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Lowcountry Tastes: Monster Pizza

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Monster Pizza has developed a loyal following among many Blufftonians but remains unknown to those still ordering greasy, under-topping-ed, cardboard-crusted, gives-pizza-a-bad-name stuff from big chains (that I'll admit I adored as a college student). We're fortunate to have several great local alternatives to that tasteless fare. Tucked into a sleepy shopping center, Monster Pizza is definitely one of them.

The Monster Pizza Web site (www.monsterpizzasc.com) compares its prices to these "corporate" pizza places and to three other Bluffton restaurants' offerings. Prices are about the same, and Monster accepts any competitors' coupons -- even if they're expired.

Monster's 16-inch medium pizza

is cut into eight pieces, making it

suitable for two with leftovers. Request the flavorful honey wheat crust; it's light and delicious, so you fill up on cheese and toppings, not just crust. For heartier eaters -- and big parties -- there's the 20-inch large (12 slices) and the 30-inch Monster (16 slices), which really has to be seen to be believed.

I'm a creature of habit, and not that fond of meat on my pizza (the result of an early shift at a pizza place after a late night out a long, long time ago) so I always get the Garden Pizza, which is practically healthy, as pizza goes. Monster offers several other meatless specialty pizzas.

You can create your own pizza

(or pizza roll) from a selection of seven meats (including salami and chicken) and 14 other toppings, or choose one of the specialties: Luau (ham, pineapple and banana peppers); Garden (spinach, artichokes, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and bell peppers); Meatatarian (ham, sausage, pepperoni, salami and bacon); Greek-za (olives, onions, bell peppers, artichokes, tomatoes and feta); Pizza Blanco (olive oil, garlic, basil, tomatoes, spinach and artichokes); four-cheese Chees-za Chees-za; or the King Kong (pepperoni, sausage, ham, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, banana peppers, onions, artichokes and bell peppers).

Monster also offers salads, such as tomato and mozzarella with garden-picked basil, spinach salad with pineapple and pecans, and an antipasto salad.

Sandwiches, served hot or cold, are served on ciabatta bread, pita or a honey-wheat hoagie, and come with potato chips and a pickle. Selections include a French Dip known as a "Damn Yankee"; the "Bluffton Slammer," with a generous serving of turkey, ham, bacon, provolone, lettuce and tomato; and "The Gambino," made with "Grandma's secret recipe" meatballs and a signature sauce.

There's a cozy dining room and bar in the back, which you might not even know about if you usually carry out like I do. There you'll find local art, wine and the Monster Beer List with a nice selection of brews, including micro-brews.

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