After opening their original Da Capo restaurant in 2008 in Litchfield, CT, co-owners Viron Rondos & Nick Lymperopoulos opened this Avon location in 2009. The name “Da Capo”means “from the beginning” in Italian; rather apropos since the owners have known each other from growing up together in Athens, Greece. This joint only uses fresh, never-frozen ingredients, mostly from New York & serves brick oven Margherita style & specialty pizzas. This pie possesses incredibly unique taste & texture, rare for this part of Connecticut that leans more towards New Haven & New York style pies. The dough is firmish, not crispy at all, with a very soft body & crust containing no crunch whatsoever. The undercarriage is sturdy, providing a solid base, as the dough isn’t floppy or flimsy. Unique-tasting, the dough has seasoning baked within that gives it fantastic flavor, despite the lack of char & ultra soft texture. Very thinly sliced, the fresh mozzarella is browned with a well-done texture, lacking creaminess, tight & somewhat plastered on, but fairly flavorful, enhanced by some parmigiano reggiano, adding some sharpness & saltiness. Made from fresh tomatoes imported from Italy, the sauce is sensationally sweet with terrific tang & refreshing zest, despite a baked ketchup-like consistency. Scantly spread but evenly distributed, the sauce is extremely well-seasoned, accentuated by the spices baked in the dough, adding to the zing & pizzazz, also highlighted by some fresh basil. Overall, this is a uniquely delicious pie, from the oddly original dough to the strangely sticky sauce. Straddling the line of travel-worthy, this pizza falls just short of making the cut. A crispier dough & heartier sauce would definitely help level up this pie. However, I certainly appreciate this unique style in the land of New Haven imitation pizza.
