Local tavern focuses on basics

Open just shy of a year in the Powell area, Shorty’s Pizza & Growl has built its foundation on a trio of tavern favorites: pizza, wings and chili.

The pie starts with a crust made on the premises, said John Cordas, who owns the restaurant with Thom Ibinson.

“It’s unlike anything you get at any pizza chain,” Cordas said. “The dough is perfect. I tell people, you can put anything on that dough and it will be good.”

Many customers agree, particularly when ordering the Patriot pizza (8 inches, $8.95; 12 inches, $15.95; 16 inches, $20.95) loaded with double pepperoni and cheese.

Shorty’s, which mixes its sauce inhouse, also uses Misto D’oro cheese, a special blend from Toledobased Sofo Foods.

“We go through a lot of pizza,” Cordas said.

The restaurant has twice-cooked wings (ranging from 6 pieces for $8 to 24 for $23) first baked in the pizza oven and then flash-fried to order.

“John’s extra hot” sauce is a house favorite, offering a

smoked-pepper base that packs some noticeable heat — but not too much to ruin the taste, Cordas said.

“This one, if you like hot sauce, this stuff is incredible,” he said. “Most of our sauces are homemade so they’re just hard to beat.”

He recently added a house-made spicy plum sauce that blends pureed fruit with fresh ginger and a touch of cayenne.

“It’s not super spicy,” Cordas said. “You get more of the sweetness and ginger out of it.”

The recipe for the chili, passed down through the Ibinson family, is a secret. The beef-and-bean chili is the base for several dishes, including the Toledo-style chili mac ($10) topped with shredded cheese and onions. It’s also available by the bowl ($6) and on taco salads ($9) and taco pizzas (8 inches, $8.95; 12 inches, $15.95; 16 inches, $20.95).

For an appetizer, Cordas recommends a half-pound of thickcut applewood smoked bacon ($8), rubbed with brown sugar and cayenne and run twice through the pizza oven for a crispy bite.

“Everyone loves bacon,” he said.

For those who prefer salad, Cordas recommends the chef option ($8), which has about a half-pound of smoked ham, honey-smoked turkey and salami to give some girth to the greens.

“We don’t believe in small portions,” he said.

Ibinson and Cordas bought the original Shorty’s in Delaware, Ohio, four years ago. They decided to expand to the Powell area and become supporters of the Olentangy schools' sports teams.

“Our whole goal was to create a place where parents feel comfortable bringing their kids after an event,” Cordas said.