The Corner Boys

Posted in pizza by

CornerSliceDuo

I used to work in Bethesda.  I grew up in Montgomery County so there is a lot of familiarity.   Any sentimentality?  It depends on where I go.   With Bethesda, there is snt much.   It’s not the most welcoming energy I’ve  come across.

Yet, I did find myself in this fast-paced and what-do-you-do town for reasons that aren’t necessary to explain here  I’ll just call it an adventure.

No matter where you go you’re bound to find a grocery store, general store, coffee shop, and of course a pizzeria.

This brings us to Corner Slice.

CornerSliceFront

I can romanticize a multitude of things.  This I can’t.   This has nothing to do with the neighborhood.   I’ve just never loved their slices.  And I was eating here over 10 years ago.

It’s New York Style but it’s all about whether it tastes good or not.  This just doesn’t cut it. For a quick pick up it serves its audience and serves its purpose.   But there is no substance.   And for many that doesn’t matter.  It’s still pizza right?

I love dwelling on the positive.  Believe me,  I want everything I write about to be inspiring.  And I can find the good in just about every situation presented to me.   And I can find some here.

I recognize one and maybe even two people still running the shop from back in 2004 when I made my first visit.  Is that a testament to enjoying your gig, loyalty, work ethic, or it just is?  Either way, that’s pretty cool.

The interior is the same and most importantly, the two slices and a soda are still under $10.  I can’t argue with that, especially with the pricey food options surrounding it.

CornerSliceCheese

I ordered the cheese and then the white with spinach and artichoke.  I really like the simple creativity of the latter.

CornerSliceWhite

However, the crunchiness of both slices was worse than I remembered.    The toppings, the cheese, and the sauce all became afterthoughts.   It looks great I know.  But this was anything but that.

A good slice can come from anywhere.  And I mean anywhere.  It can be from an upscale restaurant, gas station, grocery store prepared food area, or from the freezer section.   This wasn’t near any of those.

I’ve become a fan of New York slices.  This wasn’t it.  There was no feel good moments of being here.  It’s just there.  And that’s how I’ve always looked at the area.  It’s not my style and neither was the pie.

Stay warm.

Best,

Ideen

 

 

County First, City Later

Posted in pizza by

BirrotecaBianca

Birroteca is a favorite of many in Baltimore.  I’m overstating the obvious.  The location, that atmosphere, the vibration, the libations, and last but not the least, the food is highly regarded.  It’s to the point that you might get sick of hearing about it.  Yes, it’s one of those places.   I love it.  I couldn’t pretend to be different even if I wanted to.

With that teaser, unfortunately I won’t be writing about the city location.  This is for us folks who live in the county and more specifically Bel Air.  Don’t fret,  a recap of the happenings on the city location will be forthcoming.  But I want it to feel special and to feel appropriate.  I’ll know the sign when it comes to me.

It was a dear friends birthday and they didn’t want to dine in haha.  That’s understandable. The request was for something from the dinner menu, and of course that means a couple of pizzas for us to share as friends or pizza pals.   We adore pizza.

The birthday bud wanted a margherita (plain cheese with tomatoes). Second pie would be  the bianco, with four cheeses, candied walnut sage, and pine cone syrup.  Mamma Mia!

A special birthday feast also means a couple of appetizers, so we couldn’t decide between Arancini and meatballs, so we went with both.  That’s how you solve a problem.

Our carry-out order was effortless and the pick-up was just the same.  No issues.  That was my first time setting foot in this Birro.  It’s so much more cozier and quaint versus the one in the city.   This is not to say one is better than the other.  The Baltimore location intimidated me the first time.  It’s colossal.

BirrotecaMeatballs

We first had the apps.   Make sense in sequence right? Our meatballs were good.  The mess in the photo is entirely my fault.

BirrotecaArancini

And the arancini I could eat a plate of.   That was one of the highlights.  One just isn’t enough. Please can I have more.    You could have that as a meal all by its lonesome.

BirrotecaMarg

The margherita was really good and the very thin crust of theirs I’ve always been a huge fan of.  For even the folks who don’t like lots of bread, this works flawlessly.  The sauce and cheese worked perfectly in concert with one another.

BirrotecaBianca

But the bianco was something else.  The pine cone syrup I was able to taste right away. Incredible.  And walnuts on a pie is a sure-finer winner.  You’ve got to be see and eat to believe.  First time for me and I want a next time.

Both pies look gorgeous a well.   These are eye-candy to the highest power.

Our smorgasbord included a great wine.  For more on this vino, you want to click right here.  And believe me, you want to!

The pies have endeared themselves to me even more over time and it’s been less than a week since our feast of friendship.   As a write this I’ve even more giddy with excitement. It feels good and I look forward to visits back to Bel Air and Baltimore in short order.

No more teasing.

Stay warm and stay inspired,

Ideen

I’m In A Philly Mood

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LittleSicilyPair

It’s been a while since I expounded on about a pizzeria in the city of brotherly love.    That inaugural link can be found here.

LittleSicilyII

On Christopher Columbus Boulevard (or Delaware Avenue depending on who you talk to), within the vicinity of Penn’s Landing is a not-so-vibrant strip mall with a pizza place I stop into when I need something immediate and I gotta go lighting fast.

Little Sicily 2 has no polished website and that fits the mood and ambiance of the business itself.

There is no upscale dining or pretension.  I wasn’t looking for it.  Nor do I really ever.   And whenever I’m driving back from Philadelphia to Baltimore, I more times than not find myself passing by that I almost can’t no go inside.  I mean I can but this is more for dramatic purposes.

The slices themselves have never been the greatest nor should you expect them to be.   They’re comfort food after a late night out or like most folks, you just need something in your belly.   We don’t always have the time or the residuals for a dining experience.

I may be wrong but I swore they used to be open after the bars closed.    When I was in there late last Summer on an early Friday afternoon/evening, the cut-off time was midnight.

I’ve done the slow build long enough.  How was the pizza this time?   This was exactly like I was saying.

I ordered a cheese and a buffalo chicken.  In previous incarnations I suspect the pies were sitting out a lot longer than they have any reason to be.  I sensed more of the same here.

The slices were both chewy, soggy, and felt more like monkey bread than a regular ole’ slice.  And I’m not complaining.   This is exactly how their pizza is.

For the first time I actually sat down to enjoy my foods.  And trust me, I enjoyed it.   I also did some people watching.  Most folks seemed to be in a good mood.  I mean how could you not be?  It’s pizza, it’s greasy comfort food, and likely company you enjoy.  That’s what it’s always about.

Additionally, I noticed a few Indian folks working behind the counter and as patrons.  I did some crack research and found out there is a hidden Indian menu that you can order separately.  I feel foolish for being ignorant of this fact.  My goodness.  I want to indulge in some right now.

LittleSicilyWawa

The fact that a familiar friend, Wawa, is right next door is charming to me.  I wrote about their pizza too. Not this exact location but a corresponding one nonetheless.

By the way, is there a Little Siciliy I?  If there is I somehow think the mystique and allure of this place would crumble.  Does that make sense?  I know Little Siciliy and facsimiles are all over the place but I just want to believe there’s this II and Part 1 is some magical place far away.

My love and sentimentality with Philadelphia is an inexplicable thing.  Maybe I do know but I can’t expound on it just yet.  But it’s always brought the strong energy to me.   There’s something else though.  It might be too good for words.

I promise you the big guns of one of the most awesome cities are coming.  There are a lot of a good pizza jawns in town and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you guys.

With Love,

Ideen

Eastern Market Moves

Posted in pizza, Washington by

7HPie

I don’t go to Washington, DC enough.   It has rapidly changed and I barely recognize certain neighborhoods.  The transformation in the last 15 years is something that a lot of major cities seem to be going through, but I never expected it be like this.

I used to go to Eastern Market with my family a lot when I was a kid.  The surrounding area may not have been the safest but that didn’t seem to bother anyone.

Now nothing could be further from the truth.  The area is flourishing with overpriced homes, nice shoppes, restaurants, businesses, and a plenty of places to sight see.

For reasons that never need to make sense or explain themselves, I found myself in DC and Eastern Market last week.

I had forgotten what the inside looked like and I was hoping, to no avail, to find a pizzeria inside to write about.

What’s fun is no matter where you are and there’s nearby places to eat, you will find pizza.  I found pizza.

Literally steps away is Seventh Hill.

7HillOutside

Nothing stood out about the place.   There were pizza peels adorning the walls and a small dining area and bar inside.   The outdoor area may actually seat more.  And on this late December day, it was still warm enough that the furniture was still out.

The menu is very creative which lists various neighborhoods, landmarks, and famous streets of our Nation’s Capital.

I avoided the obvious and didn’t get the Eastern Market.  I went with the top of the choices and ordered the Pennsylvania Avenue.

7HPie

I regret that decision now.

7HSlice

It’s not that the pizza was horrific.  It just felt bland.   The wood-fired crust was fine.  I just didn’t sense any inspiration behind it, even with one of my favorites, pesto.

However, the pecorino cheese was a nice complement to the mozzarella but I just wanted a little something more.  The olives and spinach tasted fresh.  And I didn’t mind if pieces of either fell off and I could enjoy them individually.   It just didn’t blow me away.

It’s a safe pie that wouldn’t offend anyone and most would like.   I can imagine a lot of their other pies would have more to offer.  Maybe I’m irritated I went with a safer route.   At least the pie named after it’s location has goat  cheese.  And that would be different.   Like I’ve reiterated before, all this means is that I will give it another go.

In the meantime, I posted some pictures of the market and the architecture outside. This brings back a few memories but at the same time I don’t remember this place.   It’s a bit numbing in a way.   I feel so detached.

And that’s what many parts of the D.C. area have become.  It’s just so divergent and conflicting in so many ways.   But I will be doing more DC area, and within the city proper itself.

More to come.

All The Best,

Ideen

 

Small Town Fun

Posted in Delaware, pizza by

AmalfiTrio

I love randomness.  It’s what makes life what it is, and it’s usually awesome if you allow it.   I embrace it.  I want more.  Speaking of which…

I look a long drive passed the Maryland State Line into the underrated and sometimes unappreciated state of Delaware.  I cross into Newark for no specific reason at all, and find myself doing a few errands and crossing a few things off my list that were nagging and needed to be taken care of.

While I’m here I got the itch and the inspired thought to track down a pizza place.   I’m so grateful for this one.  I was literally in the shopping center where one of the better pizza experiences I’ve had took place.

AmalfiFront

Amalfi Pizza brings some creative pies.  And that’s an understatement.   The top of this post shows two very distinct and stand out pies.   I will get to those shortly. And to counterbalance I also got a a cheese slice. More on that too momentarily.

AmalfiMenu

The lady working the counter charmed the heck out of me.  I wish I had gotten her name but she sold me on the menu without selling me.  She was kind and I could have found myself ordering every slice in plain sight.  But no, for the purposes of this discussion, I narrowed to the three I referenced.

They’re near the University of Delaware campus so that may explain the cheaper price, but by no means cheaper quality.  Nothing could be more contrary. This was a great time.  The energy inside the ristorante was vibrant, exuberant, and some other big words.   And most important of all, tax free!  Woohoo!

While in there, there were a few students but mostly locals who all seemed to know each other and it felt down-to-earth and humble.  I loved it.

Altogether I think I only paid $10 for all those slices you see.  Seriously. That’s only going to make this taste better.  Here we go.

AmalfiCheese

I’ll start with the cheese.  This was a basic yet solid slice.  I find it fascinating how no plain slice has ever tasted exactly the same to me.  In all the pizza sampling I’ve done, it just doesn’t happen.  I find that sound so fascinating.  And a lot of the ingredients are the same.  It could be the supplier, whether or not it’s homemade, oven temperature, cooking implements, and most important of all, the person behind it.

I can tell there was a good soul behind this and the other slices.  It may not have been my favorite cheese, but still very good.  And if you look close, they gave me an extra slice for free.  I didn’t ask for it, but they did.  World class treatment right there and it was something so simple.

AmalfiChickenCaesar

Next is the chicken caesar salad.  The crust is thicker to allow for the salad to exist and be presentable.  It was a bit too doughy for me but I loved the salad.  I picked the pieces off and had a grande old time.  The chicken tasted fresh and better than the generic stuff you might find elsewhere. These were genuine chunks of lean protein.   I think a lot of people are going to do adore this one and their crust.

AmalfiBuff

Finally, it’s the buffalo calamari.  This was ambitious and truly something special.  Again, the crust had to be big enough to make room for all this.   And I say this might be the first time I’ve had this in buffalo form period. This was quite the random indoctrination process.  I could eat about a hundred of these but then I may not live to write about it.   It was grilled so it was a tad healthier than fried.  Or maybe I just tell myself that to make myself feel better.

I will be back here.  They have so many out-of-this-world pies that  break the mold of your usual possibilities.  Alternatives are good and I’m so thankful to have discovered a gem in this small town.

Take good care,

Ideen

A Very Special…

Posted in Christmas, pizza by

wawaveggiepie

I love today.  I’m also sad the holidays are winding down.  Christmas means so much to so many.  It’s about the friends, the family, and the love.

Oh and there’s all that food!

I wish there was a feeling of love all the time.   But as several wise folks have said, it all starts with me.   Maybe the holidays wouldn’t feel so special if it were to occur throughout the year.   So it’s up to me, you, or whoever to spread cheer and positivity as much as possible.  I adore the sentimentality.

And speaking of such joy…

wawalogo

Wawa is sentimentality at its height.   Ever since my first visit in 2000, I’ve been captivated ever since.

When I discover a new Wawa store driving on a highway or a random stretch of road I’m compelled to go in, even if all I get is a coffee or tea. It’s the energy of the store.  It’s an attachment to the good that it represents.  I can never have enough.

In here it always feels like Christmas.

So to my pleasure it was great to discover that they serve Focaccia Pizzas. This is a fairly new discovery.  I think they were introduced back in the fall of 2014.  That’s the first time I saw them.

wawapizzas

I’ve had all 5 pies listed, and they’re not going to be the best pizza you’ve ever had.  And you shouldn’t expect them to be.  But they’re enjoyable on the soft and squishy focaccia bread provided.

If you’re expecting world class pizza, you will be disappointed.   I do find the bread to be heavy and prefer to share the individual pie with someone else.  It’s ambitious to finish this on my own.

Over the course of recent history, I’ve had the buffalo chicken and the vegetable.   I found them both enjoyable within the expectations set forth by myself and within Wawa’s food quality.

The buffalo chicken sauce is really in-your-face and might be a bit arduous for some, but I took my time eating this.   The cream cheese was a bit dense and a substantial amount was thrown on there too.   The chicken and provolone were great.  They really made this pie.  It was the simple stuff that was the best.  I’ve seen this pattern before.

I dig the packaging too.  That can be seen above and below.

The vegetable one I had this week.  Doesn’t it look and feel like Christmas?  Ah those colors are magical. How are the flavors?   The spinach, tomatoes, and onions are magnificent.  I’ve enjoyed them on my subs and I enjoy them here.   This almost looks too pretty to eat. But I ate it.  And I picked the cheese and vegetables off at times when the bread was too much to eat.   But I will gladly get this one again.

A gentleman noted how amazing it looked when I grabbed my pie.   It tells me that he and many others may still not realize pizza is on the menu.

For folks who have been there, you know what you’re going to get. And it’s usually good.  This is not going to be the greatest pizza you’ll have and I doubt you would expect it to be.  But you will likely find joy, peace, and comfort here.  This isn’t just during the holidays but all year round.

For more on this fun store, you can go here and here.

I go to a store at least five times and will be headed there later today.  Yes they’re open on Christmas! Yes!

I will conclude with that.  I want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and anything else you celebrate.  This is a special time of year that I wish was perpetual.   But once again, it’s up to me.  It’s up to you.  It’s up to all of us.

All the best,

Ideen

Square Biz

Posted in pizza by

LedoCheese

I’ve been enjoying Ledo Pizza going back 20+ years and I am happy to report it’s just as good as I remember.

When you’re much younger and when it comes to pizza, everything is likely to taste world class.  It’s the greatest thing we’ve ever eaten.  Then maybe the next thing you eat is the best thing ever. It’s less complex to think like that.   Your horizons have yet to expand and your tastes are so simplistic.   In a way it’s so endearing and so innocent.

The simplicity comes from the square pieces.  It doesn’t get more accessible than that, literally and figuratively.

However, we grow up.  Our lives change, our interests change, and so do expectations.    But Ledo always rings true.  It has never disappointed.   Truthfully, I don’t think it ever will.

I’ve been to so many locations, with so many friends and family over the years that I feel it’s a part of me.  Sometimes we’ve dined it but usually it’s been a carry-out order.  That may lend itself to how busy me and my contemporaries are.

The holidays are a time to be busy but also a time to relax.  I should relax and just get on with the recap.

The pies ordered were from the White Marsh location.

You know the cheese is the standard bearer and it was great here as usual. One stand out for me is the sauce is a little sweeter than what you might find at other pizza hangouts.  But it’s so good.  The crust is heated perfectly.  Sometimes there’s parts that are crunchier than others, especially around the corners, but that’s all part of the fun. And it’s so quick and comforting.

We changed it up bit and also got The Cannonball which includes parmesan, meatballs, with basil thrown on top.  The meatballs may not have been what you find at an upscale Italian restaurant but that isn’t the point.  It works perfectly here.   The parmesan and basil thrown on top is a wondrous touch and makes for a superb visual.

LedoPair

You know what you’re getting and it’s perfection.  It’s a state of pizza bliss and euphoria that you don’t get everywhere.

LedoSlices

I’ve praised many a place but this is a different kind of positivity.  I can’t compare this to others, not because of the shape or because it’s a local chain.  It’s maybe something I can explain later.  Not now. Just maybe some things are better left unsaid or kept eternal.

That didn’t mean to come off as dramatic as it intended.  I just love this place.  Maybe it’s the little kid from within still feeling like one whenever I enjoy their pies.

LedoStoreFront

If you’ve never been here then I would highly recommend giving it a go.   Locations are listed here.

In traditional fashion, I love the community and fundraising pages.

Gift cards and other fun things can be found here!

I wish you all a continuously joyous and happy holiday.

Best,

Ideen

Always Bet On Red

Posted in pizza by

RedStarBuffChicken

This post is 14 months in the making.   If you’re looking for a positive, uplifting, and energizing post, then you’re going to be delighted.  That’s my goal. It’s the holidays and it’s a myriad of emotions but I want to side with the joy, peace, and spirit of what it’s all about.

Yes, pizza makes everyone happy.  This is why I decided to do this after months of deliberating.   Dramatic much?    It’s all about enjoying yourself in whatever you can and whatever you’re doing.

I’ve always adored Red Star.    I sometimes feel smitten.  It’s a place off to the side of the commotion on Thames Street in Fells Point and I suspect that’s how many people like it.

For me it’s always been the starting point or official meeting point before or during a festival of special event.   Two of the big ones being Fells Point Fun Festival and the Old Thyme Christmas which took place this past weekend.

I exhausted the Fells Point posts when the fun festival was rescheduled. But I made reference here that there was one more place I hoped to get to. This is what I was alluding to and a few friends had known that.  It’s a bit exciting and a tad melodramatic to speculate on what is coming and how I would frame it, but I’m loving every second of this one.

Back in October of 2014 during a previous incarnation of the fun festival, we ate upstairs and I saw pizza on the menu.  First, I never knew there was a dining area on the second level and I never knew they had pies.  If they’ve had then for a while I’m sorry it took so long guys.

If I remember correctly, the pizza may have been squared shaped but I stand corrected if that wasn’t the case.

When some pals said they would be able to join in the holiday festivities, I knew this was the week to write about it.  Call it a prophecy, clairvoyance, and or maybe just some holiday cheer.   This is one of the places that inspired this blog.

RedStarMenu

This will be a recap of their entire pizza menu.  Very exciting I know!  It’s the completist in me that showed up for this one.  That’s five pies and I will attempt to truncate the verbiage on each.

Pie #1 is from Fells Point Festival Day 1:

Per the friendly bartender’s suggestion I ordered the Prosciutto.  This was fantastic but you’ll see a recurring theme, I could barely finish half of this. It was so filling and full of sensational toppings.  The garlic makes this pie for me.  The arugula was delightful too.

As you see I picked off the toppings and enjoyed them in solitude. It jokingly became a white pizza. This wasn’t the intent, yet this was gorgeous.  I enjoyed my time solo before meeting up with friends.

A nice glass of vino will be accompanying some of these works of art.   I shared my leftovers of day 1 with friends, and the reaction was universally positive.

Pie #2 is from Fells Point Festival Day 2:

I went with the mushroom.  I’ve always had an affinity for them however they’re prepared.  I enjoy them raw. I also enjoyed them on this pie.   This is how a pie comes together with the right toppings and nothing gets misdirected or forgotten.  The caramelized onions taste perfectly and complement the balsamic drizzle.  The goat cheese does it for me.

Again, I couldn’t finish it but that’s more on me than the pizza itself.  I enjoyed the leftovers.

Pies #3 and #4 are from Old Thyme Christmas this past Saturday:

RedStarFries

But before that, we ordered a bowl of garlic and sweet potato fries mixed together.  Yes a bowl and not a plate.   This was stellar.

The buffalo chicken might have been my favorite.  It wasn’t too spicy and just felt so comforting. Maybe because we were about to drink a plethora of egg nog, that this was the right prep for it.   The celery does it for me.

And the presentation charmed the heck out of me.  They all look great but this one I find just a little more special. Why?  I don’t know.  Ask me tomorrow and I might say another one is my favorite.

The cheese was exactly what you want.  You can judge any place by how their plain is. And if they’re doing that right, then it’s concrete and unequivocal evidence that everything else will fall into place.

Finally, pie #5 was a carry-out order from yesterday.

Notice some Christmasesque colors?

This was the Mediterranean Veggie and this was the one I came closest to finishing it.  For OCD sake I wanted to get this to finish the five-pack.  I’ve said it ad-nauseum on here and with friends that pesto makes everything better and it does.

This felt like a thinner, flakier crust than the others but that could be all in my head.  And that’s not an insult.  The thinner crust across-the-board worked perfectly for all these pies.

The word count is a bit high so I will conclude this momentarily.  Go here. I love the atmosphere.  And over the years the staff has always been pleasant and attentive.  The dimly lit lights add character as well.

I’ve had all kinds of great food here and will look forward to doing so again.

This place is a labor of love and I look forward to showing more affection to well-deserving places again throughout the holidays and into the future.

Take good care and happy holidays!

Best,

Ideen

 

It Just Feels Real

Posted in Baltimore, pizza by

ConstantinoPie

It’s not like I’ve been looking for the perfect time to write about DiPasquale’s, but this might be it anyways.

I love this place so much.  A lot of Highlandtown (and Baltimore in general) locals come here on a more-than-regular basis and still think they don’t go in enough.

The aura and energy is second-to-none.  I always love walking in here and checking out their wines, their market & deli, and just appreciating their history altogether.

100 years plus in they’re still going strong and are as popular as ever.   They know what they’re doing.  And the staff has always been so welcoming and approachable during every visit I’ve made.

Honestly, I don’t go enough.   I try to go at least once or twice a month and I don’t always succeed.  Folks such as myself live for their subs.  Some  for their pasta.  Now I and many others may be pining for their pizza.  I am in love.

DiPasqualesOven

For the longest time I didn’t even know they served Brick Oven Pizzas. How foolish of me.  I doubt doing a blog would have led me to find out. I’m sure I’ve known about their pies for over a year or have I?

The two pies I will present to you may have some similarities and a familiar look to them.  Tis’ the season, so by happenstance or not, the colors are apropos.

ConstantinoPie

Back in July of this year I ordered the Constantino. This is magical.   This pie was heated to perfection. Just look at the precision amount of burn on the dough.   The mozzarella cheese is some of the best I’ve ever had.   I love spinach and tomatoes so this is all just making my day.  And the fresh grilled chicken pieces thrown on top make this a sure-fire winner.

ConstantinoYum

ConstantinoSlice

Needless to say this pie never had a chance.  I devoured this in minutes.   I may sound like a fat pig but this was glorious, outstanding, and resonating. I’m salivating for one as I expound on this for you now. Notice the colors of shade of the pie?  Was this a little foreshadowing of the holidays.   Can I be that clever?  Maybe.

I only wish I took my time and savored it more.  Great pizza is meant to be eaten slow and appreciated.   I do appreciate this pie but I’ll be a bit more leisurely the next time.

DiPasqualesGiardino

And speaking of next time, my second purchase took place yesterday. I went with the Giardino.

Once again the dough and cheese were magnificent.   I was excited to know what vegetable would go on top, as the menu leaves it open-ended.

To my pleasant surprise, I got a Christmas looking pie. The red and greens looked so beautiful.  This was a visual I’m grateful to have captured.

The pizza was good but not like the aforementioned Constantino.

I love eggplant but maybe it didn’t fit my palate.  I love asparagus, red peppers, and spinach as well.   As individual veggies I loved pulling the pieces off and noshing on them on their own.  For me, as a pie the flavors may have gotten lost in the shuffle.

GiardinoSlice

And I had no problem finishing it but it wasn’t up to the level of the previous choice.  I know some people love it and will continue to.   Maybe my expectations were very high.

This only means I need to keep coming back and on a significantly regular basis.  I want more pizza pies!  I love this place and I love everything about it.  There’s a history and authenticity that you don’t get with the newer shops, the chains, and the box restaurants.  I’ll support local establishments like this as much as I can.  They deserve the business.

And speaking of supporting local, the timing of this post is no accident.

The Holidays In Highlandtown kick-off celebration takes place today.   I will be attending and hope to see you there.

It’s a neighborhood I’ve fallen in love with much more recently.  There’s so much character and so much soul that I can’t help but be drawn to it.

Look forward to seeing ya.

Happy Holiday Season!

Best,

Ideen

 

 

Something New

Posted in pizza, Virginia by

This week’s post brings me back to Virginia, and specifically the Herndon area.

RubinosStoreFront

I had never heard of Rubino’s Pizzeria but this is what makes this gig fun. You can drive around any city, town, or neighborhood and you’re going to find a pizza place.   I feel like an explorer of sorts seeing where this journey will take me.  I have so many places like this stored away for future posts (hopefully) that now is as good a time as many to talk about one.

So this was a month ago and I found myself passing through the region, where I saw many a strip mall and shopping center.  With the power of technology and the Internet I was able to pinpoint a few places nearby.   But they weren’t as close to me as I had surmised.  So I said to myself I’ll let it come to me, and sure enough moments later I get to the Village Center at Dulles aka Clocktower & Village Center.

All the standard chains and box stores were visible but fortunately at the very end of one side of the strip you have Rubino’s.

This was during lunch rush so I am a little more objective as to the time, the crowd, the energy, and everything in between.

It was busy, the crowd was a lot of employees, government workers, tand corporate types.   So you’re going to get a lot of folks trying to expedite their visits and get out as soon as they can.

I ordered three (count ’em three) slices and my wait time was about 5-6 minutes and that was reasonable for the time frame.

In sequential order I will recap my carry-out order.

Rubino'sCheese

First, the cheese is very good.  The mozzarella, the sauce, and the crust mesh perfectly.   I forgot to mention that these are NY Style Slices, and they’re going to be thinner than what some of us might be used to.  But this worked here.

The picture above may look funny as  I literally opened it as soon as I got out of the restaurant, and you see that bubble or hole.  I attribute that to anything but the pizzeria itself.  This is a really good cheese that I’d be happy to have on-the-go or sitting down.  Nothing that bill blow you away but a strong slice for sure.

Now onto the bacon part of the discussion…

Rubino'sMeatLovers

The Meat Supreme with bacon, sausage, ham, and pepperoni was not my favorite.  The toppings were fine.  They may not have seemed as fresh a I would have liked but there was something else missing.   It seemed as if the flavors were too overpowering and I didn’t get to taste much of anything.   I picked pieces of them off and enjoyed them individually but it still wasn’t what I had hoped.   It wasn’t terrible but I didn’t find it very good either.  I ate about half and saved the rest for later.

Rubino'sBBQChicken

The Barbecue, Chicken. and Bacon I saved for last but this didn’t work.  I didn’t care for the bbq sauce and that really compromised the slice altogether.  The chicken was find but again it didn’t taste fresh.  And the bacon got lost in the shuffle.   I barely ate more than a few bites.

For all three the pizza crust itself was really good.

Rubino'sHangSign

In reading their story I do appreciate how it’s family run and that they now have three stores.  They’re three brothers that grew up in the area and went to school nearby.  I love finding out information like this and hope they expand and end up with more successes.

I am in Virginia quite a lot so if I pass through, I will give them another go again.

Rubino'sCoke&Slice

And $3.99 for a coke and a slice for this area is pretty unbeatable.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend and I wish you all the joys of the holiday season.

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen