After a year of watching this restaurant with a bar continuously overflow with cars week after week. We hired a sitter one night and set off to unlock the mysteries of this hidden gem. Unprepared, we were astounded by the dinner menu, feasted on some wonderfully unique-yet simple appetizers, and refreshed ourselves on hand crafted brew and garden grown herbs like the mint harvested from the outside garden for my wife's Mojito.

The restaurant has an open communal feel that doesn't detract from it character, making slacks or leathers feel welcome to sit at the long, well stocked bar located near the microbrewery that focuses on making a very nice, well rounded beer rather than an overboard bulk prepackaged mess you can run into at some brew companies. I happened to stumbled into Belgian Doupple Bock season and loved the light, toasty, smooth flavor whose red color had the attraction and sensuality of a new mistress. Scarlet 7 still brings to mind a shade of lipstick while the cold kiss of flavor left a mark on my collar that may have led to more if I hadn't noted seven in Scarlet's name corresponded to it alcohol percentage, about twice that of something from American canned beer.

Before the Scarlet 7 was on it way to corrupting what was left on my soul, an 800 degree wood-fired appetizer of simple assorted olives and artichoke hearts roasted and specialty cheese covered served with pita bread slices started a cascade of flavors and urges that led me on a trail to treasure. A pizza delivered to the table with homemade dough that was thin, crisp, and light when loaded, but able to make a very high rise around the outside to show off its diversity. Our choice, a gourmet wood-fired special who's moniker the Popeye with the forearm muscle to back up its well deserved name. A twisted version of the traditional pizza, but one well worth a try. An olive oil based sauce with roasted whole garlic cloves bedded by fresh leaves of spinach with a blend of cheeses making it difficult to tell bottom from top with a great fresh roasted tomato puree with spices accented with a little heat make a slicing mark across the pie as if Zorro went after Italian cuisine marking the pizzas that had stolen his heart and tortured his soul. A chocolate desert so thick, rich, and layered making it difficult to call it a cake rounded out the night with all of our questions answered as to why the restaurant gathers so much attention.