Great food tempers locker-room decor by Jennifer Pellant, Outpost Contributor By the name alone, I innocently thought I'd discover some tremendous pie, much like the buzz over Marie Calendars selection. But I soon discovered that JJ's Pie Co., just west of the casinos on Fifth Street, is famous for a different kind of pie--the Italian version. The menu includes a variety of appetizers, pizzas and sub sandwiches, but not one traditional pie. JJ's is well hidden, just west of downtown on Fifth Street. Photo by Heather Whittemore I was a little intimidated walking up to the register to place an order of chicken wings and a small vegetarian pizza. Posters of half-naked women line the ceiling above the bar and register, causing my friend, Charlene, and me to feel a bit uncomfortable. Scores of Wolf Pack plaques, posters and lighted brew signs are randomly arranged, completely obscuring the restaurant's walls. As burly, college-age servers took our order, one large-screen and three regular-size televisions blared the broadcast of Georgia Tech vs. Clemson on ESPN. Pinball and video games line one wall in the stereotypical pizza-parlor style &endash; I guess you can't have pizza without pinball! At 5 p.m., JJ's was nearly empty, with only a few guys hanging out at the bar. Charlene and I decided to venture to the back room, where a few tables give diners who are interested in conversation an alternative to the bar atmosphere. The back room also has an added bonus - a small window where you can peek in on your pizza in progress. But it came at a price: Strong currents of hot air blew from a main heater right above the eating area. So we decided to relocate to the front of the restaurant. Within 10 minutes, the waiter called out our order and the spiced chicken wings with a side of celery and ranch dressing for dipping were ready. While JJ's touts its pizza pies on the sign outdoor, their wings are almost as good, if not better than the best wings I've ever tasted, six years ago at Hooters in St. Louis. The decorating gives the dining area a not-so-politically-correct style. Photo by Heather Whittemore JJ's wings come in four varieties: Mild, medium, hot and nitro, for the really adventurous. We weren't, so we opted for the medium, which fit the bill and tasted just right. These were wings with a flare of perfection! If you're not into chicken wings, JJ's has large, hot, crisp onion rings. My brother and I had tried these on a previous visit. These things are unforgettable! They are almost as big as a saucer and packed with onion, not mostly batter as you find at other places. Other appetizers include zesty fries, mozzarella sticks and jalepeno peppers. But let's not forget that pizza is the main dish served around these parts. By 6 p.m., crowds of college students found their way to barstools at small round tables or at any one of the long, wooden picnic tables. The biggest shock for me, given the posters and lighted beer signs, were the families that joined them. In addition to a couple in their 70s, two families with young children enjoyed a specialty pizza. The "create your own" pizza is the beauty of this place - an option available when you don't like their selection. Most of the pizza choices are typical, including Hawaiian, vegetarian, combo. But then there's the Baha, which includes sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, chicken and garlic, and the Valdez, which is much like a Mexican pizza with Italian sausage. JJ's goes through five gallons of honey a week, used by diners as dipping sauce for the thick crust. Photo by Heather Whittemore Following my friend's lead, I went out on a limb and split the Vegetarian pizza with her. It was delicious to say the least, and I'm not a normal vegetarian fan. The vegetables were juicy, and the crust found the perfect midpoint between crusty and soggy. In the end, we shelled out about $18 for a small pizza, an appetizer and one soft drink (my friend opted for water). But we did take home leftovers, a few chicken wings and about a third of the pizza. JJ's scores low on being "politically correct." Some women might walk away feeling like second-class citizens. As the game plays on ESPN in the background and women stare seductively at you from the posters, one can't help but conjure up thoughts of the guys' locker room. But families seem to enjoy the food too, as seen on this Thursday night, and so did we. It's a fun college hang-out with great food for a slightly higher price &endash; and so by this definition, JJ's Pie Company gets an A. JJ's PIE COMPANY 555 W-Fifth Street, Reno 786-5555 HOURS: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. - Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. - Friday and Saturday HIGH POINT: Delicious food, appetizers and all! LOW POINT: Atmosphere a little intimidating PRICES: Large pizza, $13-20 depending on pizza; Medium pizza, $ 8.97-12.66 Small $6.26-9.67 plus tax, Appetizers anywhere from $3-6. PAYMENT POLICIES: checks can be used with a guarantee card, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club, Company Check. Posted Nov. 24, 1998 Copyright 1998 Nevada Oupost