I recently heard of the new pizza and axe-throwing place in Benton that was getting rave reviews for their food. I made sure they had a patio space and then took my mom for dinner to try it out.
We didn’t even go upstairs to the axe-throwing area, so this is strictly about the food and restaurant. Let’s break it down:
The Environment
Valhalla is located just off the center of town, in the previously antiquated Palace building. This building has been around about 100 years and has seen its days as a theater, library, and more. Now, this building hosts the very modern Valhalla Restaurant and Axe Throwing AND the delicious Baja Grill!
Just follow the signs into Valhalla’s restaurant, which is a great wide open space with a bar.
To the right, you’ll find where you order your food. This is set up a lot like Zaza’s, where you order and pay here, get a number, get your drinks, and then sit wherever you’d like.
We chose the patio, which had two large TVs and a couple Big Ass Fans. (I’m not cursing, that is literally their proper name.)
However, there’s also a HUGE patio area in the back with plentiful seating and cute lights. There’s even a ping pong table.
The whole environment seemed fun and full of life by the time we left around 6:30 on a Wednesday. The bar had MANY options on tap and there was space for plenty of people to spread out. I love it!
The Menu
I’m going to be honest, I did not come here for the pizza. I saw a picture of their Cuban sandwich and saw they had a banh mi (my favorite sandwich across the board) on the menu and THOSE were what I came here for.
So, you can imagine my disappointment when I see the menu on the wall and all of the sandwiches were marked out. The Cuban and Banh Mi weren’t even on it anyway. I asked about them and they aren’t currently selling sandwiches.
Instead, there are some appetizers, pizza of all sorts, and salads.
Their current menu can be found here.
The Food
I’m going to preface this with everything was so good, I can see why they don’t care to focus on sandwiches, when their pizza and appetizers are so perfect.
Raider Roll- $4 (or 2 for $7)
This roll is made like a cinnamon roll, but with savory ingredients. With their fresh made pizza dough, a LOT of butter, plenty of garlic, and fresh herbs, this massive raider roll will be famous. I didn’t even try the marinara, it doesn’t need it. The crispy, buttery crust on the bottom and the gooey middle is full of flavor! If you love butter and garlic, this will be a favorite. I think this is definitely the best deal on the menu as well.
Thai Raider: $11
Description: Mixed greens, spinach, green onions, house picked carrots, edamame, fresh bell pepper, pickled onion, wonton crunchies with a garlic ginger peanut creamy dressing
This salad was very enjoyable. There was nothing too spicy or sweet or sour in it like many Thai salads. It was pretty muted flavor-wise, but very tasty with crisp veggies and a creamy dressing. I don’t know if I would spend $11 on it when it comes with no protein, though.
Pepperoni Pizza (with no cheese): $22
Before I make any other comments, I must say that this is the most perfect crust I have had outside of NYC. In fact, it tasted just like the best pizza I had in NYC. The crust is their house-made dough, aged for 48 hours. They say on their website they have a limit of dough per day. It is perfectly crispy with still having just a bit of chew. With just a few nearly-burnt areas, it was perfection for me.
The only issue I have is I’m paying $22 for this pizza. All pizzas are 18 inches, so they are massive. Though I ask for no cheese. If you want extra cheese, it is $2. Usually, I get a discount or an unspoken addition of extra toppings to make up for not getting the fresh mozzarella and shredded mozarella. I got neither here, not that I asked. I’ll ask next time, because there will be a next time.
The pizza overall was great. The crust is a must! The pepperonis, though not overflowing, are thick and delicious. The rest is in my fridge, in Ziplocs, because the box was too bit to fit in it, covered with extra pepperonis from my stock and ready to be reheated for lunch. I can’t wait for lunch!
Overall
This place is cool. Modern, full of activities, a great bar, fantastic pizza, wonderful outdoor spaces. This is the perfect hang out spot.
They are open for a fantastic looking brunch on Sundays. Does an eggs benedict pizza sound good to you, because it does to me! They are closed Monday and Tuesday. Open for lunch and dinner and the time in-between otherwise.
If you try the place out, let me know what else is a must-try and if they have brought back any sandwiches yet.
