Fallin' for that Lovin' Oven

By Rachel Birdsell
TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

Recently, two of my sisters moseyed down from Kansas City for a short visit with their favorite sister. One day we were exploring Eureka Springs and decided that we needed a slice or two of pizza. We opted for Lovin’ Oven Bakeria based solely on the fact that there was a pizza paddle on their logo. I realize that’s a pretty goofy way to pick a restaurant, but this time it worked in our favor.

Food for Thought

While perusing the menu, it became clear rather quickly that Lovin’ Oven wasn’t just about pizza. They also offer salads, sandwiches, soup and pasta entrees. We started with the hummus platter, which was a mound of hummus surrounded by black and green olives and warm pita bread. The hummus was magnificent and had just enough garlic to wow you without making your fellow diners keel over from your breath. When I scooped up some with a few of the olives, it was like a little taste of Mediterranean heaven.
After gorging myself on hummus, I thought a salad and slice of pizza was necessary. I didn’t realize exactly how much food I was in for. I had the Greek salad, which was spinach topped with feta, artichoke hearts, green and black olives, mushrooms, red onions, tomatoes and zucchini. I had the small salad, but you’d never guess that from the size. This salad was big, bold and beautiful. Most importantly, everything was fresher than a 1950s coed. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a gorgeous plate of veggies at a restaurant before.
Then my delightful waiter hoisted out my slab of pizza. I’m not exaggerating when I say “slab.” The slice was as big as my dinner plate. I ordered mine with jalapenos, green and black olives and Italian sausage. The pizza crust was filled with herbs and possibly a hint of magic unicorn dust. I absolutely loved the crust. The sauce was also excellent, as were the toppings. All in all, it was one of the best slices of pie I’ve ever been introduced to.

The Sporkcast
(1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 4.25 hand painted sporks with curly tines. The décor is a little funky with mismatched tables and an assortment of art on the walls. The restaurant/bakery is very clean, and I’m pretty sure you could eat off the floor safely, if you were so inclined. If you do have an inclination to eat off the floor, you might have an issue or two.
Food: 4.85 spicy Italian sporks named Luigi. The food was absolutely fantastic. The baked goods also looked divine, and had I not been completely stuffed, I would have tried a brownie or two.
Staff: 4.90 shiny sporks with halos around the handles. Our waiter was more than tolerant. We changed our mind about our order roughly 36 times, and he was still extremely nice. He deserved some kind of medal.
Dollars spent: My slice of pizza and salad (I made one of the sisters pay for the hummus) was around $10. The salad was $5.50, and the ginormous slice of pizza was only $4. Both of them were worth every little penny.
Chance of returning: I will go back many times to Lovin’ Oven for a little taste of Italian Mediterranean goodness.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com.