That new restaurant at University Mall? It’s MidiCi — and it’s great
The Margherita Pizza at MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company at University Mall in Orem.
The Housemade Meatballs with Smoked Mozzarella appetizer at MidiCi in Orem.
An employee makes a Devil Pizza at MidiCi in Orem on Wednesday.
An employee prepares the Housemade Meatballs with Smoked Mozzarella appetizer at MidiCi in Orem.
The Burrata Cheese with Melon and Prosciutto appetizer at MidiCi in Orem.
The Margherita Pizza at MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company in Orem.
I live pretty close to the University Mall in Orem. Still, I hadn’t noticed its newest restaurant, MidiCi, till recently. The Neapolitan pizza chain is prominently placed on the mall’s exterior, right next to Macy’s on the mall’s southwest corner — visible from the parking lot, but less so from the road, where it’s blocked by the new University Place office building (the one with that absurd, oversized LED billboard).
It’s safe to say we don’t have another place like MidiCi in Utah County. I mean that in a good way. For one, it’s open till 11 p.m. on weeknights, and midnight on the weekends. As well, the sit-down restaurant has great ambiance, lots of natural lighting, fairly low prices and lightning-quick service. You rarely get all those elements in a single restaurant around here.
Suffice to say, I’m into it.
Surveying the menu, we decided to get an appetizer, a few pizzas, drinks and some desserts. MidiCi’s menu is extensive, with lots of traditional Neapolitan pizza offerings and unusual pizzas as well. Customers order their food in a line, with MidiCi’s cooks making pizzas and slicing prosciutto right in front of you. Once you’ve ordered, you grab a number, some napkins, utensils and plates, then find a table.
Given the atmosphere, décor, etc., we planned on waiting a while for our food to arrive. But surprise! We hadn’t been sitting for more than five minutes when a server brought our appetizer, the burrata cheese with melon and prosciutto. This was probably our favorite item of the night. Burrata cheese is made from mozzarella and cream — I didn’t think you could improve upon normal mozzarella, but you can. In addition to the thinly sliced prosciutto and cantaloupe, the appetizer also came with a few pieces of bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Stacking these flavors into a single bite is a new pleasure I won’t soon forget. (I have no idea if this was the right way to eat it.)
We were still working on the appetizer when the server returned with our pizzas. As mentioned, MidiCi has a lot of options here. We opted for the classic Margherita Pizza — which includes basil, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, olive oil and a sauce of crushed Italian peeled tomatoes — as well as the Four Cheese Pizza (mozzarella, ricotta, gorgonzola and Parmesan). I was partial to the Four Cheese Pizza, but the Margherita wasn’t too shabby either.
Desserts in hand, our server returned. Setting aside our pizzas, we made room for four scoops of different gelato flavors (strawberry, pistachio, chocolate and vanilla) as well as MidiCi’s signature Nutella Calzone with fresh berries. I never thought I’d utter the phrase “Nutella calzone” in my lifetime, but here we are. The calzone is made with Neapolitan dough, with Nutella, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries baked inside, and topped with shaved coconut and chocolate drizzle. It’s a visually striking dish. The dough was a bit too tough for my taste. But do I regret eating a Nutella calzone? Absolutely not.
Long story short, there’s a lot to like about MidiCi. The flavors, the aesthetic and the service made for a fantastic dinner. I’ll be back soon, probably when those 11 p.m. pizza cravings kick in.
MIDICI THE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA COMPANY
Where: 541 E. University Parkway, Orem
Prices: Appetizers $6-$15, pizzas $6.50-$13.50, salads $7-$10.50, desserts $3-$7, drinks $3-$4
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Info: (385) 352-3752, mymidici.com