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Jun. 3rd, 2008 11:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chouchootportland pizza reviews: a pizza pie tour of PDX (part one)
bella faccia pizzeria. my resident "first favorite" pizzeria in portland, perfectly located just a few blocks away from my house. having access to pizza is one of the unspoken guidelines of any new residence, so i was delighted to enjoy this one. with pizza by the slice (including vegan slices, loaded with roasted garlic, peppers and tempe), garlic knots that are, like the menu boasts, "worth the wait," pretty girls, and decent music, i had no complaints intially. the pizza (my textbook "perfect" pizza: thin-but-not-dry crust, minimal sauce, good quality cheese, garlic & olive oil) has, recently, been lackluster: like a really-good-thing being mimicked by a novice. i'm not willing to write them off, but i have taken a brief hiatus. grade: gone down from an A to B. better look into extra credit.
hot lips pizza. this is what i consider my "last resort" pizza stop. it's close, it's fast, it's fine, it's better than pizza hut. there is nothing i particularly like or dislike about the pizza (and i do really respect their creative flare, like asparagus & shiitake mushroom). but the crust, cheese, sauce are all very average, and the ratio of the three isn't my preference. their custom real fruit sodas are fantastic, though. grade: C. you know, passing.
apizza scholls. i will always remember the day: may 8, 2008. that was when i first experienced apizza scholls, after a 30-40 minute wait and much conversation/anticipation. unique (as in, not quite like any pizza you've ever tasted) and exquisite pizza is sold only by the pie, dine-in only, until they run out of dough. it's no wonder this family-owned and operated business is famous for it's line outside of their SE hawthorne building. the tartufo bianca pizza with truffle oil was without flaw, and the 'margo'rita was pretty terrific too. the most amazing part of the pizza (other than the fact i could get on board with the deliberately-charred crust) was the obvious quality of the incredible ingredients used: everything is fresh, nothing is frozen. grade: A+.
pizza schmizza. another local chain to the pacific northwest. the pizzas are creative and pretty tasty, though they fall victim to a slight hint of a mass-produced palette. the atmosphere for the two locations i've frequented (NE broadway and in the NW) are both fun and eclectic (like a cross between the bubble room and a subdued pee wee's house). i've sampled several pizzas (thanks mostly to "buy one slice get one free" coupons) and they're all pretty decent. nothing to write home about, but you know, i guess something to blog about. grade: B-. meets expectations.
upcoming pizza reviews: give pizza a chance, al forno ferruzza, and any place you fine folks might recommend in the portland-area.
bella faccia pizzeria. my resident "first favorite" pizzeria in portland, perfectly located just a few blocks away from my house. having access to pizza is one of the unspoken guidelines of any new residence, so i was delighted to enjoy this one. with pizza by the slice (including vegan slices, loaded with roasted garlic, peppers and tempe), garlic knots that are, like the menu boasts, "worth the wait," pretty girls, and decent music, i had no complaints intially. the pizza (my textbook "perfect" pizza: thin-but-not-dry crust, minimal sauce, good quality cheese, garlic & olive oil) has, recently, been lackluster: like a really-good-thing being mimicked by a novice. i'm not willing to write them off, but i have taken a brief hiatus. grade: gone down from an A to B. better look into extra credit.
hot lips pizza. this is what i consider my "last resort" pizza stop. it's close, it's fast, it's fine, it's better than pizza hut. there is nothing i particularly like or dislike about the pizza (and i do really respect their creative flare, like asparagus & shiitake mushroom). but the crust, cheese, sauce are all very average, and the ratio of the three isn't my preference. their custom real fruit sodas are fantastic, though. grade: C. you know, passing.
apizza scholls. i will always remember the day: may 8, 2008. that was when i first experienced apizza scholls, after a 30-40 minute wait and much conversation/anticipation. unique (as in, not quite like any pizza you've ever tasted) and exquisite pizza is sold only by the pie, dine-in only, until they run out of dough. it's no wonder this family-owned and operated business is famous for it's line outside of their SE hawthorne building. the tartufo bianca pizza with truffle oil was without flaw, and the 'margo'rita was pretty terrific too. the most amazing part of the pizza (other than the fact i could get on board with the deliberately-charred crust) was the obvious quality of the incredible ingredients used: everything is fresh, nothing is frozen. grade: A+.
pizza schmizza. another local chain to the pacific northwest. the pizzas are creative and pretty tasty, though they fall victim to a slight hint of a mass-produced palette. the atmosphere for the two locations i've frequented (NE broadway and in the NW) are both fun and eclectic (like a cross between the bubble room and a subdued pee wee's house). i've sampled several pizzas (thanks mostly to "buy one slice get one free" coupons) and they're all pretty decent. nothing to write home about, but you know, i guess something to blog about. grade: B-. meets expectations.
upcoming pizza reviews: give pizza a chance, al forno ferruzza, and any place you fine folks might recommend in the portland-area.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 07:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 07:29 pm (UTC)this is the next place i want to try. i have yet to go, but it gets compared to apizza scholls a lot.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 08:10 pm (UTC)Also I like the sauce at Ken's better, but Apizza Scholls has the better dough, obviously. Ken's tens to be much more seasonal with their ingredients and app plates - they switch up every couple weeks it seems. Which I love, because there's something new everytime AND it's always super fresh.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-04 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 08:06 pm (UTC)Ken's is just as good if not better than Apizza Scholls, IMHO. Also a long wait, but plenty of places to go for a drink (noble rot or navarre for wine, beulahland, etc.) around there. They actually have better apps so we like to get one pizza (which are smaller than normal) and a couple of the plates. they usually have a really good vegetable plate with 3 different types of seasonal veggies, and I think a good meats plate (if you're into that sort of thing). I think we also have been known to split 2 pizzas and one veggie plate between 2 of us with about 2-3 slices of leftover pizza. OR get 2 pizzas and a couple apps for 3 people, etc.
I hate Pizza Schmizza, I feel like they could be the 'alternative' pizza place in AnyTown USA. Hot Lips is over the top with their 'creative' ingredients but I appreciate they way they source the food, use electric delivery vehicles, etc.
Old Town is the place to go for local alterna-teens to make out, get hopped up on Dr. Pepper and eat pizza.
Apparently NE MLK between Dekum and Alberta is the new pizza nexus. The place on MLK whose name I forget - sucks. Old Town Pizza has a new outpost on MLK as well. Good Neighbor Pizza - allegedly pretty spendy for what it is (family style, I"m assuming on par with Bella Faccie, Pizza A Go Go etc.) Jason's new restaurant is going to be at Dekum and 8th opening last week of June. It's going to be excellent (if I do say so myself)...
http://firehousepdx.googlepages.com/firehouse
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 10:33 pm (UTC)i haven't done old town mostly for tourist-value.
i am VERY excited about ken's. and pizza a go-go (i read a review of that one before i moved but forgot all about it!). i'm off N vancouver pretty often and i don't remember seeing it, though. weird.
and i will definitely patron jasno's pizza place! i didn't even know that's what he did/is going to do/etc!
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 08:11 pm (UTC)also, apparently escape from ny in NW has the best NY-style pizza in portland, but i have yet to try it.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 11:09 pm (UTC)Dan and I are constantly on the search for the perfect pizza near us. We finally found one, I just hope it stays consistent. So far we've lucked out twice. I have the same requirements as you: thin crust, minimal sauce, cheese, garlic and oil.
If you HAD to go with a chain, what would you order? I think Hungry Howies for me.
Wait until you have pizza in Italy!
no subject
Date: 2008-06-03 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-04 01:01 am (UTC)Hot Lips has really great pizza too, you just have to find the right combination. My favourite is squash sauce (no cheese since I'm vegan), broccoli, pear, red onion, roasted garlic and sometimes olives. If that sounds at all appealing to you I really hope you love it!
I never tried pizza from those other places. I know that I don't like Pizzicato, and It's a Beautiful Pizza in SE on Belmont is really good but still nothing compared to Hot Lips or bella faccia pizzeria.
Annnnnd now I'm drooling.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-04 07:23 am (UTC)