Pizza joint pays homage to Oak Harbor classic

A new restaurant has erupted in downtown Oak Harbor, but to many locals, John Youngsman Sr.’s pizzas are a long-awaited comeback.

About five years after Louie-G’s Pizza restaurant shut its doors, John Sr.’s son, Jason, took the opportunity to purchase the Oak Harbor Cafe and Lounge on Pioneer Way and transform it into “Lava Louie’s Pizza.”

The restaurant and bar opened on Jan. 1. Though Jason replaced “Louie-G” with “Louie’s” to better fit with “lava,” the name pays homage to his father’s brand of pizza, which was sold at different bowling alleys, including Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Lynnwood, until he opened his own restaurant on Pioneer Way back in 2013.

“Lava” was inherited from “Lava Lounge,” a nightclub that Jason and his brother John Jr. owned between 2008 and 2011 in the building that now hosts Tasty India.

While many offerings have changed, Jason remained loyal to his father’s pizza recipe made with homemade dough, which John Sr. perfected in 1990. Customers can choose between a thick crust and a thin crust pizza, with gluten-free options available as well and sizes ranging between 8 and 16 inches.

Manager Carla Rivera’s top pizza pick is the Notorious P.I.G., which has Canadian bacon, pepperoni and sausage.

Jason and John Jr. used to work for their father’s business. Now, John Jr. is in charge of Lava’s marketing and entertainment, occasionally DJing and serving as Jason’s “sanity keeper,” as Jason joked.

John Jr.’s top pick is the calzone, made with dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta cheese and up to three toppings. He recommends requesting pepperoni, sausage and jalapeno.

Calzones are a dish John Sr., a “purist,” chose not to make as he preferred to stick to a more traditional pizza, a recipe he learned from an expert from New York back when he managed Oak Bowl & Mario’s Pizza over three decades ago.

Now, John Sr. — who is one week away from turning 80 — likes to swing by the business and enjoy some free coffee, happy to see his sons continue his legacy.

Even when he’s not there, Jason often feels his presence when he’s making a pizza.

“If I feel like I’m not making it right, I just envision my dad standing over my shoulder, pointing his finger at me telling me to do it again,” Jason said.

Other offerings include wraps, salads, sandwiches, pasta, burgers, chicken strips, fish and chips, wings, garlic knots and grinders. The garlic knots consist of dough tied in a knot, brushed with garlic butter and topped with parmesan cheese. The grinders are oven-baked sandwiches made with fresh dough, which are ideal for those craving some big bites.

Jason’s favorite grinder is The Whidbey, which comes with Canadian bacon, mozzarella, sausage, lettuce, tomato, mayo and Italian dressing.

The bar is a place where people can gather to watch sports or challenge each other to a game of pool. According to Carla, the most popular drink is the Dragon Fruit Paloma, which is a spin on the original Paloma with the addition of dragon fruit and some lavender sugar around the rim.

“It almost tastes like a popsicle,” she said.

Lava Louie’s is also working on a new drink, the Whidbey Island Iced Tea, which is a spin on a Long Island Iced Tea with peanut butter whiskey.

Since it made its debut six months ago, lava Louie’s has been going all in to create a space where people of all ages can have fun and eat a good meal. This summer, Jason plans to revamp the beer garden outside, which is also the business’ dog-friendly area.

The restaurant has been hosting weekly video game tournaments, live music, dance parties and family-friendly trivia nights. Pizza is offered at half price on Mondays, while children eat for free for every adult entree on Tuesdays. On “Wing it Wednesday,” wings are offered at $0.75 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

To learn more about Lava Louie’s offerings and events, visit lavalouies.com.

“Let us do the cooking,” Jason likes to say, much to his brother’s frustration — although some pizza enthusiasts don’t mind a little extra cheesiness.

Photo by Luisa Loi John Youngsman Jr. presents a reporter’s pepperoni pizza.

Photo by Luisa Loi Jason Youngsman, owner of Lava Louie’s, is about to place a reporter’s pizza in a conveyor oven. Youngsman’s pizza follows his father’s pizza recipe that is over 30 years old.