Life > January 23, 2003

By Will Wingfield

Editor in Chief

Sometimes you just want something different. It’s the weekend, and two weeks into the semester you’ve already tired of the standard ARAMARK Pit and Benson fare, and you cast your eyes off campus. Let’s go down the laundry list of usual places — Qdoba, Bear Rock, Panera, Elizabeths, La Carretta and Roses. Been there, done all that a million times.

As a college student, I have a basic, primal need. I want good food and I want to be able to afford it. Is that too much to ask, Winston-Salem, is it?

May I proffer a suggestion — pizza. I’m not talking about the greasy Pizza Hut or Papa’s pies you always eat during a 2 a.m. post-party craving. I’m talking gourmet pizza with pesto, goat cheese, caramelized onions and, if you desire, anchovies. If this sounds appealing, the new Loop Pizza Grill may be for you. Located in the Thruway Shopping Center at 320 S. Stratford Road, The Loop is tucked away in an alley between the First Union and Party City on the same block with the old Houlihan’s and the Juice Shoppe.

The Loop offers a number of specialty gourmet pizzas, and nearly every one includes a touch of pesto. You can choose from spicy cilantro chicken, artichoke and smoked bacon, and barbecue chicken.

I chose the 8-inch Portobello mushroom with bacon, tomatoes and asiago cheese for $5.49. It was a perfect blend of Italian flavors and tasted as good as it looked.

My date kept it simple with a $3.69 four-cheese pizza. For those who choose to declare their independence from the pre-packaged pizza norm, you can add toppings to the eight-inch, four-cheese pizza for 69 cents each. All pizzas are available with a puffy thick crust or a chewy, not crunchy, thin crust.

The local dining spot, which opened just before Christmas break, has an as-yet unused wooden patio out front, and the restaurant is well-decorated inside, too. Instead of creating a cavernous open space like many local eateries, The Loop subdivided the dining area into three rooms, with open spaces in the walls, and a main hallway that leads from the doors to the front counter. Comfortable, high backed booths abound and there is plenty of seating. I’m no expert on interior design, but the place looked swanky with cool patterns on the walls and the chairs and funky light fixtures.

I visited The Loop in the late afternoon and my only complaint was the lack of blinds or window shades. The sun poured right into my date’s eyes, and we had to sit 1960s diner-style on the same side of the booth. Taking a page out of Brandy Jones’ book, however, this might make it a good place for a date.

And if you’re a cheap date, be not disappointed. Single-person entrees range from three to seven dollars — very reasonable. Don’t be misled, you won’t find these prices at a fancy-schmancy sit-down restaurant. Some minutes after you order, they call your number and you have to pick up your meal.

And even if pizza is not your thing, The Loop has a robust selection of salads, soups, sandwiches and sides. Burgers are all under four dollars, and sandwiches such as grilled tuna steak and veggie melt wrap range from four to six dollars.

Salads range from four to seven dollars, but the real deal would be the side salads. The two of us split a side Caesar, which filled a large 10-inch plate and cost only $3.

So if you have a burning yearning for some new off-campus dining, give The Loop a try. The choices are many and inexpensive, the place is fun and it’s open until 11 p.m. on the weekends.