The doctor tells you that to be healthy, you must consume the proper serving of the four basic food groups. Now who has time for this in a rush-rush world? Never fear there is hope for all the busy people. One kind of food exists that enables you to have all the food groups in just one bite. Pizza delivers just what the doctor prescribed and in a tasty way. Talayna’s, at 310 DeBaliviere near the Metro Link station in Forest Park follows the doctor’s orders.

Mike Talayna opened the Talayna’s over 40 years ago, bringing for the first time New York-style pizza to St. Louis. After moving a few times, the restaurant returned to DeBaliviere across the street from where they originally opened. There are a few other locations, but the DeBaliviere location is the only one still owned by Mike Talayna. Talayna’s is reminiscent of a true pizza joint, the dim lighting and the atmosphere gives the feeling of a New York-style eatery.

Talayna’s menu contains a variety of appetizers including toasted ravioli and cheese sticks. The ideal appetizer, though, may simply be the cheese garlic bread ($3.95). The bread offers an abundance of cheese and a smooth garlic taste.

The garlic used was not over-whelming but definitely enough to freshen anyone’s breath. The serving size of just two pieces was the only complaint. The servings were big, but not enough for more than two people to split.

The specialty at Talayna’s is the New York-style pizza, huge slices of New York’s finest covered in cheese and your favorite toppings. Sausage, hamburger, green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, salami, ham, pineapple and more are all available for your palate’s pleasure.

The large New York-style pizza ($13.20) was more than enough for a table to split and bring some home to the dog. Many pizza places serve pizza under a sheet of grease, Talayna’s does not do this.

Instead of wasting your time putting away those extra calories, you can concentrate on eating. Besides the New York, other styles that are available include the Chicago deep dish and the St. Louis thin crust.

Talayna’s also offers a few pizzas where the eater can walk away with money in his or her pocket. The Brooklyn N.Y. giant ($24.95) is a 24-inch pizza with thick dough covered in mozzarella cheese. If someone eats the whole thing in under a hour, he will walk away with $2,500. This could be a great way to earn tuition reimbursement, especially with the rise in cost for Saint Louis University.

The other special is the immense New York Manhattan, a 20-inch pie with semi-thick dough. The person who finishes this bad boy will receive a $30 gift certificate.

Besides pizza, Talayna’s menu includes a variety of pastas, steaks, salads, chicken and more. The only problem with the menu is the short selection of healthy or low fat menu items. However the dieter or vegetarian need a few more selections.

A wise decision for the pasta lover is the cannelloni ($8.45). Cannelloni is a large tubular shaped noodle filled with three kinds of meat, baked in a meat sauce and then served with a cream sauce and cheese on top.

The cannelloni occupied the whole plate and is definitely larger then anything served at Pasta House Co. It did have a nice Italian flavor, but the easily-observable grease on top of the cheese failed to enhance the meal. You can credit the cheese for the grease that covers the cannelloni.

The dessert menu at Talayna’s includes New York-style cheesecake, chocolate temptation cake, sherbet and sundaes. Besides desserts, a full-scale bar is available with a couple of signature drinks to accompany the dinner. A variety of non-alcoholic specialty chillers ($3.75) is also available.

The service at Talayna’s was pretty good. The water glasses remained full and the staff met every need of the diner. The only problem arose when the kitchen made a mistake on the type of crust, but the server rectified the situation before delivering the pizza. This added a few minutes to the wait, but hardly interfered with an enjoyable meal.

Talayna’s is worthy of a try, especially if you are tired of the St. Louis-style thin crust. It is also a great place to go for lunch or dinner, after spending the day in nearby Forest Park.

Nothing makes the stomach hungrier then spending hours in a museum. Talayna’s prices are fair, but after eating dorm food for weeks, good food is priceless and where else can you get all your food groups in one dish?