Just in time for graduation, summer pool parties and pre-baseball game celebrations, Domino’s Pizza has stepped up to the plate with a new menu of gourmet pizzas, sandwiches and pasta bowls.

Speaking of great American pastimes, the new pizzas are called American Legends and pay homage to some of the tastes made famous by American cities. From the east shores to the west, to hula skirts and freedom bells and even as close as Elvis’ home, these pizzas are creative and tasty.

With summer pool parties on my mind, I ordered the Pacific veggie. I chose the thin crust and this pizza rivaled any pizza I’ve ordered from a more famous kitchen with California’s namesake that would surely cost twice as much as the special priced, $10 medium I received. It was full of spinach, tomatoes (lots of ripe, fresh, deep red tomatoes), roasted red peppers, onions, black olives and mushrooms with feta, mozzarella and provolone cheeses on a cheesy parmesan crust. Nothing was sparse about this pizza – ingredients were abundant and flavorful.

The other new pizzas include two chicken pizzas, hot Buffalo chicken from the great state of New York and Memphis BBQ chicken made famous by its Southern roots. The freedom bell rings with a Philly cheese steak pizza and warm tropical breezes will surely come your way if you order the Honolulu Hawaiian with ham, bacon, pineapple and roasted red peppers. The group rounds out with another California treat, Cali chicken bacon ranch.

Four new toasted sandwiches on the menu include a chicken parm, Philly cheese steak, chicken bacon ranch, veggie and Italian. I ordered the chicken parmesan. The bread was lightly toasted in all the right places, then soft and chewy when I bit into it. I’m still not sure how they did it. I kept looking at it as if it were some kind of foreign entity. I’ve had bruschetta at finer restaurants, but never at a sandwich place for under $5. In my experience, “toasted” bread can be soggy from the sandwich ingredients if it is under toasted, but also over toasted so that when I bite into it, it actually injures my mouth!

As I said, the bread was soft, yet toasted, the marinara sauce light and flavorful and the chicken tender (not breaded like most chicken parmesan). The added bonus of basil, as well as asiago and provolone cheeses, made it very palatable indeed.

Finally, what had prompted me to review Domino’s this week in the first place: the bread bowl pastas. Yes, it’s a lot of carbs at one sitting, unless you order the pasta primavera, which I did. This bowl was full of fresh (not over cooked) spinach, diced tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, mixed with just a sparse showing of penne pasta and then the bread bowl for dipping and eating. It was a unique and fun treat.

I also ordered the chicken carbonara pasta bowl and this had a more abundant amount of chicken and penne pasta, as well as bacon, onions and mushrooms in a creamy alfredo sauce. If you really have the luxury of carbing out, I suggest the three cheese mac-n-cheese bowl. The others included an Italian sausage marinara and a chicken alfredo bowl, or you can build your own with your choice of sauce and ingredients!

Of course, Domino’s still has all the old favorites and pizza fests, but this day was reserved for the new. I stopped in at the Scottsville Road store on my way home, and by the time I hit Plano market, my car smelled like the finest New York pizzeria and the tastes my family experienced backed it up – like nobody’s business (said with a Marlon Brando, “The Godfather” accent). I highly recommend you give it a try and enjoy!

— Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com.

Domino’s Pizza

3901 Scottsville Road

• 781-1000

Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Cuisine: Italian

Price range: $4.99 to $15.99 (for new items mentioned)

Specialties: Pizza, pasta

Libation situation: None

Smoking: No