I hadn't spoken to my friend Ashley in many months until very recently. We each developed a secret grudge against the other, angry that the other one had not made contact. This didn't come out until very recently when we found ourselves taking the same class. She pulled me aside at the break time and asked me what the hell I thought I was doing, ignoring her for so long. Comedy ensued.
During the conversation, Ashley reminded me that I had not updated the barbecue chicken pizza blog in months. She was not the only person to mention that recently, so I decided it was time. I had several of these pizzas over the summer but hadn't been writing them up! I didn't know that anyone had noticed.
It has returned.
The Location
I met up with Ashley at the Willimantic Brewing Company, also known as the Willibrew, to catch up over drinks. We had a great time, chatted about life and graduate school and dating and marriage. I decided while I was there that I just HAD to get the barbecue pulled pork flatbread pizza. I did review another Willibrew flatbread last year and, as I remember, it was not all that great. I decided to give them another chance.
The Pizza
This pizza was built like a lot of other flatbreads. It had a generic, premade crust, lots of bbq sauce and pork and cheese. It also had onions and maybe a few other tidbits of flavor tossed on top. The cheese was salty and tasty, the crust was MUCH better on this pizza than it had been in the past. I don't know how, but they made the crust feel like it was integrated into the overall pizza, rather than a separate entity with toppings plopped on top.
The Pork
I was really impressed by the pulled pork. They cooked it just right, put it on there in delicious gobs and smothered it with Willibrews own beer-b-cue sauce. For future reference, oh culinary fans, that very same pulled pork can be added to the Willibrew's famous nachos. I highly recommend it.
The Sauce and the Taste
I already sung the praises of the sauce. It worked. It was sweet and smoky and salty and worked with the onions and the cheese really well. All together, I liked the flavor a lot.
Overall
I'm not going to give this pizza an A. I still can't embrace the premade crusts, even if it is integrated with tasty toppings. I will go as close as I can, though, with a B+. This is a solid pizza and makes for a great snack when you are out for a night at the pub.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Midway Pizza (B-)
Location
Kiley warned me that in Pawcatuck, CT and Westery, RI there is not a lot of food to be found at night. I insisted that there must be a pizza joint open, since it was only 830. She shook her head, but opened her laptop and began to investigate. We settled for Midway Pizza which was located just over the river in Westerly. When we arrived at 8:50, the woman behind the counter asked (half yelling) "Did you order two small pizzas?" "Yes." "Good! I wanna get out of here." We purchased our pizzas and they shut the door behind us.
Just for the record, this was a Saturday night.
The Pizza
I decided to order the buffalo chicken pizza with bleu cheese. Midway makes thick crust pizzas, heaped with bread and cheese. The crust was tasty, as was the cheese.
The Chicken
Generic chicken chunks, but not too chewy. Decent.
The Flavor and the Taste
I think that they used a generic buffalo sauce, but I cannot complain. It was delicious. There wasn't a lot of bleu cheese on the pizza--just enough to give it a rich, salty taste. What this pizza was lacking was vegetables. It could have used onions or broccoli or...something, I don't know.
Overall
I wasn't wowwed by this pizza, but it was tasty and I would definitely eat it again.
Kiley warned me that in Pawcatuck, CT and Westery, RI there is not a lot of food to be found at night. I insisted that there must be a pizza joint open, since it was only 830. She shook her head, but opened her laptop and began to investigate. We settled for Midway Pizza which was located just over the river in Westerly. When we arrived at 8:50, the woman behind the counter asked (half yelling) "Did you order two small pizzas?" "Yes." "Good! I wanna get out of here." We purchased our pizzas and they shut the door behind us.
Just for the record, this was a Saturday night.
The Pizza
I decided to order the buffalo chicken pizza with bleu cheese. Midway makes thick crust pizzas, heaped with bread and cheese. The crust was tasty, as was the cheese.
The Chicken
Generic chicken chunks, but not too chewy. Decent.
The Flavor and the Taste
I think that they used a generic buffalo sauce, but I cannot complain. It was delicious. There wasn't a lot of bleu cheese on the pizza--just enough to give it a rich, salty taste. What this pizza was lacking was vegetables. It could have used onions or broccoli or...something, I don't know.
Overall
I wasn't wowwed by this pizza, but it was tasty and I would definitely eat it again.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Husky Pizza (Chicken Bacon Ranch) (C+)
My friend brought me another pizza, along with the barbecue chicken. I thought it deserved a separate review because this pizza was somewhat better than the first.
The Location
Husky Pizza is named after the UConn mascot: The Husky. Or: The Huskies. Or: Huskies. Who the fuck knows what it actually is. All I know is that there are damned cartoon snow dogs printed on everything.
The Pizza
No red sauce, all ranch dressing. Bacon and chicken on top. Same decent crust, same decent cheese.
The Chicken
Same ok chicken from the BBQ chicken.
The Sauce and the Taste
What made this pizza work was the ranch dressing. It got a nice, potent salty flavor that I enjoyed. Now, I would have put broccoli on this bad mother...probably some other kind of seasoning. There was definitely garlic salt on the crust, which was a welcome addition.
Overall
This pizza worked better than the BBQ chicken, but was still a big disappointment. It just didn't have any pizzazz, gumption, chutzpah or any other kind of oomph.
The Location
Husky Pizza is named after the UConn mascot: The Husky. Or: The Huskies. Or: Huskies. Who the fuck knows what it actually is. All I know is that there are damned cartoon snow dogs printed on everything.
The Pizza
No red sauce, all ranch dressing. Bacon and chicken on top. Same decent crust, same decent cheese.
The Chicken
Same ok chicken from the BBQ chicken.
The Sauce and the Taste
What made this pizza work was the ranch dressing. It got a nice, potent salty flavor that I enjoyed. Now, I would have put broccoli on this bad mother...probably some other kind of seasoning. There was definitely garlic salt on the crust, which was a welcome addition.
Overall
This pizza worked better than the BBQ chicken, but was still a big disappointment. It just didn't have any pizzazz, gumption, chutzpah or any other kind of oomph.
Husky Pizza (C-)
This BBQ chicken pizza was brought over by a nice girl who wanted to help a brother out while he was too busy working to cook for himself. You can't say no to that!
The Location
Husky Pizza is located across the street from the UConn campus. I had not eaten there, until today, because nobody ever recommended it...or said anything about it at all. It was just there in the background.
The Pizza
The crust was ok, the cheese was fine. Their BBQ chicken came topped with tomatoes and onions in addition to sauce and chicken.
The Chicken
Was chunks...cooked...it tasted fine.
The Sauce and the Taste
There was sauce on this pizza. I can tell because some areas of the surface were stickier than others. Really, I can't comment on the taste because this pizza had no taste. It was blander than bland. I don't know how you could make or purchase barbecue sauce with such little flavor. I didn't know such sauce existed. It was unseasoned, unsalted, uneverythinged.
Overall
There was nothing bad about this pizza. And by that I mean that there was no single, off-putting element. However, it was a pointless, flavorless mass.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Tony's Pizza (C-)
Location
I don't really know. I was on a date and we were tired so we just picked a place and ordered delivery. It's in willimantic.
The Pizza
Tony's makes deep dish pizza and I have had their basic pepperoni before--which was good. The cheese is piled deep and the crust is really delicious. What was curious about this pizza was that the chicken and barbecue sauce were all underneath the cheese. It was like a giant hot pocket with bbq chicken inside and the top layer was cheese instead of bread. That's a silly analogy. It was like an envelope. No. That's not right, either. Fuck it, the meat was all inside.
The Meat
Was chewy chunks of leftover or frozen chicken. Bleh.
The Sauce and the Taste
Were not good.
Overall
I think that Tony's makes good pizzas in general, but they just completely missed the boat on the BBQ chicken. We also got a meat lover's pizza which was pretty good--except for the leftoverish quality of some of the meats. I think that Tony just needs to go talk to Fred of Fred's Brick House Cafe about the importance of fresh toppings. If you are looking for a thick pepperoni pizza that is delicious, go to Tony's. If you want anything else...go to Fred's.
I don't really know. I was on a date and we were tired so we just picked a place and ordered delivery. It's in willimantic.
The Pizza
Tony's makes deep dish pizza and I have had their basic pepperoni before--which was good. The cheese is piled deep and the crust is really delicious. What was curious about this pizza was that the chicken and barbecue sauce were all underneath the cheese. It was like a giant hot pocket with bbq chicken inside and the top layer was cheese instead of bread. That's a silly analogy. It was like an envelope. No. That's not right, either. Fuck it, the meat was all inside.
The Meat
Was chewy chunks of leftover or frozen chicken. Bleh.
The Sauce and the Taste
Were not good.
Overall
I think that Tony's makes good pizzas in general, but they just completely missed the boat on the BBQ chicken. We also got a meat lover's pizza which was pretty good--except for the leftoverish quality of some of the meats. I think that Tony just needs to go talk to Fred of Fred's Brick House Cafe about the importance of fresh toppings. If you are looking for a thick pepperoni pizza that is delicious, go to Tony's. If you want anything else...go to Fred's.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Wolfgang Puck Express (B+)
Location
You're never going to believe this, but one of the best pizzas I have had is at the Wolfgang Pizza Express station in the B terminal of O'hare international airport in Chicago. I had a 35 minute layover and desperately needed some food. I stopped and was happy to find a BBQ chicken pizza on the overhead menu. The precooked pizzas are flash fired in a woodfire oven and then slid into a to go box before your credit card receipt pops out. Needless to say, I was a little leery. I was also starving.
The Pizza
...was delicious. The crust was fantastic and the cheese was actually pretty high quality. It was a small pizza, but pretty impressive for fast food. It had chicken, sauce, onions, another ingredient I'm forgetting and cilantro. More on that in a minute.
The Chicken
The meat on this pizza was chunk chicken, probably from frozen. However, it was not chewy or squishy, so I was satisfied.
The Sauce and the Taste
The sauce was really delicious and I was just annoyed that there wasn't more of it on the pizza. The taste overall, I have to say, was brilliant. The cilantro is a move that no other pizza place has tried and it was a smashing success. The cilantro complimented the barbecue sauce and the onions and made it aromatic. Seriously, the secret to good bbq chicken pizza is cilantro. Who would have guessed?
Overall
Delicious. Even more so considering it was cooked by a minimum wage goon at a food court. I mean, the cilantro must have been Wolfgang's decision, but still. I was really satisfied. I ate the whole thing with 5 minutes to spare before boarding.
You're never going to believe this, but one of the best pizzas I have had is at the Wolfgang Pizza Express station in the B terminal of O'hare international airport in Chicago. I had a 35 minute layover and desperately needed some food. I stopped and was happy to find a BBQ chicken pizza on the overhead menu. The precooked pizzas are flash fired in a woodfire oven and then slid into a to go box before your credit card receipt pops out. Needless to say, I was a little leery. I was also starving.
The Pizza
...was delicious. The crust was fantastic and the cheese was actually pretty high quality. It was a small pizza, but pretty impressive for fast food. It had chicken, sauce, onions, another ingredient I'm forgetting and cilantro. More on that in a minute.
The Chicken
The meat on this pizza was chunk chicken, probably from frozen. However, it was not chewy or squishy, so I was satisfied.
The Sauce and the Taste
The sauce was really delicious and I was just annoyed that there wasn't more of it on the pizza. The taste overall, I have to say, was brilliant. The cilantro is a move that no other pizza place has tried and it was a smashing success. The cilantro complimented the barbecue sauce and the onions and made it aromatic. Seriously, the secret to good bbq chicken pizza is cilantro. Who would have guessed?
Overall
Delicious. Even more so considering it was cooked by a minimum wage goon at a food court. I mean, the cilantro must have been Wolfgang's decision, but still. I was really satisfied. I ate the whole thing with 5 minutes to spare before boarding.
Fred's Brick House Cafe (The Big Glen) (A+)
Location
Fred's Brick House Cafe is an odd combination of brick oven pizza, barbecue, sandwiches and live music. Yeah, you heard that. Fred's has live, local music almost every single night of the week. To be honest, I think that is the only think I don't like about the place. The live music is just too loud to be able to enjoy conversation over beer and pizza.
The Pizza
I ordered the "Big Glen" pizza for obvious reasons. I mean, I'd have to, right? This description comes from the online menu: BIG GLEN - spinach, tomato, onion, gorgonzola, bacon, chicken, creamy garlic. I read that and thought "yes, if I were a pizza, I would be this one." The big glen is a white pizza on Fred's great woodfire cooked crust.
The Chicken
Ok, so here's what they do, and this is fucking brilliant. At Fred's they use shredded chicken, but then the clumps are chopped into smaller pieces. When I make shredded chicken at home, I just shred the chicken and the meat forms some long strips and I just use that. Here they make it bite size, which is what everyone should do with pizza toppings. Who enjoys it when you take a bite of pizza and then half the toppings slide off because you just snagged a big green pepper ring? The answer is nobody because it's unpleasant and you can actually get burned that way.
The Sauce and the Taste
This pizza did not have barbecue sauce, but the creamy garlic sauce was tasty and worked very, very well with the gorgonzola and onions and bacon. This was a very potent and flavorful pizza. It had all sorts of salty toppings, but I have to say that it didn't end up being too salty for me. The onions and spinach and broccoli were neutral-to-sweet ingredients that provided good balance. Also, broccoli has the amazing effect of absorbing flavors.
Overall
One of the best pizzas that I've ever had. My co-eater, Kiley, ordered a pizza with eggplant that was really fantastic. I recommend Fred's Brick House Cafe to anyone interested in good pizza. You can expect more reviews of their other chicken pizzas in the future.
Fred's Brick House Cafe is an odd combination of brick oven pizza, barbecue, sandwiches and live music. Yeah, you heard that. Fred's has live, local music almost every single night of the week. To be honest, I think that is the only think I don't like about the place. The live music is just too loud to be able to enjoy conversation over beer and pizza.
The Pizza
I ordered the "Big Glen" pizza for obvious reasons. I mean, I'd have to, right? This description comes from the online menu: BIG GLEN - spinach, tomato, onion, gorgonzola, bacon, chicken, creamy garlic. I read that and thought "yes, if I were a pizza, I would be this one." The big glen is a white pizza on Fred's great woodfire cooked crust.
The Chicken
Ok, so here's what they do, and this is fucking brilliant. At Fred's they use shredded chicken, but then the clumps are chopped into smaller pieces. When I make shredded chicken at home, I just shred the chicken and the meat forms some long strips and I just use that. Here they make it bite size, which is what everyone should do with pizza toppings. Who enjoys it when you take a bite of pizza and then half the toppings slide off because you just snagged a big green pepper ring? The answer is nobody because it's unpleasant and you can actually get burned that way.
The Sauce and the Taste
This pizza did not have barbecue sauce, but the creamy garlic sauce was tasty and worked very, very well with the gorgonzola and onions and bacon. This was a very potent and flavorful pizza. It had all sorts of salty toppings, but I have to say that it didn't end up being too salty for me. The onions and spinach and broccoli were neutral-to-sweet ingredients that provided good balance. Also, broccoli has the amazing effect of absorbing flavors.
Overall
One of the best pizzas that I've ever had. My co-eater, Kiley, ordered a pizza with eggplant that was really fantastic. I recommend Fred's Brick House Cafe to anyone interested in good pizza. You can expect more reviews of their other chicken pizzas in the future.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Junior's (B)
I'm up in Vermont visiting friends, this week. Last night, Aimee brought me to her favorite Burlington-area pizza joint: Juniors. The restaurant has two sides, one a standard pizza place and the other a fine Italian restaurant.
The Location
It's a classic Vermont-ish eatery. You go up to a counter and order your food and then take a number to whichever table you want. They bring the pizza to you. The pizzaria side was a straightforward, open area with classic red and white checkerboard tablecloths. The pizza came out fast, the staff were friendly enough and overall I'd say the place was ok. Of course, it's kind of a moot point because it's in Vermont.
The Pizza
The crust on this pizza is excellent. Its a medium thickness, with a nice chewy center but a crunchy bottom surface. So it crunches in your mouth, but without turning into a mass of pizza shards. It's chewy but chewable. The cheese was stretchy and enjoyable. Overall, one of the best basic pizzas ever. We ordered one buffalo chicken pizza and one barbecue chicken pizza. After all, if that was my last visit to Junior's, I had to try them both!
The Chicken
Being an Italian restaurant, I was excited for what I suspected might be coming: flattened breaded chicken. I was right. It was like eating a chicken parm on a crust...but with bbq sauce. Ok, maybe it wasn't like chicken parm at all, but it was delicious!
The Sauce and the Taste
The buffalo sauce and the barbecue sauce were both pretty tasty. My big issue was that neither pizza included other toppings. The buffalo chicken really could have used some bleu cheese and the BBQ chicken really could have used some onions. I feel like these uni-flavor pizzas really kind of dropped the ball.
Overall
A very well constructed pizza. I think that Junior's is, overall, high quality food. I just don't think they put in the effort to coming up with a barbecue chicken pizza that is their own. It really needs to be a special thing, not just another topping. I give it a B!
The Location
It's a classic Vermont-ish eatery. You go up to a counter and order your food and then take a number to whichever table you want. They bring the pizza to you. The pizzaria side was a straightforward, open area with classic red and white checkerboard tablecloths. The pizza came out fast, the staff were friendly enough and overall I'd say the place was ok. Of course, it's kind of a moot point because it's in Vermont.
The Pizza
 |
| No I did not eat them both by myself. I did consider it. |
The Chicken
Being an Italian restaurant, I was excited for what I suspected might be coming: flattened breaded chicken. I was right. It was like eating a chicken parm on a crust...but with bbq sauce. Ok, maybe it wasn't like chicken parm at all, but it was delicious!
The Sauce and the Taste
The buffalo sauce and the barbecue sauce were both pretty tasty. My big issue was that neither pizza included other toppings. The buffalo chicken really could have used some bleu cheese and the BBQ chicken really could have used some onions. I feel like these uni-flavor pizzas really kind of dropped the ball.
Overall
A very well constructed pizza. I think that Junior's is, overall, high quality food. I just don't think they put in the effort to coming up with a barbecue chicken pizza that is their own. It really needs to be a special thing, not just another topping. I give it a B!
Pizza Place (B-)
The Lovely Kiley recently moved to an apartment in Stonington, CT. For those of you who are far away, Stonington is on the coast, right on the Rhode Island border. Kiley's apartment is within walking distance of Westerly, Rhode Island. We walked into Westerly and spent an afternoon in their downtown. It was quintessential New England at its most...well, just at its most, that's what quintessential means. It could not have been more New England.
The Location
The restaurant is actually called Pizza Place, which is clever and quaint and classy. The atmosphere inside was big and open and friendly. Two large groups, a family and some sort of middle school sports team were eating in the main dining room...and I could totally see why. Pizza Place has a decent selection of beers and several chicken pizzas.
The Pizza
The crust was reasonably good, the cheese was decent. Overall the pizza was quality. I ordered the buffalo chicken pizza, this time, which came with bleu cheese and an assortment of bell peppers.
The Chicken
The pieces of chicken were ok. They seemed to be cubes cut from leftover chicken breasts, which is not my favorite, but not bad either. They were leftover, it seems, but not too chewy.
The Sauce and the Taste
Here is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. The buffalo sauce was excellent and the bleu cheese was really salty and sumptuous and enjoyable. The weakness of this pizza was the choice to add bell peppers to the toppings. I don't mind pepper on pizzas but it just didn't fit with the buffalo sauce. You need something that contrasts with the salty heat. Onions usually do the trick.
Overall
I liked this pizza, I ate way too much of it. Nothing about it was amazing, but it worked ok. I think B- is a fair judgment for a decent pizza with ok meat, good sauce and a weak topping.
The Location
The restaurant is actually called Pizza Place, which is clever and quaint and classy. The atmosphere inside was big and open and friendly. Two large groups, a family and some sort of middle school sports team were eating in the main dining room...and I could totally see why. Pizza Place has a decent selection of beers and several chicken pizzas.
The Pizza
The crust was reasonably good, the cheese was decent. Overall the pizza was quality. I ordered the buffalo chicken pizza, this time, which came with bleu cheese and an assortment of bell peppers.
 |
| It does kind of look like someone got murdered, but I assure you all that blood is delicious. |
The pieces of chicken were ok. They seemed to be cubes cut from leftover chicken breasts, which is not my favorite, but not bad either. They were leftover, it seems, but not too chewy.
The Sauce and the Taste
Here is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. The buffalo sauce was excellent and the bleu cheese was really salty and sumptuous and enjoyable. The weakness of this pizza was the choice to add bell peppers to the toppings. I don't mind pepper on pizzas but it just didn't fit with the buffalo sauce. You need something that contrasts with the salty heat. Onions usually do the trick.
Overall
I liked this pizza, I ate way too much of it. Nothing about it was amazing, but it worked ok. I think B- is a fair judgment for a decent pizza with ok meat, good sauce and a weak topping.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Home-made Part Two (C)
Location
My very own kitchen! Last night I looked in the fridge and saw cheese, chicken, feta and an onion. There isn't really much else you can do with that, other than buy pizza dough and sauce and whip up a delicious chicken pizza.
The Pizza
I bought premade dough and premade sauce and started in, cooking like a fiend. The cheese was a chedder and mozzarella mix, which I just don't think comes out as well as pure mozzarella. The chedder makes it gooey and I really just don't want gooey pizza. The dough was pretty tasty, but did not cook all the way, in the center. I rolled it out on the pizza stone and then slid the stone into the oven, cold. Everyone knows that pizza stones are supposed to be preheated! I need to remember that when I am cooking with Big Y unrisen dough, I need to use a metal pizza pan, which conducts heat more easily.
The Chicken
I have perfected the chicken technique, if I must say so myself. I pounded a breast flat, dipped it flour, egg and bread crumbs, then fried it in a skillet. I sliced it, dunked it in sauce and laid the strips across the top of the pizza. The only thing that really needs work is my pounding. I never thought I would say that, but it's true. Recipes all call for chicken flattened to an even 1/2 inch or thinner. I can't seem to manage that. I pound and pound, but it keeps some if its shape. Oh well, it cooks evenly, which is the most important part.
The Sauce and the Taste
I was out of barbecue sauce, so I decided to use some Frank's Red Hot sauce, instead. I shook the chicken slices in the sauce to give an even coating, then splashed some across the surface of the pizza. I also included feta cheese and carmelized red onions. I have to say that, despite the cheese and the dough being kind of soft and gooey, the taste of this pizza was amazing. It was a perfect combination of heat, sweet and salty.
Overall
This pizza still has a ways to go. I have certainly found better pizzas at restaurants...but I think I am catching up. This pizza was better than the ones I made a few months ago and I think I know how to make it even better. The chicken and the other toppings are secure in their superiority. Now what I really need is to find a good recipe for pizza dough and a good cheese blend.
My very own kitchen! Last night I looked in the fridge and saw cheese, chicken, feta and an onion. There isn't really much else you can do with that, other than buy pizza dough and sauce and whip up a delicious chicken pizza.
The Pizza
I bought premade dough and premade sauce and started in, cooking like a fiend. The cheese was a chedder and mozzarella mix, which I just don't think comes out as well as pure mozzarella. The chedder makes it gooey and I really just don't want gooey pizza. The dough was pretty tasty, but did not cook all the way, in the center. I rolled it out on the pizza stone and then slid the stone into the oven, cold. Everyone knows that pizza stones are supposed to be preheated! I need to remember that when I am cooking with Big Y unrisen dough, I need to use a metal pizza pan, which conducts heat more easily.
The Chicken
I have perfected the chicken technique, if I must say so myself. I pounded a breast flat, dipped it flour, egg and bread crumbs, then fried it in a skillet. I sliced it, dunked it in sauce and laid the strips across the top of the pizza. The only thing that really needs work is my pounding. I never thought I would say that, but it's true. Recipes all call for chicken flattened to an even 1/2 inch or thinner. I can't seem to manage that. I pound and pound, but it keeps some if its shape. Oh well, it cooks evenly, which is the most important part.
The Sauce and the Taste
I was out of barbecue sauce, so I decided to use some Frank's Red Hot sauce, instead. I shook the chicken slices in the sauce to give an even coating, then splashed some across the surface of the pizza. I also included feta cheese and carmelized red onions. I have to say that, despite the cheese and the dough being kind of soft and gooey, the taste of this pizza was amazing. It was a perfect combination of heat, sweet and salty.
Overall
This pizza still has a ways to go. I have certainly found better pizzas at restaurants...but I think I am catching up. This pizza was better than the ones I made a few months ago and I think I know how to make it even better. The chicken and the other toppings are secure in their superiority. Now what I really need is to find a good recipe for pizza dough and a good cheese blend.
Sgt. Pepperoni (D-)
Location
Sgt. Pepperoni is located between my office in the Gentry Building and my car in F Lot. I stopped in after a late night in the office, sometime in January. I'm going to be honest, the best part of the experience was looking at the hot girl behind the counter.
I spent the rest of the evening, eating the entire medium (quite large) pizza by myself. I went to sleep early, figuring I was slipping into a food coma...not realizing that I was ill. I woke up at midnight and spent the rest of the night throwing up periodically. I swore I would never return to Sgt. Pepperoni and came very close to swearing that I would never eat BBQ chicken pizza again. It's been a month and a half and I am finally ready to resume my quest for the perfect chicken pizza. But first I need to purge the awfulness that was Sgt. Pepperoni. (I should note that it was a stomach bug and not food poisoning, but I'm still pissed that I spent money on this pizza so I'm going to put this note in parentheses rather than giving it the full weight of its own sentence).
The Pizza
Well, not much to say. There was a cheese pizza with some chicken on top. It looked like very generic small town pizza.
The Chicken
Chunks. Flavorless, chewy chunks.
The Sauce and the Taste
Not much sauce, virtually no taste.
Overall
Am I biased by the fact that this pizza was purged from my system in the most unpleasant way possible? Yes. I don't give a flying fuck. This pizza sucked. I am never going back.
Sgt. Pepperoni is located between my office in the Gentry Building and my car in F Lot. I stopped in after a late night in the office, sometime in January. I'm going to be honest, the best part of the experience was looking at the hot girl behind the counter.
I spent the rest of the evening, eating the entire medium (quite large) pizza by myself. I went to sleep early, figuring I was slipping into a food coma...not realizing that I was ill. I woke up at midnight and spent the rest of the night throwing up periodically. I swore I would never return to Sgt. Pepperoni and came very close to swearing that I would never eat BBQ chicken pizza again. It's been a month and a half and I am finally ready to resume my quest for the perfect chicken pizza. But first I need to purge the awfulness that was Sgt. Pepperoni. (I should note that it was a stomach bug and not food poisoning, but I'm still pissed that I spent money on this pizza so I'm going to put this note in parentheses rather than giving it the full weight of its own sentence).
The Pizza
Well, not much to say. There was a cheese pizza with some chicken on top. It looked like very generic small town pizza.
The Chicken
Chunks. Flavorless, chewy chunks.
The Sauce and the Taste
Not much sauce, virtually no taste.
Overall
Am I biased by the fact that this pizza was purged from my system in the most unpleasant way possible? Yes. I don't give a flying fuck. This pizza sucked. I am never going back.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Apollo (B-)
Last night I had the pleasure of dining with my Connecticut foodie partner, Katie. She's been busy with a full time job and a boyfriend, so it's been a while since we got our Culinary on. I told her about my blog so she did a little research and found Apollo's Pizza in South Windham.
The Location
This place is on route 32, between Willimantic and Norwich, tucked away in a quaint little strip. The decor was greek themed and cute but the place smacked of 'townie bar.' I like it a lot. It was quiet on a Monday night. More importantly, Apollo is a hotbed of chicken pizza activity. They have no less than FOUR chicken pizzas. They have the usual barbecue and buffalo but also have a chicken and broccoli pizza. Not only that, but their namesake pizza, The Apollo, is itself a chicken pizza. Needless to say, I will be returning to review these other pizzas, soon.
The Pizza
When my pizza arrived at the table, I found it to be very straightforward. Circular pie, medium thickness crust, bbq sauce as the base, chicken chunks and cheese. The crust and cheese were neither good, nor bad.
The Chicken
Overall
NOTE
We also got a pizza called The Texan, a new one at Apollo. It had a ranch dressing base, french fries and bacon on top. It was salty and delicious. I would give that pizza a B+. I recommend going and checking out this place.
The Location
This place is on route 32, between Willimantic and Norwich, tucked away in a quaint little strip. The decor was greek themed and cute but the place smacked of 'townie bar.' I like it a lot. It was quiet on a Monday night. More importantly, Apollo is a hotbed of chicken pizza activity. They have no less than FOUR chicken pizzas. They have the usual barbecue and buffalo but also have a chicken and broccoli pizza. Not only that, but their namesake pizza, The Apollo, is itself a chicken pizza. Needless to say, I will be returning to review these other pizzas, soon.
The Pizza
When my pizza arrived at the table, I found it to be very straightforward. Circular pie, medium thickness crust, bbq sauce as the base, chicken chunks and cheese. The crust and cheese were neither good, nor bad.
The Chicken
 |
| BBQ Chicken and The Texan...brothers in arms. |
They used leftover chunks of white meat. Again, neither good nor bad. The chicken was probably generic leftovers, but was not chewy and was doused in an appropriate amount of sauce.
The Sauce and the Taste
The barbecue sauce that they used was generic, but very tasty. If I had to guess, I would say that they used Sweet Baby Ray's (or the industry equivalent). The taste was really what was lacking, in this pizza. There was nothing salty to offset the sweetness of the sauce and the blandness of the cheese/crust. It could have used some bleu cheese or onions or bacon or something to give it a little pizzazz.
There was nothing wrong with this pizza. If anything, I would say that it is the quintessential BBQ chicken pizza. But, really, there was nothing about it that stood out, either. I give it a B-.
We also got a pizza called The Texan, a new one at Apollo. It had a ranch dressing base, french fries and bacon on top. It was salty and delicious. I would give that pizza a B+. I recommend going and checking out this place.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Homemade Part One (C+)
Location
My Kitchen! I was invited to a pot luck game party last weekend and I found myself at a loss for what to make. I decided, with no small amount of trepidation, to make my own barbecue chicken pizza and bring it to the party. I knew that, by taking this small step, I was embarking on a journey, not only to FIND the perfect BBQ chicken pizza, but also to MAKE the perfect BBQ chicken pizza.
The Pizza
decided to take it easy on myself, this go around. I purchased Big Y brand pizza dough, the kind that comes in a bag, pre-raised. I pounded that bad boy flat, which didn't go quite as I had hoped, spooned some Big Y brand pizza sauce on top and smothered that mother with Sargento Two Cheese Pizza Blend. Then I added thinly sliced red onions, covering the entire surface. The dough and the cheese were really what held this pizza bag from being great. Next time, I will have to explore other options.
The Chicken
I took a lesson from Angellino's and used the parm-style chicken. I took chicken cutlets, pounded them flat, breaded and fried them. Then I sliced the meat, doused it in BBQ sauce and dropped it on the pizza. This method worked as well for me as it did for Angellino's. It was delicious.
The Sauce and the Taste
I used Sweet Baby Ray's original barbecue sauce. It was sweet, without tasting of chemicals, and delicious. I might experiment with other sauces in the future, but it's hard to beat Sweet Baby Ray's. Unfortunately, the overall taste of the pizza was lacking. Even with the cheese and the onions, there wasn't anything to counteract the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. It needs something salty or at least savory. Perhaps some seasoning, some saltier cheese...bacon?
Overall
e fair, I did receive some very positive feedback from my friends. They devoured the pizza and declared that it was delicious. I mentioned that it was doughy and bland, but they said they loved it. I was told that it deserved an A. I really appreciate that feedback, but I am a harsher critic--both on myself and on pizza. I gave it a C+. If I found some dough with a little more flavor, some cheese with a little oomph and something salty...I think I could make it an A. The chicken and sauce, at least, were a huge success.
My Kitchen! I was invited to a pot luck game party last weekend and I found myself at a loss for what to make. I decided, with no small amount of trepidation, to make my own barbecue chicken pizza and bring it to the party. I knew that, by taking this small step, I was embarking on a journey, not only to FIND the perfect BBQ chicken pizza, but also to MAKE the perfect BBQ chicken pizza.
The Pizza
decided to take it easy on myself, this go around. I purchased Big Y brand pizza dough, the kind that comes in a bag, pre-raised. I pounded that bad boy flat, which didn't go quite as I had hoped, spooned some Big Y brand pizza sauce on top and smothered that mother with Sargento Two Cheese Pizza Blend. Then I added thinly sliced red onions, covering the entire surface. The dough and the cheese were really what held this pizza bag from being great. Next time, I will have to explore other options.
The Chicken
I took a lesson from Angellino's and used the parm-style chicken. I took chicken cutlets, pounded them flat, breaded and fried them. Then I sliced the meat, doused it in BBQ sauce and dropped it on the pizza. This method worked as well for me as it did for Angellino's. It was delicious.
The Sauce and the Taste
 |
| It did look pretty good, though. Mmm...maybe I was a little harsh. |
Overall
e fair, I did receive some very positive feedback from my friends. They devoured the pizza and declared that it was delicious. I mentioned that it was doughy and bland, but they said they loved it. I was told that it deserved an A. I really appreciate that feedback, but I am a harsher critic--both on myself and on pizza. I gave it a C+. If I found some dough with a little more flavor, some cheese with a little oomph and something salty...I think I could make it an A. The chicken and sauce, at least, were a huge success.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Uno's Frozen Thin Crust (F)
I bought the Uno's brand thin crust BBQ chicken pizza. I figured it might be better than the California Pizza Kitchen version. I was mistaken. They were the same pizza. No, literally the same pizza--like they were made in the same factory. I did not overcook it this time and it was still abysmal.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Angellino's (A+)
This pizza was purchased for me by my friend Rohini. We used to share an office, but then she moved off to New York City and I don't see her very much anymore. When she comes back to visit, she buys me food out of guilt...and because I invite her to stay at my place. I don't know that is usually worth offering food for, but it really is a nice futon.
The Location
Angellino's is an italian restaurant that is right near my apartment. It's a classy joint for small-town Italian. They have a few locations, scattered across Connecticut. Angellino's seems to believe that The Olive Garden is its main competition and sets out to do what Olive Garden does, only better. I will say that, while this goal doesn't seem particularly ambitious, Angellino's really succeeds. It's not fine dining, but it beats the pants off of most box restaurants or family restaurants.
The Pizza
Oh boy am I excited to tell you all about this one. This was a thick crust buffalo chicken pizza. Buffalo sauce was used as the base and bleu cheese was mixed into the mozzarella. Speaking of the mozzarella, it was magical. It was stretchy and stringy and gooey, like you see on tv commercials. Except, it wasn't a commercial, it was real life. That never happens in real life but somehow Angellino's made it come true.
The pizza included red onions and chicken that...well...
The Chicken
Here's what really impressed me about this pizza. They used the chicken parmesan chicken. It was white meat, pounded flat, breaded and fried. They took the flattened cutlet, sliced it into chunks--dipped them in buffalo sauce--and then scattered them on the top of the pizza. As a result, the chicken was flavorful, crunchy and meaty all at the same time. Hands down, the best chicken.
The Sauce and the Taste
Again, delicious. The buffalo sauce they used was mild, so it had a hint of heat but a whole boat load of flavor. The combination of the buffalo, the red onion and the bleu cheese was fantastic.
Overall
I am trying to think of something bad to say about this pizza and I cannot come up with anything. It was satisfying, tasty and smacked of quality. I have no idea if it actually was quality. The chicken parm meat may have come out of a freezer bag. I don't care. It FELT like quality and it tasted amazing. A+.
The Location
Angellino's is an italian restaurant that is right near my apartment. It's a classy joint for small-town Italian. They have a few locations, scattered across Connecticut. Angellino's seems to believe that The Olive Garden is its main competition and sets out to do what Olive Garden does, only better. I will say that, while this goal doesn't seem particularly ambitious, Angellino's really succeeds. It's not fine dining, but it beats the pants off of most box restaurants or family restaurants.
The Pizza
Oh boy am I excited to tell you all about this one. This was a thick crust buffalo chicken pizza. Buffalo sauce was used as the base and bleu cheese was mixed into the mozzarella. Speaking of the mozzarella, it was magical. It was stretchy and stringy and gooey, like you see on tv commercials. Except, it wasn't a commercial, it was real life. That never happens in real life but somehow Angellino's made it come true.
The pizza included red onions and chicken that...well...
The Chicken
Here's what really impressed me about this pizza. They used the chicken parmesan chicken. It was white meat, pounded flat, breaded and fried. They took the flattened cutlet, sliced it into chunks--dipped them in buffalo sauce--and then scattered them on the top of the pizza. As a result, the chicken was flavorful, crunchy and meaty all at the same time. Hands down, the best chicken.
The Sauce and the Taste
Again, delicious. The buffalo sauce they used was mild, so it had a hint of heat but a whole boat load of flavor. The combination of the buffalo, the red onion and the bleu cheese was fantastic.
Overall
I am trying to think of something bad to say about this pizza and I cannot come up with anything. It was satisfying, tasty and smacked of quality. I have no idea if it actually was quality. The chicken parm meat may have come out of a freezer bag. I don't care. It FELT like quality and it tasted amazing. A+.
North End Treats (B+)
This was another treat provided by my brother and his wife when I visited them last weekend. We had a lovely family evening of watching the baby and the tv while eating some tasty pizza.
The Location
North End Treats is a pizzaria and bakery in...the north end of Boston...clever, no? We got this particular pizza from their location in Framingham, MA.
The Pizza
The pizza itself was lackluster. The crust was too chewy/crusty and the cheese was not the most pleasant. I ate a couple slices of the pepperoni pizza, just for comparison, and found it to be lacking as well.
The BBQ Chicken pizza used barbecue sauce as the pizza base and had chunks of chicken and jalepenos on top.
The Chicken
The chicken was big, healthy chunks of fresh white meat. It was hearty and delicious.
The Sauce and the Taste
The barbecue sauce at North End Treats was pretty tasty. What really made this pizza stand out from the competition was the fiery jalepeno heat. No other BBQ pizza has included that kind of spiciness. It was a bold move. If the heat had been greater, I might not have appreciated what I was eating. In the end, I decided that the heat was just right, and the flavor that it brought was unique and interesting.
Overall
I really appreciate the quality toppings and the boldness of the jalepenos. However, I was disappointed by the pizza itself. I give North End Treats a B+.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)