BG Eats: Lost River Pizza has intriguing pizza specials

A calzone filled with mushrooms, onions, ground beef and cheese is served with house cut chips and marinara sauce at Lost River Pizza Company at 2440 Nashville Road. Leanora Benkato/HERALD

John Greer

OPINION

@WKUHERALD.COM

With large signage in the front window, Lost River Pizza Co. proudly displays the award-winning status of its namesake dish. This is probably an effective form of advertisement, yet the quality of the food it offers provides a somewhat uneven support to this honor. 

The inside is plastered with beer signs, signifying Lost River Pizza’s other main draw. And the restaurant certainly does not skimp on its selection of craft brews—there are over 30 available on tap. Coupled with the buzzing bright presence of televisions, the place has the trappings of a sports bar. 

Expect to spend a little on the specialty pizzas there. Searching for cheaper or more personal options nets a few interesting choices, such as the beer-battered shrimp. 

The fried morsels of shrimp came smothered in a thick sticky coating of spicy honey-barbecue sauce. The crunchy shrimp functioned mostly as a means of substantive delivery for the satisfyingly pungent sweet and spicy glaze. 

The calzone is an appetizing choice for those wanting pizza, but looking for a more personally appropriate size. Patrons are allowed to choose three toppings.

Where the shrimp were flavorful, the calzone was fairly bland. None of the ingredients— caramelized onions, mushrooms and ground beef— were particularly assertive, nor were they present in any sizable quantities. But it did have potential. The crust on the calzone possessed a nice flakiness, and the marinara sauce served on the side was a tangy mixture of herb, acid and spice. 

Lost River Pizza also offers a pretty standard set of sides. The house chips and sweet potato fries were pure crunch, but not especially flavorful. In lieu of any seasoning, a dash of red pepper and Parmesan worked in a pinch. 

Inconsistencies in quality left the experience at Lost River Pizza a bit underwhelming. With a great spectrum of beers on tap and some intriguing pizza specials, it’s still an interesting option.