Steve Anderson said dry willow works best in the wood-fired oven of the pizzeria he opened recently in Dalton City.

Anderson and K.C. O’Connor run “The Klondike,” a dinner restaurant in the saloon at the state fairgrounds. It’s open 5 to 9 p.m. every day and for lunch Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays and on farmers’ market Saturdays. For take-out, call 766-3700.

Three pizzas at a time cook besides the fire in the dome-shaped Fogazzo oven that has concrete walls and a brick floor. The temperature in the four-foot-diameter oven reaches 600 F, said Anderson, a cook with 30 year’s experience who opened a similar operation in a Colorado brew pub.

Pizza cooks from the top through convection and from direct heat underneath, while the fire makes for crispy crust, Anderson said.

The restaurant offers six varieties of 14-inch pies including “Sofia” (red sauce and mozzarella), “Bianco” (pesto, spinach and carmelized onion), “Klondike” (red sauce, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, cheese), “Aphrodite” (pesto, sundried tomato, roast peppers, olives, mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts), “Yardbird” (barbecued chicken, jalapenos, red sauce, carmelized onion, mozzarella) and “Steve’s” (potato, pesto, carmelized onion, bacon).

Appetizers include chicken satays, fried calamari, olive caponata, hummus and three varieties of salads for $7: Sadie’s (with spring mix), Caesar and Spinach.

O’Connor said the first month of operation brought a lot of public support for the business. “Our menu is simple but it gives you a lot to choose from. We also like the value we have to offer.” There’s outside seating on the deck overlooking the fair horseshoe pits.

The couple has applied for a license to serve beer and wine with meals, and is collecting required signatures from residents in a one-mile radius of the building. Anderson said he’s hoping to keep the place open through winter, possibly with delivery service.

“I’m going to bank on to-go orders, once October and November roll around. Hopefully somebody will come out. We’ll see.”

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