STERLINGTON, La. (AP) - When you hear the word “revival,” you might think of a week of evening services at church.
While faith is important to Zack and Darrell Howse, their soon-to-open eatery Revival Pizza is about bringing back the old-fashioned feel of a local hangout, celebrating family and introducing new generations to pop culture favorites from the late 1970s to the early ’90s.
“We’re trying to have this as an outreach to the community to just love people really well,” Zack said.
The father and son business partners have all kinds of board games and coffee table books to encourage interaction. Zack and his wife Jenny have painted murals and smaller art around the dining area.
Darrell said this is all about bringing back the old and making it new again.
“I wanted The Max from ‘Saved By the Bell’ in Sterlington, and I want to be as cool as the guy who ran The Max,” Zack said.
He pointed to a mural on the wall and said his goal was for people his age to come in with their kids and ask questions. An employee’s young son asked about E.T. He’d never seen it before but has watched the movie several times in the past few week.
“And to to have those moments of connection between family members that are like ‘this is what I grew up with’ and then you go home and share that with your kids,” Zack said.
His father sharing things like that has been important.
“Growing up, you get to that age when you realize your parents aren’t crazy and they’re not just mean and actually want what’s best for you- is what we kind of want to create. That moment,” he said.
If that sounds like a tall order, they’re also funding mission work and church planting in Iceland.
ALL ABOUT THE DOUGH
Darrell and Zack have been steadily working on the plans for about eight months, but this restaurant has been six years in the making for Zack.
He said Darrell came around on a trip to New York in 2018 where he, his dad and brother went to New York City for a taste of “real pizza.”
Last year, Zack took a week of training to become a certified pizzaioli, meaning he’s studied in the ins and outs of making pizza with theoretical and practical lessons. It teaches the science behind the craft. Zack said what he’d been making at home was decent, but this took him to the next level.
Now, they have a wood-fired oven for the thinner crust option and a double oven for Detroit style.
“I’m hesitant to even call ours New York style because it’s probably going be a mixture - what I would say the base mixture that I’m using is more of a pizza classica, so it’s going to be in between a New York and Neapolitan,” Zack said.
He doesn’t want the crust to be floppy and require a knife and fork, but he’s wanting the edge crust to hold up differently than a classic New York style.
The wood-fire oven had to be kept above a specific temperature over eight days. Slowly, Zack said, you work your way to about 500°F, at which point you can increase the rate faster. The oven ultimately can reach 1,000°F.
Neapolitans are cooked at a minimum of 900°F for about 90 seconds and finished by “doming” - holding them up closer to the top of the oven where heat has risen.
This oven, he said, has a lower dome and keeps the heat in a smaller area. He’s planning to cook at 550°F to 600°F over about three minutes, which will get it more crispy on the bottom.
Home of the original Detroit-style pizza: Buddy’s
Detroit style is becoming more popular nationally. The style is a thick crust proofed in the pan with cheese, then toppings and the sauce ladled across the top.
Pizza Hut has come out with a Detroit style for a limited time, and Zack said others in the industry are hopeful that draws people’s interest to the craft side.
The nine house-style pizzas can be ordered on either crust style. Topping options include:
- West Philadelphia: Philly steak with mozzarella, roasted bell pepper, red onion and white sauce
- Bebob and Rocksteady: link sausage, bacon, andouille, roasted peppers, red onions on red sauce topped with green onions and Carolina sauce
- Graham Hess: cheese, pepperoni, ricotta, Italian sausage and Mike’s hot honey with red sauce
- Build-your-own is called The MacGyver. The menu also offers appetizers, salads, sandwiches and fried pies.
Eventually, they’re hoping to make bread, which is more of a passion for Darrell.
Zack said his main concern is that neither he nor his father have restaurant experience, but he said they’re working to hire the right people around him to keep things running smoothly.
The grand opening is set for March 9.
Darrell is eager to open the doors, and he’s secure about the quality of the food. He said taking the extra time to make sure everything is ready will allow customers to have better experiences from Day 1.
CREATING REVIVAL
The eatery is colorful and vibrant, and the menu is unique the area. (Zack hopes no one oversells it in advance.)
The decor isn’t all about nostalgia. It includes nods to Iceland, where Zack has done mission work and Darrell plans to do the same. The nation’s flag hangs on the wall. The word “vakning” is worked into the oven tiles and is incorporated in the art.
Zack said “revival” translates from English to Icelandic as “vakning,” which translates from Icelandic to English as “awakening.”
“So (it) literally fits with theme, but also serves as a conversational piece to discuss Iceland and gospel needs there. We plan to donate a portion of every merch sale and a portion of profits each month towards church planting and mission work in Iceland,” he said.
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