Tag Archives: cheese

Fells’ Finest

Posted in pizza by

LiquidEarth

I’m happy to have my first pizza review of a Fells Point establishment be this one.  I love Liquid Earth.  It’s been Earth Week for me, so I wanted the pizza review to reflect that.  And this is special.  This is unique.  Most importantly, it’s delicious.

I had been here a handful of times before.  And thanks to my friends who told me about this place, otherwise I might still drive or walk past it, and never go in.

For our friends in the Baltimore area, there’s no need to explain too much about the place.  But yes it’s Vegan and Vegetarian Friendly.  That alone, makes it unique and charming.  In addition, the interior is so welcoming and has an old time feel. There’s a few tables for dining and a small bar.  Why is there a bar?  Well you can order shots.  And I did just that!

Miso

As you can see, I went real heavy.  I ordered a Pomegranate shot with a side of Miso Soup to start.  Those are apple slices. And I love this presentation.   Yes, the spoon is positioned inside the bread.  I think I order this now, just to see the magnificent layout.   This was exquisite.  In previous visits I’ve ordered Wheatgrass and those are a rejuvenator.

RawItems

So what about the pies?

LiquidEarthPizza

First up, was the Liquid Earth Pizza.   I’ve had this before. My first time felt unique.  It had a taste I’m not used to.  But that’s the fun of this.  Everything we eat now, was at one moment in the past, something we ate for the first time.   And that’s how we develop our tastes in food and drink.  This is a treat from the universe.  Buckwheat and nut cheese are not ingredients I’m used to eating.  And I believe I’ve only had them here.  What a shame.  I would love to try these ingredients on other entrees.    The mushrooms and bell peppers taste so real and so fresh, that it’s like they just came from the farmers market moments before.  Maybe even better than that.   I was happy eating the veggies on their own off the pie.  The basil tastes incredible.   Fair warning, however, this got me full barely halfway eating it.  The crust, made from flax seed, is what got me. And I was happy to take the rest home.

flaxcrust

Here is the crust.  How beautiful is that?

TheOriginal

I noticed a second pizza on me the menu.  And my curiosity couldn’t contain me.  I ordered The Original to go, to have for dinner.  The similarities to the first pie are there at first glance.   But the subtle differences in appearance and taste do shine through.  This is a winner as well.    My photo may not do it justice.  The tomatoes on this one were a godsend.  This makes other times I’ve had a tomato with salad, pizza or anything seem amateurish.   They stand by using local and organic ingredients as much as possible.  Where can I find them?  Any restaurant or business that does its best to stay local, deserves all the praise in the world.  What a treat this was.   The tomato sauce, zucchini, and spinach all play their part in making this a joy. I felt honored eating this.

So have I said enough positives?  There can never be enough.   And at $15.95, this is a more than reasonable price.  Two people can split this and feel satisfied.

I can’t say enough things about this place.  I feel full, fat, and happy each time I’m dined here.  And it’s a good full feeling. There is no grossness or feeling bloated.  I end up with a new found energy and positivity that I’d love to transfer into all facets of my life.

I hope the Earth has been good to you.

Best,

Ideen

On The Avenue

Posted in Maryland, pizza by

slyce

Since being around the Baltimore area for the past 15 years, I’ve always been sentimental to White Marsh. So it’s about time I review a pizza place nearby. And this brings us to Slice Pizzeria on The Avenue.

slyce2

What stood out right away was how tiny the inside was.  It only seats a few people indoors and there are tabletops outside for dining when the weather is nice. They also have a side entrance where you can order from the outside (as seen pictured above), which gives it a local shoppe feel.  I find that awesome.  In the nearly two years they’ve been open, they have developed quite the following.  And being next to the movie theater is a plus.

Unfortunately, I feel their pizza has become movie theater quality.  When I was originally going their slices were quite tasty. They lived up to their New York Style thin crust reputation.  In my past few visits, I have noticed a decrease in goodness. The slices I will review were based on my most recent stop.

slyces

First up was The White Pizza.  I just didn’t get much from it.  It was ok.  The crust was fine.  The cheese just seemed lacking.  It didn’t have the usual flavor I have come to expect.  It tasted more like cheese on toast.

Next in line, we had The Shore Pie Pizza.  And boy did this look promising.   The ingredients are grilled chicken, butter, Old Bay, mozzarella, and blue cheese. Now you would think this would be a recipe for success.  I really wanted it to be.  But again, it just didn’t come together.   I really like the idea of butter as an ingredient.  But I never felt like I tasted it. In addition, the Old Bay and blue cheese didn’t seem to click.  I can imagine for many, this is a match made in pizza heaven.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  And the chicken was ok.  I’ve had better pieces of chicken on a pie. Again, this was an ok slice.  But I can’t say I’d try it again. bacon

And lastly, we have the Rancher Pizza.  We got bacon on this one, so it’s gotta be great right?  There’s grilled chicken again, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, and the aforementioned bacon.  This just didn’t work. I had a hard time eating this one.   I didn’t love the bbq sauce.  It was too sweet for me, but that is what wasblisted.  I found this one the most disappointing. Since they have one of the most creative and inventive menus I’ve seen, I will give it another go.  I just recall their pizza tasting a whole lot better. Some of their slices are over $5, which is a bit steep for me.

There’s a lot of positives though.  The staff is always friendly and happy to assist with questions about the unique entrees. Every time I’ve gone in, they’ve been smiling.   In addition, their slices are of generous proportions, which could justify the price somewhat. Just because I didn’t love it doesn’t mean you won’t.

And judging by reviewers, a lot of people are fans. I do wish Slice all the success and look forward to trying another concoction again. Thanks so much. Best, Ideen

New Sensation

Posted in Maryland, pizza by

Italian Sensation

Happy Opening Day in Baltimore.  For many this feels like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other festive days, all rolled into one. Life is good.  Everyone is happy and feeling like a million bucks.  As we should.   Now in keeping with the tradition of today, I did go local on today’s review.

My pizza journey this week led me to Italian Sensation in Fallston.   I go through a running list of places I want to check out and listen to suggestions from my fellow pals.  But, the funny thing here is I had no idea they had a local creation, until perusing their menu.  You could call it coincidence, happenstance, or fate.    The inspiration and stories find us.  I was to go about this pizzeria like any other.  And of course with different analysis.  But serendipity finds me again.  Of all days to write about their spot, of course it had to be today.  And I’m glad.

Have I stretched this out long enough?

Baltimore

The Baltimore, pictured above, looks so beautiful doesn’t it?  With sauteed shrimp and crab meat, it’s a locals dream.   The olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella are a good complement to this pizza pie.  Now I say good.  In my opinion, it’s not amazing.  I didn’t have any expectations going on, and I wasn’t disappointed nor was I blown away.  The shrimp is incredible.   I could pick those off and eat those myself.  Actually, a few times I did.   Something about the crab meat didn’t entirely work for me. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it on my slice?  If this were just loaded with shrimp, I would be heaping for praise.   The pizza otherwise tastes pretty good.  If you take off all the toppings, it’s essentially a white pizza, without the ricotta. And it tastes alright.   The crust is magnificent though.  It’s just a little crunchy, but mainly soft and chewy that it ranks up their with the best of them.  And I love when the cheese crunches up near the end of the crust, and becomes one with the pie.  Lovely. I’d say it’s a good pizza, but not a great one overall.  It’s maybe a case of the whole not equaling the sum of it’s parts.

TheCheeseStandsAlone

I also ordered a cheese, as a nice dichotomy to the Baltimore.  And in the back of my mind, I thought it might play second fiddle.  How wrong I was.  This was stupendous.  It’s just as scrumptious and savory as it looks.  I don’t know if the cheese swirled while I was bringing it home, or it was made that way.  But this is almost too beautiful to eat!  But it was enjoyed and appreciated.   And again, the dough is a stand out here.  Magnificent.

Togetherness

Paired together, they look good.  For more of the wine that’s hiding back there, click here.

I haven’t been to Italian Sensation often, but I’ve usually been happy.  I’ve had several of their slices, and always enjoyed them.

locations!woo!

The staff was also very friendly and welcoming.  The Fallston location has a nice aura about it.  The outside looks so charming.  I’ve also been to the Bel Air spot and got the same vibe.  A review of that place is forthcoming. And a drive up to Perry Hall is going to happen as well.

But for now, enjoy opening day, enjoy one another, and enjoy yourselves.

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen

The Original

Posted in cheese, Maryland, pizza by

Doms

I’ve only been to Dominick’s of Parkville a handful of times.  But, each time keeps feeling like the first.   It’s that good, novel, and wonderful.

The first time, only a few months ago, I ordered the Buffalo Chicken and White Vegetable, and they were both out of this world.  Especially the latter.  I can say that it’s one of the best veggie pies/slices I’ve ever had the privilege of eating.

And the smells.  There’s a smell that comes from their store and from the carry out boxes that’s to die for.  To me, it’s a combination of basil, cheese, sauce, and something else I can’t quite put my finger on.  Maybe I’m not meant to know?

DomsPies

For this visit, I ordered a Cheese and a Bacon Cheeseburger.   That smell was back and better than ever.   How the cheese overpowered bacon and burger meat, I don’t know.  But that’s really saying something.  I was hoping the scents would stay in my car longer.

How beautiful do those pies look?

Even more importantly, how do they taste?

Well the cheese tastes exactly how a cheese pie should. It brings me back to the types of pizza I was eating when I was a kid.  It’s more than comfort food. It’s just comforting.  It makes me feel good.  And the crust is the perfect combination of soft, with a little crunch to it.   And the smell helps!

The Bacon Cheeseburger had a lot to live up to after the cheese, but it delivered.  The meats tasted fresh.  And they poured a lot on top of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese.   This was a wonderful combination all around.  I find cheddar to be an underrated topping on pizzas.

Besides the taste and smell, most important of all, is their customer service.  They knocked it out of the park again.  I’ve always had the inkling to order a large and a medium to go.  I keep forgetting that if I ordered two mediums, that I’m getting a savings of over $10. Now I don’t always remember this fact, but they do! And they’ve been quick to remind me of this detail.  Ladies and gentleman, that’s serving your customers at its finest.   They’re not obligated to remind me of this fact, but they choose to anyway.   That will make me keep coming back and supporting their amazing local business.  Thanks so much guys.   And it makes the pizza taste better too!  They’ve been doing this for over 50 years and that’s one of the reasons why. Class.

DomsLocations

Now, I haven’t been to their Perry Hall or Lutherville locations, and that will come in time.  I can only assume I’ll get the same world class treatment there.

Take good care and enjoy the weekend.

Best,

Ideen

Made Fresh Fridays?

Posted in basil, College Park, ham, Hawaiian, Maryland, mozzarella, pineapple, pizza, ricotta, Washington, white by

autentica

Don’t let the title fool you. I just love alliteration. But, I did not love this weeks selections from Pizza Autentica. And I actually had this on a Monday.

A little road trip led me to the College Park, MD location, not far from the campus of the University of Maryland.   I haven’t lived in the Washington, DC area in nearly 7 years, so I wasn’t aware this restaurant existed, or that they had 8 locations.

This wasn’t a good first impression.  The location seemed cookie cutter and boring.  I didn’t have a good feeling from the moment I walked in.  And the pizza I tried represented that.

pizzaaut

Looks pretty doesn’t it?  Well looks can be deceiving.   I had the Hawaiian first.  And I love ham and pineapple.  But this was disappointing,  The tomato sauce tasted funny.  I can’t describe it exactly.  Perhaps bland is the apropos term.  The ham and pineapple didn’t taste fresh.  And it was just thrown on top of a cheese slice.  The mozzarella didn’t taste much better, so I know how weak their cheese is too.  Nothing about this was authentic.  It just seemed like a slice thrown together with leftovers, near or past their expiration date.

Next, was the white pie, with tomatoes, basil, and ricotta.   This was a little better, but not by much.

In addition, the crusts for both didn’t seem cooked right.  I don’t ask for much.  I just want a pie, or slice, along with the crust to taste good.  This was neither the right way a pie should be toasted nor how it crunches.  It wasn’t the worst I’ve had, by any means, but both choices, seemed lifeless and mediocre.

A fun thing about blogging, or many cool things in life for that matter, is that it can lead you to unexpected and unplanned destinations. In some ways, I am glad that this was my first review of a spot in the Washington, DC area.  I know not every pizza place is going to bring about a positive experience.  Hopefully it’ll get better from here.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Wegmans, A Place For Friends

Posted in cheese, friends, fun, pals, pepperoni, pizza, salad, sandwich, soup, sushi by

wegmans

Or maybe a place for pals, if that’s more to your liking.  I sure do love Wegmans.   I think I visited my first one, when it opened up in Hunt Valley, MD about 10 years ago.  Originating nearly 100 years ago from Rochester, New York, they are growing in popularity and locations.   If you’ve been inside, you know it’s like the Disney World of food stores.  But, It’s more than just that.  It’s a place of joy, inspiration, and happiness.  And of course it’s a place where plenty of wonderful things can be purchased.   Let me not get too carried away here.  The heck with it, let’s have fun. It’s time to evoke emotions.

Anything you want to go, is here; from sandwiches, sushi, salad, soup and of course the hot bar with international foods from all over this wonderful planet.  But this is a pizza blog.  Time to make moves.

I must say, I love their cheese, white, and pepperoni pizza.  Perhaps in the future I will review those.  I will just say they are great.   And there will be more posts regarding Wegmans pies soon.

The specific store I visited for this installment was at Boulevard At Box Hill in Abingdon, MD.

This post will be about the Chef’s Creations, and they are constantly changing :

Slice #1 : The Bacon Cheese Blue Cheeseburger (pictured at the top of this post, on the left) : Oh my goodness.  This was heavenly.   I find their pizza dough to be exquisite.  It’s cooked in their ovens to perfection.  It wasn’t too crunchy nor too soft either.  It tasted like I was eating a naan or pita bread.  And that’s how their dough has resonated with me.  And the mozzarella and blue cheese melted together, with the bacon and hamburger meat is an incredible combination.   Phenomenal stuff.

Slice #2 : The Spinach Ricotta (pictured on the right) : Well something went wrong here.   I could tell it was siting on the tray for a while, as it was starting to look a bit old.  The pizza tasted great, but the crust was too crunchy.  The ingredients were great but needn’t have been out this long. I won’t fault the store, but I will fault time.  It just felt like eating potato chips.

But this will not discourage me from coming back.  In my opinion, they have some underrated pizza.  Maybe because it’s a grocery store and not a specific place to get an amazing slice or pie.  I will be returning and hope to bring another inspirational take on the Wegmans experience.  And with more pictures.

Best,

Ideen