pizza

If you've been reading Nick Zukin's great food blog over at ExtraMSG.com (and if not, why haven't you?), then you already know that he and I embarked upon a Portland pizza crawl last Wednesday, in which we stuffed our faces with no less than six different pies. I got the chance to revisit a couple great local carts (Pyro and Wy'east) as well as a brand new one: Pizza Depokos up on North Killingsworth.

Perhaps "cart" is a misnomer. In owner Ethan Welt's mind, Pizza Depokos was always meant to be a food cart, but after the county told him he couldn't leave his wood-burning oven on a trailer outside year round, he moved into the old garage in the Refuel North Station food pod. So technically, Depokos isn't a cart. That said, the food comes out just as quickly as it does at most carts, so if you're looking to satisfy your pizza craving on the go, don't let the fact that this place isn't on wheels prevent you from swinging by.

Depokos was the first stop on our crawl, so my belly was empty and my spirits were high. Browsing the menu, I discovered that in addition to the more traditional Neapolitan-style pies, Ethan is also serving up Lebanese pies on his house-made pita dough. Naturally, we had to try one of each. Nick and I ordered a Margherita with fresh mozzarella and a half 3-cheese/za'atar pie. Ethan was working with a new employee that evening, and because of this our Margherita with fresh mozz ended up with fresh chopped tomatoes instead of sauce and aged mozz instead of fresh. I did eventually get to try the "normal" Marg, but I'll get to that later.

As our pies cooked, Nick and I got a chance to chat up Ethan about his dough (a several-day refrigerated ferment) and the oven, which he built himself (he used to be in construction before diving into the pizza biz). Talking with Ethan, you quickly realize what an immense passion he has for pizza. He spent months perfecting his dough, and mixes it entirely by hand (see the above photo for proof). He's familiar with the stories of pizza legends Jeff Varasano and Anthony Mangieri. He carefully monitors the oven's temperature, noting the differentiation between the front and the rear and how they gradually cool as the night progresses. There is no pretension here whatsoever; he is a genuine human being, as easy to talk to as a friend you've known for years.

Before long our two pizzas arrived piping hot from that wondrous wood-burning oven, and after the requisite photo shoot, Nick and I dug in. I started with our altered Margherita ($10). The first thing that hit me about this pizza was the crust: just delicious. It's got a great saltiness to it, and a nice yeasty bread flavor permeating its soft, chewy body. The oven had charred the bottom nicely. While I was disappointed about the mix-up with the new employee, I actually rather enjoyed the pie.

I agree with Nick's assessment that, out of season, freshly chopped tomatoes may not be an optimal choice (especially compared with the sweet punch of cherry tomatoes), but I didn't dislike them either. They cut the salt in the aged mozzarella just enough to maintain a nice balance of flavor throughout. The fantastic crust, with its puffy cornicione and slightly dense hole structure, was a little thick in the center of the pizza. I learned later that this was because the new employee wasn't quite stretching the pies enough, but to be totally honest I didn't mind at all; Ethan's dough recipe is so good that, thick or thin, it's going to taste great no matter what.

The second pie, the 3-Cheese/Za'atar ($8) threw me for a loop. On one hand, the 3-cheese half of the pie was outstanding. The aged mozz, feta, and Lebanese Akkawi blend together as smoothly as the voices of Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras, a perfect equilibrium of the salty and creamy. I loved it. Curiously, the "house-made pita dough" used for this pie was exactly the same as the dough used on our Neapolitan pie. Either I am unable to detect the subtle differences between these two doughs, or the new employee's first-day jitters struck again and caused him to prepare both pies on the same type of dough.

(photo by Nick Zukin)

On the other hand, the za'atar half of the pie confounded my taste buds. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of sesame seeds, salt, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and other dried spices. I have very little experience with Lebanese cuisine, so I can't speak firsthand on what za'atar is supposed to taste like; all I can do is convey to you my reaction to this version. I'll be honest: I didn't love it. The dense layer of herbs and seeds, so dry and crusty, wasn't getting into my palate's panties, so to speak. I'd be very curious to hear from someone who has eaten a few Lebanese za'atar pies; I'd like to know what to look for in terms of flavor profile, and how they feel Ethan's version stacks up.

Both tremendously satisfied with our meal, Nick and I continued with the pizza crawl, but I couldn't help but be disappointed that I didn't get to try one of Ethan's pies with red sauce. So two nights later, I stopped by Pizza Depokos again with my friend to get the scoop, and ordered the plain Margherita with Fresh Mozz ($12).

The pizza that arrived a few minutes later looked so vastly different than the pies we had been served two nights prior that it was immediately obvious someone else was working the kitchen. Sure enough, new pizzaiolo Jeremy (of Nostrana fame) was slinging the pies that night. He prepared the pizzas alongside a friendly young woman named Ferris (forgive me if misspelled your name...just shoot me a message if this is the case and I'll fix it!) who was working the front-of-house, as it were. Jeremy stretched the dough perfectly, leaving the finished pie with a pleasantly thin crust and a less-puffy-but-still-airy cornice that was given a nice crunchy exterior by the lick of the oven's flames.

I loved the flavor of the fresh mozzarella on this pizza, cheesy and creamy, without the blandness you often encounter when dealing with fresh mozz. The basil tasted fresh and vibrant. What threw me off about this pizza was the tomato sauce. This is a tomato sauce lover's wildest dream, and when I say that I do not mean it resembles anything close to a simple blend of San Marzanos, salt, and olive oil, but literally a sauce of tomatoes. It's chunky, heavily seasoned, and so unbelievably tangy (in an almost spaghetti-sauce kind of way) that, in the few areas on the pizza where it was doled out perhaps a little too heavily, it totally dominated every other flavor on the pie. Personally, I'd prefer it spread much thinner, but I know there are many people out there who are going to love it like it thick like this.

The night ended with Jeremy whipping up a pizza on the fly just as the place was closing, which began with a base of garlic, aged mozz, and feta, topped with basil, arugula, and a fresh egg. The egg was cracked over the center of the pie midway through its brief stint in the heat of the fire, then punctured to spread the scrumptious yolk across the whole pizza. Jeremy and Ferris graciously offered me a slice, and to call it good is an understatement. This was sublime, creative pizza. Normally I don't even like egg on pizza, but I loved this pie. I have my fingers crossed that Jeremy decides to stay on with Pizza Depokos, because he is a major talent and a key component to Ethan's already considerably realized vision.

Word about Pizza Depokos is going to spread rapidly. Both evenings I visited there was no wait at all, but I expect that to change once people realize what fantastic pizza they can get here, and how quickly they can get it. It's an asset to the neighborhood and an asset to Portland, and pizza aficionados throughout the city should take advantage of the tremendous food coming out of this tiny kitchen. Best of all, there is some serious love going into Ethan's pies, and you can taste it in every delicious bite.

As I mentioned earlier, Nick Zukin, the "ExtraMSG" of ExtraMSG.com and PortlandFood.org, has also composed a write-up of our journey, with full impressions of the pizzas we ate at Pyro and Wy'east. I highly recommended checking it out. He is extremely knowledgeable about food and knows what he is talking about, and I had a blast hanging out with him and hearing about both his past (growing up around restaurants) and his plans for future endeavors (if you think Kenny & Zuke's is the last you'll see of him, think again). Plus, he loves pizza. Along with Ethan Welt's unbridled enthusiasm for the craft, this made for an unforgettable evening, and I wish you all could have been there.

OVEN: Wood

RECOMMENDED: 3-Cheese Pizza

Update 2/20/10 -- A return trip today with friends yielded two new pies: the Soppressata, and one of Jeremy's newest creations. The tomato sauce on the Soppressata pie, tangy to a fault the last time I'd tried it on the Margherita, was much more balanced this time around, and perfectly complimented the wide, meaty discs of soppressata.

The second pie consisted of smoked mozzarella, marinated onions, olive oil, Italian parsley, and sardines. Again, balance was spot on. The onions were cooked to perfection, with no sign of stringiness, and the cheese provided just a hint of smoke on the palate. The non-fish ingredients were pleasantly light, which worked quite well in tandem with the salt-bomb sardines. They may be a little too fishy for some, but if you think they're the bee's knees, then count your blessings if this pie makes it onto the Daily Specials board.

My post last December about Rochester’s pizza history prompted comments from several people, including Whitey Proietti, proprietor of Proietti’s Restaurant in Webster. As he explained, Proietti’s can trace its roots back to a long-gone place on Goodman St. named Ozzie’s back in the early 1960s. So pizza and the Proietti family go back a long way.
Not long ago, I stopped off at Proietti’s to pick up a large pizza. Due to lack of time and my general preference for making my initial visit anonymously, I was unable to take up Whitey Proietti up on his invitation to come in and meet him, though I firmly intend to do that at some point.
My pizza, which was given a square or grid cut, had a medium-thick crust. The golden brown underside bore screen marks, and was dry, with some crispness.
Texturally, the crust might best be described as “fine.” It was not dense or “heavy,” but neither was it airy, in the sense of having large air holes in the interior. It also was not especially “gluteny,” by which I mean that it didn’t have the stretchy chewiness that I associate with extensive development of gluten in the dough. That, and the noticeably white interior of the crust, which was almost the color of angel food cake, got me curious about the flour that was used here. (In doing a bit of research, I ran across this discussion, which suggests that some gluten will result in a crust with more “bite” than “chew,” which is another good way to describe this one.)
Technical talk aside, I found the crust enjoyable. It had a mild but not bland flavor, and although I wouldn’t describe it as especially bready, it was easy to chew, without the toughness of some thicker crusts.
The pizza was rather saucy, though not so much as to be out of balance. The sauce was more tomatoey than herbal, with an acidic sharpness. The cheese seemed to be straight mozzarella, and was applied moderately, with a narrow border of sauce between it and the inch-wide edge.
The wide and thin slices of pepperoni were uniformly but generously applied in neat rows. The slices of fresh green bell pepper and white onion on the other half were al dente, and made for a pleasing combination. A sprinkling of dried herbs over the entire pizza was visible, though this wasn’t a particularly herbal-tasting pie.
In keeping with its status as an “old school” pizzeria, Proietti’s is not a place to go for newfangled “gourmet” pizzerias with unusual toppings. There are 14, pretty standard, toppings, and aside from the size of the pizza, your only other options are the thick-crust “double dough” and white pizza made with mozzarella, romano and garlic.
Aside from pizza, there is a full menu of Italian selections, and if you dine there you can expect to start off with Proietti’s complimentary and renowned zucchini appetizer. Though it’s located in an otherwise charmless shopping plaza, Proietti’s has a charming interior, with subdued lighting, family photos on the walls, and white linens on the tables. It’s tough to be both dinner-date formal and family-dinner casual, but Proietti’s straddles the line nicely.
I could see, eating this pizza, how it does hark back to an older era. This is why I love seeking out these places with deep local roots, to see what pizza was like around here in the days before national pizza chains, and before Rochester pizzerias began to consciously imitate the styles of other American cities. This pizza had a basic, straightforward, “traditional” flavor, texture and appearance (right down to the “square” cut) that I could appreciate. It was also obviously made with care and attention to detail, as evidenced by the neat rows of pepperoni slices and the uniform width of the outer edge. I’m giving this one a B+.
Proietti’s Italian Restaurant & Catering, 980 Ridge Rd. E. (Webster Plaza), Webster 872-2330
Sun., Tue. - Thu. 4 p.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Sonny's Deli is a little neighborhood spot on North Landing Road, just south of Blossom Road. It's the kind of place that you don't see very much these days, a small, independent deli/grocery store sitting by itself on an otherwise residential street.
This was formerly, I think, Detello's Deli & Pizzeria. I can remember getting pizza from there a long time ago one summer when I lived in a house nearby. But I'd kind of forgotten about it until just recently when I was scanning the pizza listings in the 2010 yellow pages (which still list this address as Detello's).
At any rate - I stopped in the other day for a slice. The slices were in one of those glass-enclosed warmers, where they looked to have been sitting for a while.
I opted for a cheese slice this time. It was thin, with a very dark underside bearing screen marks. The crust was crunchy - downright brittle, in fact - and when I took a bite the underside separated completely from the thin top layer of the crust, which remained adhered to the cheese. The predominant flavor was that of burnt toast.
The sauce was visible, but dried out, making it hard to pick out its flavor. Likewise, I could see a few flecks of dried herbs, but didn't notice any herb flavor either.
The cheese wasn't bad - uniformly but moderately applied mozzarella. It had a bright orange color and was a tad greasy.
The thin lip at the edge was OK. It was pleasantly crunchy, if a little bland.
Sonny's has a standard lineup of toppings, and four specialty pizzas. They also serve wings, which come tossed with one of eight sauces (which includes three heat levels of Buffalo sauce), a wide variety of subs and unusually named sandwiches (I get most of the names, except for "The Vatican," which comes with turkey, ham, bacon and mozzarella), salads, sides, and Italian and seafood dinners. And since it's a grocery too, they carry all the basics - milk, beer, snacks, etc. Sonny's, which is near Ellison Park, also claims to have "Rochester's largest supply of discs and disc golf accessories."
I have to say I was disappointed with this pizza. First, although I don't remember much about the pizza I used to get here way back when, when this was still Detello's, I know I got pizza from there more than once, so I must've liked it to some extent. (I do seem to recall the pizza being thicker, which is neither here nor there as far as me liking it, but it does seem to have changed since then.)
Second, I can see where this pizza had the potential to be really good. It looks more or less like a New York style pizza (except for the screen marks - I don't think I've ever seen screen-baked pizza in NYC), and according to the menu it's baked in a brick oven.
I think the problem here was mostly one of execution. The crust was overcooked, for one thing. It was also too dried out, from spending too long in the oven and, I think, the warming rack. That essentially nullified the sauce component, so that all I could really taste was the nearly-burned crust and the congealed cheese.
Finally, one minor quibble - the service was friendly enough, but when I got my slice, I was a bit surprised when the guy just handed it to me on a paper plate. It was snowing outside, and I was obviously getting it to go, so one of those paper sleeves would've been nice, don't you think?
So - I wasn't too thrilled with this slice, but even so, I think there was a very good slice of pizza trapped in there somewhere, that just never had a chance to get out. In fact I'm somewhat tempted to order a pizza from Sonny's sometime, just to see if maybe getting a freshly made pie would avoid some of the issues I had with this one. Until then, I'm giving Sonny's a C-.
Sonny's Deli, 494 N. Landing Rd. 288-7820
Mon. - Thu. 7 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

This is a small little local place that isn't too far from the beach but not that close either. The area around isn't too exciting. A lot of Domino's, Subways, and McDonalds. So it seems that this is the only place around that's not a nationwide chain. I am sure there are other though, closer toward the beach no doubt, I will find them.This is a family run business, the guy is from brooklyn I

Pleasant Bunz is a downtown spot serving breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. Although it's mostly a sandwich/burger kind of place, they do serve pizza slices at lunchtime, so I gave it a try.
My pepperoni slice was very soft, with a floppy crust that was a little oily underneath. It had that pancake-like appearance of dough that's been cooked on an oily surface. The edge was slightly crunchy, with a fried kind of texture and mouthfeel.
The cheese was melted and very stringy. It seemed to be all mozzarella. The tomato component was closer to chunks of canned tomato than to a traditional pizza sauce. The various components were in reasonably good balance, though. The pepperoni was of the wide and thin variety, and applied rather generously.
Pleasant Bunz's breakfast menu, which is available from 7 to 11 a.m., covers the usual bases, with pancakes, eggs, and some breakfast sandwiches. The lunch menu is considerably wider and includes wraps, sandwiches, burritos, salads and subs. Besides regular pizza slices, they offer French bread pizza too. Pleasant Bunz also has an order-to-to service - handy for downtown workers - and catering. There's some seating, but it's mostly a takeout operation.
Pleasant Bunz seems like a fine place to grab a quick breakfast or lunch, and I don't want to discourage anyone from going there and checking it out. But personally, I wouldn't go for the pizza. Mine had a crust that was way too soft, and it was rather bland all around, with its stringy mozzarella and chunky tomato "sauce." I applaud any desire to offer pizza, but pizza is not something you can put together quickly like an omelet or a sub sandwich and make it well. I just wonder if some eatery owners don't think that it's a simple matter to add pizza to a menu, without thinking through what's involved in making really good pizza. If your limitations of time, space or other resources prevent you from serving excellent pizza, it might be better to stick to the other stuff.
But that's me. For all I know, there's a whole army of downtown office workers who go to Pleasant Bunz specifically for their daily pizza fix. If so, far be it from me to say they're wrong. But this wasn't my idea of good pizza, and I'll give it a C-.
Pleasant Bunz Restaurant and Cafe, 87 N. Clinton Ave. 232-1370
Mon. - Thu. 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

After I gave a pretty bad (D+) review to the Piatza’s on Crittenden Road, a reader commented that the Park Avenue Piatza’s pizza was quite different from what I’d described. Later, another reader asked if I could check out the Park Ave. location now that it’s moved from the southeast to the northeast corner of Park and Oxford, in the space formerly occupied by KC Tea & Noodle. So I stopped by a while back to get a slice.
And Piatza’s, by the way, is a true slice joint - I’m guessing a lot of their business comes from selling their “14" Mega Slice,” which goes for about $4. So unlike some places where I think you really need to order a whole pie to get a true picture of what their pizza is like, Piatza’s is very much about slices.
My slice (the 14" refers to the length along the side, i.e., the radius of the pie) was thin to medium in thickness, with a dark brown underside. It had been screen baked, was not greasy underneath, and had some exterior crispness, but it was a tad gummy where the sauce met the crust. The dough had visibly risen somewhat, and had a certain bready airiness to it.
The sauce was moderately applied, and had a flavor that struck a balance between tomatoey and herbal. The cheese was also applied moderately, and in good balance with the other components. The cup 'n' char pepperoni was spicy and crisp.
Having worked my way through the full length of the slice, I reached the outer edge, which was formed into a thick lip. It was nicely browned, with a bready flavor and texture, and I found it enjoyable.
All four Piatza’s - Park Ave., Brighton/Henrietta (Crittenden), Fairport and Macedon - share the same menu, with many pizza varieties, as well as wings, burgers and hots, hot and cold subs, pasta, fish fry (every day), and “plates.” The Park Ave. location has some seating.
This slice was better than the one I had at the Crittenden Piatza’s; it was kind of like an improved version of that slice. For a “big slice” place - which often emphasize quantity over quality - it wasn’t bad at all. I’d still rather have the option of a smaller slice for, say, $2.50, but, that aside, it was pretty well balanced, and the flavor was good. Unlike the slice I got at Crittenden, this wasn’t greasy underneath, and the crust wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. That uniform, medium-brown underside usually means a dull sort of flavor, a lack of great character to the crust, and that was true here. But while that may be holding this back from being truly outstanding pizza, it certainly didn’t ruin it, and I’d say that this was just a bit above average, so I’ll give it a B-.
Piatza's, 360 Park Ave., 271-4950
Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Have you seen Domino's TV ads trumpeting Papa John's statement in a court case that its claims to having "better ingredients" and "better pizza" are mere "puffery"? According to the ad, "puffery" is a legal term meaning an exaggerated statement of opinion, not fact.
I wondered what this was all about, so out of curiosity, I got a copy of the court decision that the ad is talking about. Having read it, a few things strike me as funny about Domino's ad. The first, of course, is simply the idea of arguing about whether Domino's or Papa John's makes better pizza. To me, that's like arguing about where you'd rather go for a beach getaway in January, Rochester or Buffalo.
But to get back to the court decision - the first thing I noticed is that it was written in 2000, by a federal appeals court in New Orleans. Why is Domino's bringing this up ten years later?
Another curious thing is that Domino's wasn't a party to that lawsuit. It was Pizza Hut that sued Papa John's, alleging that Papa John's claims to "better" ingredients and pizza were false advertising. Domino's is only mentioned once in a footnote, where the court points out that a lot of national pizza chains have made claims to being "better" or the "best" in some way, like Domino's slogan, "Nobody Delivers Better." The court's point, essentially, was that they all do it, and that it's all equally b.s.
Third, what Papa John's actually argued in that case, and what the court held, was that the “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza." slogan was not an "objectifiable statement of fact upon which consumers would be justified in relying," and, therefore, wasn't false advertising. In other words, Papa John's didn't say the slogan was false, only that it's the kind of statement that can't be proven or disproven. So I think Domino's ads are a little misleading by suggesting that Papa John's somehow admitted that its "better" claims were untrue.
Finally, one irony is that Papa John's actually won the lawsuit. The court did rule that when combined with its ad campaigns touting its use of "fresh pack" tomatoes, fresh dough, and filtered water, as opposed to Pizza Hut's use of reconsituted tomato paste, frozen dough, and tap water, Papa John's "better" ads were misleading, because the evidence showed that there was nothing objectifiably "better" about those particular ingredients (interestingly, the court noted that though consumers expressed a preference for fresh dough, in blind taste tests they couldn't distinguish between pizzas made with fresh or frozen dough). But Pizza Hut lost the case anyway, because there was no evidence that consumers' purchasing decisions were actually affected by those ads.
The bottom line is that all these chains' ads, telling you how good their pizza is, are, as the court put it, the kind of boastful, vague statements "upon which no reasonable buyer would be justified in relying." Amen.