layout with a beer and wine bar, cozy outdoor patio seating and an open kitchen that looks out onto a 2,000-square-foot dining room.

“I love the way the place was set up. It’s kind of fun when you’re sitting here eating and you’re able to see what’s going on in the kitchen,” said Chef Vincent Chiyuto. “We wanted to have a little bit more of a casual atmosphere.”

Besides pizza, the menu features sandwiches, salads, sides and deserts. All varieties of pizzas are available by the slice or as a whole pie.

“Everything is homemade and people taste that. We try to do everything here. We don’t order (dough) from anywhere,” Ghanem said.

Chiyuto said customer feedback has been positive.

“I wanted to make sure the pizza was perfect,” Chiyuto said. “The beautiful thing about pizza is it’s kind of like a canvas. You can do whatever you want to it.”

In addition to standards like cheese and pepperoni, Radio City offers specialty items, including a breakfast pizza that has all the components of a traditional omelet baked on a fresh pizza crust and topped with sour cream. The restaurant also offers a gluten-free pizza.

“I don’t want people to come here, I want people to come back. That’s kind of been my motto,” Ghanem said.

Radio City Pizzeria is open from 11 a.m. through 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. through 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit radiocitypizza.com.