Battle of the Balls

No, this is not an epic battle of prairie oysters! (That's a whole 'nother blog.) Growing up, my parents were friends with an Italian family who would hold potlucks for every holiday meal. Long, folding tables would be stuffed with lasagna, rollatini, eggplant parmigiana and homemade veal meatballs coated in thick, gooey mozzarella.  

For this week's Battle of the Dishes, I checked out two local chains to see if their meatballs would live up to those delicious memories.

In One Corner: Meatballz
3395 W. Chandler Blvd. in Chandler
480-961-8881

Mmm....that's-a mildly spicy meata-balla!

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This local chain, which also has branches in Peoria, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, is billed as a fast-casual Italian deli -- though the digs at their new Chandler location make it look more like an upscale cafe than a fast-food joint. Perhaps that's because they kept the bones of the space's former occupant, Nouveau Bistro, intact.

The restaurant looks exactly the same -- partially visible kitchen, comfy red booths, huge stone bar -- though Meatballz lacks Nouveau's quirky artwork and blue hanging lights. It's so upscale looking for a casual joint that everyone who came in while I was there looked confused about seating. The poor guy behind the register had to keep instructing guests to order at the counter. (Perhaps a large, hanging "Order Here" sign is in order?)

Hey, isn't that Nouveau Bistro?

​Meatballz offers low-carb and regular versions of their famous meatballs. My dining companion and I figured we'd give the low-carb version a shot, since that normally means more meat and less fillers. Three large meatballs arrived steaming hot in a white ceramic dish set atop a prettier painted square platter.

"Hey, where's the cheese?" lamented my dining companion. "The online photo showed tons of melted mozzarella on top. That's the best part!!"

He was right; these looked delicious, but nothing like the photos we'd seen. I bit into a ball and was surprised to find a nice, albeit thin, layer of salty mozzarella hidden beneath the top layer of sauce. The meatball itself was velvety smooth, as if the pork and beef were finely ground before being rolled into balls.

The meatball definitely had a good balance of texture -- just enough to be interesting without being tough and chunky like my homemade ones. The spice blend was mild, and the accompanying bread fluffy and light. Bonus points for the sauce, which was rich and thick like the homemade sauce I remember from childhood. It had a strong natural presence, tasting closer to spiced tomato paste than the watered down, sugar-infused sauce you find on supermarket shelves. Overall, Meatballz makes one tasty meatball.