By Teanna Gentry

Great Pizza in a great part of town? This question came to mind when we walked through the doors of Burien Pizzeria last week. The pizzeria was opened last summer by two well-known restauranteurs in Burien who decided to join forces.

Dan House,  proprietor of The Tin Room Bar & Theater and Frank Ricci, proprietor of the 909 Coffee & wine and The 913 Bar have been friends for many years. The duo decided it would be great to partner up and create this beautiful, fun pizzeria. A place to meet friends & family and share gourmet wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, cocktails, and more.

During the middle of the day is a good, less busy time, to get the inside scoop on this cozy shop in Olde Burien. We were greeted with a friendly smile from owner/manager Manny Gargallo and chef Ryan Nielsen. Bonus, they were gracious to not mind my two young boys tagging along for the interview and running around the pizzeria as we chatted. Here is what we learned.

Manny told us some menu items are more hot (it's pizza) than others. The Mugnaini masonry pizza oven temperature, with apple wood fire, can be more than 1000 degrees but the pizza is cooking at just over 400 degrees, not far from those flames.

"Everything has been really good (since we opened)...and we really try to make everything different and unique," Manny said. Manny is the seasoned the restaurant owner for more than 13 years. Chef Ryan is in his first stint as head chef, but he is no novice to the business after putting in time as a chef in the Seattle area and even at 909 before working at the pizzeria. Ryan said the pizza has been a big hit with items like a Margherita style or a Shroomachoke featuring mushrooms and marinated artichokes, but the pasta is also starting to gain in popularity.

The Pizzeria uses "Taharin" a new fine cut, super soft pasta that they are experimenting with on the menu. If you go, try this pasta with sage butter and Grana Padano a hard, slow-ripened, semi-fat, cow's-milk cheese from Italy. Ryan commands the menu and works closely with Manny to banter other ideas around with Frank and Dan. There is a full bar in addition to the mostly Italian wines offered here.

From the meat-lover to the vegetarian, or just a salad and a glass of red wine,  you will rejoice in all the options you will find at this cozy pizzeria. They are located at 907 SW 152nd St. in Olde Burien. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 4-10 p.m. Saturday 3-10 p.m and Sunday 3-0 p.m. Find them on the web at www. burienpizzeria.com

Teanna Gentry is a health and wellness guru from the Pacific Northwest who has a passion for helping people find freedom in movement. She was an all conference Track and Field athlete at Eastern Washington University from 2003-2007 and has since coached and trained athletes and clients of all ages in the greater Puget Sound area in running, yoga, speed/agility/quickness, and total wellness. Teanna is a certified yoga and barre instructor, as well as an avid lover of the outdoors. She is most often seen around Hot Feet Fitness or running around town with her husband and two boys.