Midici, Maitland - Closed

I had lunch at this Neapolitan pizza chain (from California I believe) on Sunday. It is probably the best of the "chains" and damn good in it's own right. They serve thin crust pizza, calzone, salad, dessert and some small plates. That is where they really distance themselves from the competition. I had their house made meatballs for $7 and they (2) were very good. A meal in themselves. They seemed hand ground. I believe them to be baked and stewed in sauce. They were served in a bowl with a meat sauce. Topped with a dollop of mozzarella and two slices of grilled bread with drizzles of olive oil and balsamic. Very clean flavors. The meatballs are golf ball size. They also offer a meat or cheese board ($11), burrata caprese ($9), burrata with melon and prosciutto ($11) and garlic bread ($4). The salads (6) are around $10. The calzones too. I also had a Margherita pizza ($10) on the house thanks to a coupon they gave me when I stopped by before the opened. It was very good. Plate sized. Thin. Nice chew. Subtle char. Cooked in a wood burning oven. Plain, fresh tomato sauce. Gumballs of mozzarella. They could make the mozz fresher, but, at least they had decent coverage. They have a lot of toppings (some like truffle cream are unique) to offer. The top "pre-determined" pizza costs $15. They also sell wine and beer. The place looks nicer than the competition. They had an olive tree planted in the middle of the space. The back wall houses the big, round, white and ceramic wood fire oven and the display area and the register behind glass. You order. They serve. The soda/napkin area is also smartly dome. Loads of hot pepper. parmesan, etc containers are next to the straws, etc and pizza boxes if you can't finish. The seating area is modern and clean. White backdrop with black accents. It seats about forty. There were around ten people there before noon and it was filling up as time went on. All families. They are in a new development across from the McDonald's near the intersection of 17-92 (S Orlando) and Lake Howell (I think that's it). Near Francesco's. They have been open for around a month. I was first intrigued. Then wary (after I found out it was a chain). And now satisfied. If it was in my 'hood, I would be here once a week. I have something in my notes that looks like "chandelier". It may have one of those.