City Oven opens in the Heights

A selection of Texas whiskey at City Oven Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Houston.( James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle ) A selection of Texas whiskey at City Oven Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Houston.( James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: James Nielsen, Staff Photo: James Nielsen, Staff Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close City Oven opens in the Heights 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

Partners Edgar Carlson and Larry Martin of Hospitality USA have some kind of magic touch when it comes to the restaurant business. Earlier this year, the Houston-based company opened the snazzy River Oaks watering hole Local Pour. The place has been packed since it opened. And they are the longtime owners of the Houston-based Sherlock and Baker St. Pub chain.

Today, the pair will swing open the doors at 5 p.m. to their latest concept, a pizza tavern.

The City Oven opens in the space formerly occupied by D'Amico's, but regulars to that family-operated Italian cafe won't recognize the dining room. The new space - all brick and warm wood tones - feels much bigger and brighter.

"We love design and putting places together," Carlson said. The space also features installations by popular Heights artist Carlos Hernandez, who has done posters for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kings of Leon.

D'Amico's, a venture with longtime Rice Village restaurant neighbors Nash and Brina D'Amico, was shuttered in early July. The family-oriented cafe could never overcome issues of sharing parking with several nearby popular bars.

The neighborhood, with its accompanying parking issues, was a challenge Carlson and Martin were ready to take on.

"Let's be relevant to the area," Carlson explained. "White Oak and giant meatballs. The time has come."

More Information The City Oven 2802 White Oak, 713-868-3400. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. Thursday and will be open for dinner daily. The restaurant expects to begin opening for lunch in mid-September.

The menu does seem to play right into the party atmosphere created by neighbors such as Fitzgerald's, Christian's Tailgate, Public House and Little Woodrow's. City Oven culinary director Josh Maher, who also oversees menus for other Hospitality USA properties, has created a menu that screams to be paired with beer. (City Oven offers 15 drafts and more than 50 bottled beers, as well as Texas vodkas and whiskeys.)

During a recent tasting, Maher delivered a steady stream of man-size dishes, such as a half-pound burger stuffed with bacon and cheddar and topped with more bacon and cheddar. It was a flavorful bite that was more subtle than its proportions. There were gorgeous pizzas that were as tasty as they looked. The barbecue chicken had a nice punch of red onion and cilantro, the roasted garlic and spinach was gladly worth the cost to my love life.

With no less than 15 toppings, including banana peppers and three meats, the City Oven Supreme was a riotous display of culinary excess. And still, the thin crust held up under the weight.

Maher's pride and joy, no doubt, is City Oven's monster meatballs. The signature version is a 12-ounce meatball stuffed with mozzarella and topped with a pleasantly sweet San Marzano sauce, ricotta cheese and fresh basil. Add a side of mac and cheese and you've got dinner for two.

The dining room itself is all about the details. Hospitality USA has added a long bar along one wall. As a fan of sitting at the bar, I appreciate the purse hooks, but I love the five electrical outlets spaced along the bar to allow the plugged in among us the chance to recharge our toys while we refuel our bodies.