To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

When Notty’s founder Chris Ewing was exploring the idea of how to tap into a relatively non-existent market of Italian fast food, he came up with the concept of an Italian burrito. After about two years of perfecting the method, he opened the first location in Zephyr Cove and one of their best-selling options just happens to be this week’s feature.

With Notty’s, you must start with the dough. Made fresh in-house every day, it’s a balancing act to be durable enough to hold in all the ingredients yet thin enough to retain its crispiness through the six-minute air fryer cook.

With the dough rolled out, the Firehouse Notty is topped with their scratch made red sauce, pepperoni, sausage, jalapenos, habo sauce (their own concoction you can also purchase separately), mozzarella cheese, and a little hint of crushed red pepper. Once rolled up, it also gets a small dollop of shredded cheese added to the top, which caramelizes during the cook to add an extra layer of flavor.

The dough is light and airy (unlike what you might compare it to in a calzone which typically yields a thicker shell) and you never get a bite that feels heavy. The spiciness level is right where I like it: enough to start creeping, but never to the point where it gets uncomfortable.

The habo sauce is legitimately delicious and I may need to just start up an auto order of it every month. Combined with the deep, rich layers of the red sauce, they are the perfect complement to each other. And pepperoni and sausage have been BFFs for years, so it’s no wonder why this dish shines. Just thinking about it has me contemplating what I’ll try on my next trip.

Notty’s Italian Burrito is located at 212 Elks Point Rd. Ste 107 in Zephyr Cove. For complete menu offerings and general information visit them online at nottysburrito.com or reach them by phone at 775-580-7166.