*헤럴드 선정 캘거리 맛있는 피자 집, Tommy,s Pizza
(번역 CN드림 김대식 기자)

지난 8일 캘거리 헤럴드 지에는 청야 김민식 씨가 경영하는 Tommy’s Pizza가 맛있는 피자 집으로 선정된 기사가 김민식 씨 부부의 사진과 함께 올라와 주목을 받았다. 헤럴드 지의 Pamela McDowell 기자가 기고한 기사에는 Tommy,s Pizza를 이 분야 캘거리 최고로 선정하는데 주저하지 않았다.

캘거리 SW지역 Canyon Meadow 쇼핑센터 내에 자리잡은 35년 전통의 토미스 피자는 McDowell기자가 10년 전에 처음 맛본 이후 이제껏 고집하며 애용하는 피자 전문점으로 그 맛과 서비스의 질은 타의 추종을 불허한다고 극찬하고 있다.

테이크 아웃과 배달 피자를 전문으로 하는 아담한 레스토랑 내부에는 은은한 피자와 치즈 향이 맛나게 흐르며, 직원들의 친절한 서비스는 더할 나위 없다며 칭찬한다. 가장 추천할 만한 피자는 Tommy’s Choice로 불리는 토마토, 블랙 올리브, 버섯 등이 어우러진 thick crust pizza를 꼽으며 또한 매운 맛을 좋아하는 고객들에게는 Jalapeno pizza를 권장하고 있다.

또한 어린이들에게는 그들 취향에 맞는 치즈 피자 등이 주문에 따라 다양하게 마련되어 패밀리 레스토랑으로서 어느 것 하나 흠 잡을 데 없다고 적극 추천하고 있다.

이밖에도 토미스 피자 레스토랑에서는 늘 신선한 Caesar, Greek 샐러드 등도 함께 메뉴에 올리고 있어 스파게티나 샌드위치, 스테이크 등과 곁들여 즐길 수 있다고 소개한다. 현 경영주인 Sam Kim(청야 김민식)씨는 별도로 예쁘게 장식한 오렌지를 덤으로 제공해 손님들을 끝까지 감동 시키곤 한다고 적고 있다.

오랜 경험으로 늘 탁월한 맛과 음식의 질을 보장하는 토미스 피자는 고객과의 약속을 지키며 결코 실망시키는 일이 없다고 적극 추천하고 있어 캘거리의 많은 한인 자영업자 들에게도 큰 귀감이 되고 있다.

한 길을 걸으며 소규모 사업장에서 큰 성공을 당당히 일궈낸 청야 김민식 씨는 현 캘거리 한인문인협회 소속 수필가로 활동하며 교민들에게 좋은 글을 선보이고 있기도 하다.

Pamela McDowell Calgary Herald
Thursday, June 08, 2006

CREDIT: Mikael Kjellstrom, Calgary Herald
Owners Sue and Sam Kim show off some of the tasty fare available at Tommy's Pizza in Canyon Meadows.

Tommy's Pizza
11625 Elbow Drive S.W.
Phone: 281-2868
Take out, delivery and dine in
Food: good variety and special orders
Family friendly: efficient and
accommodating
Hours: open seven days a week,
4 to 10 p.m. or later

Like many young Calgarians, I expect, my kids are growing up with pizza as a near-weekly staple in their diet. It's hard to believe that prior to 1960, and just a heartbeat before my time, Calgary had no pizza place.

Robert Elston changed that when he arrived from Louisiana and opened Ye Olde Pizza Joint on 16th Avenue N.W. Pizza Bob's signature thin crust and blend of five different cheeses quickly won over skeptical Calgarians.

Through a convoluted personal connection that I can't quite recall, my parents became friends with Robert and we frequently made the trek uptown for pizza. I remember the Joint was cavernous and dark, cool in the summer and barely lit by a fire in the winter. While my parents lingered over their anchovy pizza (yeck!), I read the tables and benches: RT LUVS BA, I was here, and other cryptic carvings made me think the place was often busy with teens, though we never saw them.

My brother would hang out at the jukebox, playing "Candy Man" and "The Streak" until Dad ran out of quarters. Sometimes we would play the pinball machines out front while Dad and Robert talked, but it was always hot there next to the ovens.

Funny, but no one I know my age -- or even close -- remembers Ye Olde Pizza Joint the way they remember Shakey's Pizza in Westbrook. That might be because Shakey's was "the" destination for birthday parties and families. I remember standing in a crowd of kids, pressing my nose to the viewing window and watching the cooks twirl and toss pizza dough. Some were better at it than others.

These days, pizza is more of a takeout item than dining experience.

Our favourite, Tommy's Pizza in Canyon Meadows shopping centre, has been around for 35 years and while we have enjoyed their pizza for 10 years now, we only recently dined in for the first time.

Most of Tommy's business is takeout or delivery, so the TV is tuned to the news and dining space is limited. The decor is a bit dated with black and white checkerboard floor, pink walls and giant bags of garlic hanging on the walls, but the aroma of pizza dough and melted cheese is wonderful and the service is friendly.

Our favourite is Tommy's Choice, a thick crust pizza with feta, tomato, black olives, green pepper, mushrooms and spinach ($17 for a medium). This time, though, my husband opts for the ground beef and jalapeno pizza ($16) which gets his nose running. The kids love Tommy's because they get what they order: a cheese pizza with no sauce ($11.50).

"It's the best," says my daughter, Catherine. "I even love the crust."

I try Ed's special baked lasagna with meat sauce ($10.25) and actually manage to eat the entire thing, including the garlic toast. The takeout order may be a bit bigger, because it usually satisfies two of us. It's a nice combination of cheese, sauce and meat that avoids becoming soupy or dry.

Ed, it turns out, was a loyal customer who would come in for lasagna or pizza five or six times a week late at night.

Tommy's also offers Caesar, Greek or tossed salads, which are always fresh and generous, and regular or baked spaghetti, steak sandwich, pepper steak, and a steak and spaghetti combo.

Our meal ended with a little surprise, as Sam, the current owner, delivered fresh oranges, sectioned, replaced in the half-peel, and garnished with a decorated crudite pick.

Tommy's remains our favourite pizza place because the food is always consistent -- never burned, greasy or uncooked. And with our faithful delivery man, Ron, it's almost always quicker than the 35 minutes they quote on the phone. Now that's service!