Full disclosure: I was a bit hesitant to walk into this unassuming pizzeria as I drove on south center street. Tony's pizza didn't look very appealing from the outside but, as a foodie, I realize the best food is found in the smallest holes in the wall.

It was a small space and, as I walked in, a familiar smell hit my nose. We just returned from Mexico and visited a lot of tiny taquerias where we had fabulous food. This tiny little joint had the same smell. It didn't smell like a pizzeria. A telanovela was playing really loud on the television close to the ceiling.

I found a few empty tables in the space and a very friendly looking lady behind the counter. She informed me the pizzeria was changing hands — it is now known as Alex's Pizza.

The hot case didn't look very appetizing with a plain and pepperoni pie. I asked for a slice each ($2) and turned my attention to the hot food to the right. I walked over and looked at trays filled with ground beef, pork chops, two kinds of chicken, yellow rice with beans and white rice. It smelled amazing. After asking and coaxing the friendly lady to choose one meat, she suggested the chicken in the tomato gravy. I ordered that with the yellow rice and beans ($4).

While waiting for the food, I looked over the menu and noticed all the usual suspects were on there including, calzones, pasta, salads, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches.

I brought the food home and my car smelled amazing on the way home. I couldn't wait to open the Spanish container.

The pizza slices were adequate. The plain one was spiced well but the sauce tasted out of a can — it had a chemical-like taste. The crust was actually light and airy — it reminded me of a loaf of bread, which is a good thing but it also had a strange taste to it, which is not so good.

The pepperoni slices looked a bit strange on the other slice. Instead of having a deep red color, they looked pink. I was a bit skeptical about tasting it … I was right — it tasted strange with a chemical flavor.

I found myself looking over to the Spanish food. The chicken was falling off the bone, which was good, but it also had the loose skin all over, which was not so good. I took a bite and enjoyed the flavorful meat. It was well spiced and quite good. The yellow rice was well made and not over cooked and the black beans were tender.

I wouldn't go back for the pizza, but look forward to the Spanish food.

Rating: O (one orange)