North Shore Pizza and Subs brings East Coast pizza and subs to Monona.
On the subs side, the menu features toppings that are less common in these parts. Examples include the pastrami and mushroom sub ($8.99 for 6″, $10.99 for 12″) and the Hot Vegetarian ($7.99, $9.99), with peppers, onions, mushrooms and provolone.
I’m a sucker for Italian subs, and North Shore’s version ($8.99, $10.99) was unique in that it had bologna in it, in addition to salami, shredded lettuce, tomato, onions and vinaigrette. I haven’t had bologna in years, and it gave the delicious sandwich a nostalgic feel to it, if that makes sense.
The other sub I tried was the steak bomb ($9.99, $11.99). The steak itself was dry and overloaded with pepper. The melty green peppers, onion and cheese saved this sandwich from being a disaster.
Meanwhile, the roast beef sandwich ($8.49, $9.49, $10.99) was a messy delight. It was stacked with about 2″ of roast beef (I measured it), which reminded me of the delis in New York. The beef was a bit bland, but that was a moot point thanks to the heap of cheese, mayo and BBQ sauce, which was tangy like Arby’s sauce.
I also liked the French bread pizza ($3.49). I was thinking one order would come with two pieces, but I was pleasantly surprised with four. The pizza has a fresh tomato taste, and the bread was perfectly crunchy where it needed to be and soft in other parts.
Specialty pizzas include the fajita ($12.49 for 12″, $19.49 for 16″) and the chicken alfredo ($12.49, $18.99).
You also can find pasta dishes on the menu. The veal in the veal parm ($14.99) was a little charred on the outside, but it didn’t negatively affect the gamy flavor. The pasta–you get your choice of spaghetti or penne–was light on marinara sauce and heavy on cheese, so much so that it wasn’t just laid on top of the veal but also incorporated into the pasta.
North Shore Pizza and Subs is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
