tag:desidoespizza.com,2005:/blogs/pizza-reviews?p=2Pizza Reviews2018-10-17T08:18:03-05:00Desi Does Pizzafalsetag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/47707422017-07-11T19:15:46-05:002024-01-22T23:42:42-06:00Hog & Hominy, 707 W. Brookhaven Circle, Memphis, TN<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/4fc7ca8d8185d1f8ce951ce8b7f6bce13e55f4c9/original/hnhheader.png?1499818320" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>A few weeks ago, I headed down to Memphis, Tennessee, with some of my friends. Memphis has long been one of my favorite cities to explore, but I'd never explored their pizza offerings. I took to Twitter to solicit recommendations from my favorite Memphibians (and personal tour guides), Cory Branan and Steve Selvidge. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">planning another Memphis trip <a href="https://twitter.com/Corybranan">@Corybranan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveSelvidge">@SteveSelvidge</a> please point me in the direction of delicious pizza</p>— big desi cool (@desilove) <a href="https://twitter.com/desilove/status/863884978400243712">May 14, 2017</a>
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<p>So <a contents="Hog &amp; Hominy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.hogandhominy.com/" target="_blank">Hog & Hominy</a> it was! We went for Sunday brunch, and it was a 25-minute hike out to the restaurant from our downtown hotel. The hanger pangs were taking deep hold, so by the time we finally pulled off the highway, I felt like I could celebrate. I liked the vibe of the restaurant right away - southern, industrial, and sunny.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/a99e06f5c535a21d45b6e335c27275a035609a4f/original/hnhbar.png?1499817529" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Our server explained the menu to us - that they have family style brunch in addition to the pizza list - so the crew and I picked a whole mess of foods to sample. Steve and Rebecca both recommended the Crybaby, so I stepped out of my cheese pizza comfort zone and ordered that (no chili flakes, add honey, please.) Our cocktails arrived ($5 mimosas and bloody marys! God bless the south and their cheap prices) and the wait began. The intern made the mistake of pointing out the pizza ovens, and I stood there gawking for an inappropriate amount of time watching them make my pie. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/96b07f9a2e8a906399d379d5807f098dee41bd16/original/hnhpizzaoven.png?1499817632" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Look at those mozzarella balls!!</em><br> </p>
<p>When it finally came out, it was a thing of beauty. Well-sliced meatballs, great ingredient ratios, and crispy, crunchy crust that isn't burnt. The sauce was sweet and the perfect foil for the spice in the honey and meatballs, and though it was tough, I did manage to share with my brunch buds. (That mimosa is highly recommended, too - brunch drinks were $5. Such a bargain for our Chicago-dwelling wallets.)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/2b995a61fe855a0a0d88614953cb14125b8e92c8/original/hnhpizzamosa.png?1499817980" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Everything was <em>so</em> good. We kept remarking that we were angry when the meal was over because we just wanted to keep eating. It was well worth the long drive, and a place I'm absolutely adding to my "must-do" Memphis list!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/841c72029ecbf2b3f8727a4d83cbf12709fb195d/original/8slices.png?1487645654" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br>Rating: 8/10 Slices</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/47435692017-06-13T15:43:57-05:002024-01-22T23:43:34-06:00Retail Restaurant Roundup: Costco, 2746 N. Clybourn, Chicago, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/93919240587781be254660674c1885b5fe98778b/original/costco.png?1497386199" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It's finally here: the long-awaited <a contents="Costco" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.costco.com/" target="_blank">Costco</a> visit. Oh, it was just me that had been waiting this time to check out this pizza?</p>
<p>I've heard about it often but didn't have easy access to a Costco card until moving in with Dani, so on Sunday we packed up and headed to Costco with a plan: hit the food court before shopping (and filling up on free samples) so I could finally get a taste of this pie.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/17c176aa101e428f6eeb2f070a359779f551af74/original/costcopizzamenu.png?1497386548" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My first feeling on getting in line was confusion - there was no clear line, and seeming chaos behind the counter, but we eventually managed to shout out that we wanted two pieces of cheese pizza. It was just coming out of the oven, so it was super fresh, which was a good sign. Excitedly, I grabbed some waters and we found the place we would take on these slices. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/d7351c23b451c05f7c5face0b112aae43168b071/original/costcofoodcourt.png?1497386577" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The cheese on it was globby in a great way - not too much, and melted exactly right. To be honest, I didn't have very high hopes - I don't typically like really soft or doughy crusts, which this pizza hast. I was super surprised when I bit into it, though!</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BVNZ2vtgh01/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Can you identify the source of this #pizza? #desidoespizza #chicago #windycitybloggers #food</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Desi (@desidoespizza) on <time datetime="2017-06-11T18:31:35+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jun 11, 2017 at 11:31am PDT</time></p>
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<p>The crust wasn't insufferably doughy, and it was a nice partner to the cheese, which is really the star of this show. The sauce wasn't too seasoned, and its nice flavor sits back to let the crust and cheese be the focus. </p>
<p>If I can figure out the confusion at the ordering counter, the next Costco trip will definitely include another pre-shop snack here!</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46325722017-06-06T11:40:16-05:002024-01-22T23:44:19-06:00Five Points Pizza, 1012 Woodland St., Nashville, TN<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/4fff2f435ace904faf19857e3710a836738e0c2a/original/fivepoints.png?1496765539" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Before I made the move back north, I did a tour of duty in Nashville like any good music lover does. I kept hearing about this place - <a contents="Five Points Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.fivepointspizza.com/" target="_blank">Five Points Pizza</a> in East Nashville. I was working at a drop dead pace for many of the first few months I lived there, so basically, anytime I was not working, I was commuting back home to get some rest. On one night I got off of my evening job reasonably early, and I'd found <a contents="my favorite TV show streaming on YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCODsi9K-AqeJrYHPkmp8HmQ" target="_blank">my favorite TV show streaming on YouTube</a>. The answer was clear: I would order a pizza and dine in bed while watching that TV show and reliving my dreams of touring.</p>
<p>It was love at first bite. The New York-style crust was perfectly crispy, the exact right ratio of cheese to carb, and even the sauce had the right amount of bite. I would go on to have many nights cuddling with that big pizza box in my bed (without any shame at all) and honestly, they're some of my fondest memories of my first Nashville apartment.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/wQR07HSfNa/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">My hot Friday night dates ?? #pizza #bed #spencerreid #desidoespizza</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by desi (@desilynne) on <time datetime="2014-12-06T05:57:34+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 5, 2014 at 9:57pm PST</time></p>
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<p>I love it so much that it became the first place I'll take visitors to the city, and it was the last pizza I ate on New Year's Eve 2015 with my fellow pizza lovers. The first time I went with the intern, we ended up sitting at the bar next to someone from his hometown. While they FaceTimed a mutual friend, I quietly at seven slices by myself, and this is one of the proudest moments of my life.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/6d7fb8437960d78195bd55744b3caa799fddda49/medium/unadjustednonraw-thumb-bff.jpg?1496766974" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/78ab624fc7f7ec4757f0d7a474bd48b42ecaf979/medium/unadjustednonraw-thumb-1691.jpg?1496766972" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Since Five Points has both a slice side as well as a sit-down restaurant, I made a lot of visits there (both solo and with friends.) Their lunch specials can't be beat - 2 slices and a pop for $8, or a slice and salad if you're one of those ~healthy~ types. Their garlic knots are great too - thick slices of garlic, dense bread, and buttery grease is all I'm looking for in an appetizer. They also have a great beer list - lots of locals as well as national craft brews. Tennessee Brew Works' Southern Wit is a must-drink. </p>
<p><a contents="Postmates" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://postmates.com/" target="_blank">Postmates</a> will regularly deliver <a contents="free slices" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/y5P93MSfBD/?taken-by=desilynne" target="_blank">free slices</a>, and in Nashville, this is where they come from. I could often be found in the office of the venue I worked out just putting down slice after free slice. (If you've never used Postmates, use the promo code <strong>QA8U</strong> for $100 worth of free delivery credit!) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/d3e1dac541ecbb5a97d887f9846ce2122f57f84c/original/unadjustednonraw-thumb-17e7.jpg?1496767130" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> Being perfectly placed in East Nashville means they're an easy spot to grab a snack at the end of a long night, <em>if you know what I'm saying</em>. It's my favorite pizza spot in Nashville, and I always eagerly await my next visit there!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/fb8194d0c7272bf8725645755c88890834afb740/original/9slices.png?1487645654" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rating: 9/10 Slices</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/47222052017-05-30T11:25:00-05:002024-01-22T23:45:15-06:00Rosati's, 2665 Mannheim Rd., Des Plaines, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/32c118bbbe0822d3dd514c8fd29993111c22c186/original/rosatis.png?1496333943" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>After a night at the grapple, the intern and I found ourselves pretty hungry (but I'd already spent an embarrassing amount of money on <em>Bud Light</em> in the arena, so I wasn't about to grab a slice there.) In this kind of situation, my bar for judgment is not very high, if you know what I mean. We scooted out before the last match for two reasons: first, to beat the Allstate Arena traffic, and second, because I knew there was a <a contents="Rosati's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://myrosatis.com/locations/" target="_blank">Rosati's</a> across the street and I. Was. Hungry.</p>
<p>Their motto is "authentic Chicago pizza," and I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. </p>
<p>We walked in and there were two pizzas in one of those heaters you see in gas stations - cheese and pepperoni. I ordered two slices (they're actually big enough that you don't need to order two, but ya know, I was hungry) and expected them to nuke them or warm them somehow, but nope. They pulled them out and plopped them into two boxes to be served, so they were lukewarm at best. </p>
<p>The flavor was like that of decorated cardboard. Rubbery and bubbled cheese, a sad excuse for marinara, crust that refused to be bitten - I was just not having any part of it.</p>
<p>Plus, the uninvited guest we had at the dinner table was rather unwelcome - I didn't expect an ant to be joining us. </p>
<p>This was pizza, I guess, but it was <em>barely</em> pizza. I would hold out instead and wait until I'm back in the city to grab a slice ANYWHERE else. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/f392965a7232ee7319ee75b8db986b861566ff04/original/2slices.png?1487645657" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br>Rating: 2/10 Slices</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/47226122017-05-25T19:14:07-05:002024-01-22T23:47:24-06:00This Month In Pizza: May 2017<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/ab4adedbf7f8a3a7195aabd09e08dcb3f1432e2a/original/monthinpizzamay.png?1495757600" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Pizza technology is always evolving and the news comes fast and furious, so it's important to stay current on the trends. Here's what you need to know about pizza this month!</p>
<p><a contents="The Boston Globe sent pizza to Manchester Evening News in a gesture of solidarity" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-concert-bombing-the-boston-globe-sent-pizza-to-manchester-evening-news-2017-5" target="_blank"><strong>The Boston Globe sent pizza to Manchester Evening News in a gesture of solidarity</strong></a>: In light of the tragedy in Manchester, the Boston Globe had a bunch of pies delivered to their English counterparts. This is what pizza can do: unite professions across oceans and provide nourishment and a bit of comfort in panic and tragedy. <a contents='Relatedly, a pizzeria in Washington, DC, declared today "Love a Journalist Day"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/05/25/dc-restaurant-offers-free-pizza-journalists-following-assault-guardian-reporter/" target="_blank">Relatedly, a pizzeria in Washington, DC, declared today "Love a Journalist Day"</a> and is offering free pizza to any journalists. </p>
<p><a contents="Apple patents circular pizza box to stop soggy crusts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://wfla.com/2017/05/24/apple-patents-circular-pizza-box-to-stop-soggy-crusts/" target="_blank"><strong>Apple patents circular pizza box to stop soggy crusts</strong></a>: This could be a gamechanger, friends. In one more reason to love Apple, they're working to solve our soggy pizza delivery crisis. They say that the openings at the top of the box help the pizza breathe and prevent it from soaking in grease and condensation.</p>
<p><strong><a contents="Goth Pizza Is Here to Feed Your Unicorn-Hating Soul" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a9931538/activated-charcoal-pizza/" target="_blank">Goth Pizza Is Here to Feed Your Unicorn-Hating Soul</a></strong>: I love everything about this, and can't wait to seek it out. Activated charcoal? Yep, love it in all my skincare products. Unicorn frappucino shade? Yep, I was certainly not a fan. Crust black as my soul? YES. QUEEN. It seems like this would be a great weekend brunch meal, if you get my drift.</p>
<p><strong><a contents="There’s A Reclusive Cheese Billionaire Who Built His Empire On Our Pizza&nbsp;Addiction" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://consumerist.com/2017/05/25/theres-a-reclusive-cheese-billionaire-who-built-his-empire-on-our-pizza-addiction/" target="_blank">There’s A Reclusive Cheese Billionaire Who Built His Empire On Our Pizza Addiction</a></strong>: Who knew that cheese for our favorite pizza empires were all provided by the same guy? <a contents="The Forbes feature" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2017/05/23/james-leprino-exclusive-mozzarella-billionaire-cheese-pizza-hut-dominos-papa-johns/&refURL=https://consumerist.com/2017/05/25/theres-a-reclusive-cheese-billionaire-who-built-his-empire-on-our-pizza-addiction/&referrer=https://consumerist.com/2017/05/25/theres-a-reclusive-cheese-billionaire-who-built-his-empire-on-our-pizza-addiction/#7002c5d14958" target="_blank">The Forbes feature</a> on him is pretty interesting - if I had this kind of cheesy success, I'd definitely be bathing in pools of cheese and embracing the fruits of my success daily (and loudly.)</p>
<p><a contents="Arizona Hiker Almost Freezes to Death Chasing Free&nbsp;Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/arizona-hiker-chasing-free-pizza-nearly-freezes-to-death-on-mt-elden" target="_blank"><strong>Arizona Hiker Almost Freezes to Death Chasing Free Pizza</strong></a>: I'll do about anything for free pizza, but I'm not sure I would do this. Some people were succesful at least, but most upsetting is that it's not clear if this brave Pizzan got his free ticket or not.</p>
<p><a contents="Marvel at Mac Lethal's Incredibly Fast&nbsp;Pizza&nbsp;Ordering Skills" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://nerdist.com/mac-lethals-incredibly-fast-pizza-order-hip-hop-rap/" target="_blank"><strong>Marvel at Mac Lethal's Incredibly Fast Pizza Ordering Skills</strong></a>: Mac Lethal has a pizza place in his phone as "pizza." If that's not bae, I don't know what is. This rap is awesome and it makes me want to brush off my rhyming skills for my next phone order (just kidding, everyone knows I only order online.)</p>
<p>And as a special announcement, <a contents="Dimo's made me their Crustomer of the Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dimospizza.com/about-us/our-crustomers/desi" target="_blank">Dimo's made me their </a><a contents="Dimo's made me their Crustomer of the Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dimospizza.com/about-us/our-crustomers/desi" target="_blank">Crustomer</a><a contents="Dimo's made me their Crustomer of the Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dimospizza.com/about-us/our-crustomers/desi" target="_blank"> of the Month</a>! If you're in Chicago, make sure to head over to see my friends at Six Points or in Wrigleyville. </p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46936072017-05-02T15:20:54-05:002024-02-20T23:07:36-06:00Paulie Gee's, 2451 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/35342b6c3281a2cfb4093279ab1d784fd71812de/original/pauliegees.png?1493755509" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>When I first started coming to Chicago, my intern kept saying "we have to go to <a contents="Paulie Gee's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://pauliegee.com/logan-square/" target="_blank">Paulie Gee's</a>." We finally went in January when I was laboring over where to go for my birthday dinner - what pizza place in Chicago would take reservations for a number somewhere between 12 and 16 people on a Friday night? I tepidly sent a message to <a contents="their Facebook page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/PaulieGeesLoganSquare/" target="_blank">their Facebook page</a> asking about that feasibility and didn't really expect to hear back. Except that I did, within an hour. I got a very friendly response that they didn't take reservations, but they'd be happy to help us out. </p>
<p>I couldn't have picked a better place for dinner. Paulie Gee’s accommodated all of us with impeccable service despite it being a tight squeeze. Not one food or drink order was wrong. At some point during the night, a man with a tray of shots came over and introduced himself as the owner. </p>
<p>His name is Derrick Tung, and he left a corporate job to open up Paulie Gee's in Chicago. He thanked me for picking Paulie's for birthday dinner and presented me with a special limoncello shot that was so delicious I am STILL thinking about it. Not only was the service great, the pies were too. (We were so hungry I didn't even manage to sneak a picture of any of them.)</p>
<p>That experience really stuck with me. I reached out to Derrick on Facebook again and asked if I could come in and talk to him. We had a great, wide-ranging conversation - and delicious pizza to boot. </p>
<p><strong>Desi Does Pizza: How did you get into the pizza business? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Derrick</strong>: My wife actually owns her own business too, and one night when she left the corporate business, I was helping her pack up. It was 10pm by the time we finished packing up everything, so we went out to this place called <a contents="Neo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://pizzerianeo.com/" target="_blank">Neo</a> and it was one of the first times I had had Neapolitan pizza. </p>
<p>I thought this was amazing. I just wanted to learn how to make it and start making it at home. Little did I know, you need an oven that can get up to at least 700-900 degrees in order to make it well. I started making it at home and decided “this would be cool to have in my backyard.” I talked to my wife and said “hey, can I build one of these?” She said “absolutely not.” </p>
<p>At that point I kind of spun the idea and said well, why don’t I make a small side business and do this? I built the oven on the back of a trailer, and we brought it to farmer’s markets and did private events for a year. We worked under the name ZAπ - all three of us came from Illinois Math and Science Academy, and were kind of geeky… I still am kind of geeky. For a year we just did farmer’s markets, private events, and built up our chops, started building a crowd, and after the year was up I thought it might be interesting to reach out to some mentors that transitioned into the restaurant field - specifically pizza, but someone who didn’t have an Italian background or a restaurant background. Someone that would understand me changing from a corporate job into a restaurant field and help guide us. I reached out to three different mentors that fit that description, <a contents="Paulie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://pauliegee.com/" target="_blank">Paulie</a> being one of them. Like any good relationship, we connected online, and things started happening. We talked to each other on the phone, we emailed regularly, he came to my city to visit, I went to his city to visit, we got to know each other, and at some point, we decided to solidify the partnership and open up a place in Chicago. </p>
<p>During that time, that was probably a three year project in the making, and then I left my job. It was about two-and-a-half years before I found the spot and renovated it enough to get everything open and up and running. But during that time I went to Paulie’s [in New York] and trained there for two months in every single position, I worked at a couple different wood fire places to get the understanding of restaurant flow: what it’s like to be on the line, what it’s like to be a bartender, and just get my chops up in terms of all aspects of restaurant. Once we found this place, it was about seven months to get it up and running and open until we were ready to go. </p>
<p>Seven months sounds slow to me, I guess because I’m coming every single day and I’m seeing a little bit of progress at a time, but when I talk to other restaurateurs they’re like “seven months? That’s insanely fast, how did you turn it around so fast?” I guess it’s all relative, because I had no expectations. I kept thinking “How long can it really take to turn around a restaurant? It’s got a kitchen in place, we’re ready to go.” </p>
<p><strong>DDP: You have a lot of unique pizzas - how do you come up with the names and the recipes? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: About 50% of the pizzas are from the original Paulie Gee’s, so when I trained there, I took some of their most popular pies and wanted to add those to the menu so I could bring those to Chicago. The best thing about making pizza is that creativity and being able to play with stuff so a few of the pies are the ones that I created during those 2.5 years. I was just playing with ingredients, having private parties at my house, inviting people over to just come and eat with us and give feedback. Some of the other ones that are newer are created by the staff. The staff have a chance to create a pizza, and we talk about it as a team. The hardest part for us is coming up with the names. Something punny - none of us are really that great with puns, so it always takes us awhile! </p>
<p>The other pizza style we offer is the <a contents="Detroit style pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit-style_pizza" target="_blank">Detroit style pizza</a> and that’s one that Paulie doesn’t offer. During those 2.5 years, my wife and I were trying to save money, so we just did road trips to different cities where we knew there was great pizza. We went off that top 100 list that comes out every year and just started traveling so we went to New Orleans, we went to Michigan, we went to California and just tried different pizzas. Detroit has a place called Buddy’s, which, oh, God... it just changed our whole perspective on pizza. It was so good. It’s like that crispy exterior, the nice moist, soft interior, and so I wanted to create it at home. I wanted to learn how to make it, so I bought some Detroit-style pans and started playing at home. When we got this place, we had a convection oven that came with it in the back kitchen. So I started playing with it a little bit, I had a couple staff members help me out, and we played with the recipe and found something we really liked. For about six or seven months, we tested it with our guests and we only had it a few days a week, just to give it a spin, and just this past week we actually went live with it every single day. We found that our guests do really like having a different style added to the menu and now it’s available every day. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: What separates this location of Paulie’s from the ones in New York other than the food? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: I think we’re a larger location, we have a couple of pies that are a little more Chicago-centric and Chicago-based, and that midwest taste in that Detroit-style pizza. I’m surprised as to how many Detroit and Michigan transplants there are in Chicago! It’s always interesting to see how many of them come in, and they try the Detroit, and they’re like “oh, this tastes just like Buddy’s. It reminds me of my birthdays from when I was growing up in Detroit.” It strikes me as odd, but very complimentary. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: What’s the most popular staff creation? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: Probably the So Fresh and So Green Green. That one was made by one of my staff. The Big Bad Wolf is my creation, that one outsells the So Fresh and So Green, but I like to push the staff to create new things. Then our Logan Squares. Every once in awhile we’ll hit on one that people just go crazy about. People still talk about our potato one, they love the flavors on those. The only drawback is that those are one-month pizzas. I want it on there for a month so then we rotate and come up with something else fresh. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: What’s your favorite non-Paulie Gee’s pizza in Chicago? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: Does it have to be one place? I love <a contents="Coalfire" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://coalfirechicago.com/" target="_blank">Coalfire</a>. Their white pie is phenomenal, it’s one of my wife’s favorite white pies. Their use of ricotta is insane - they pipe it out and it’s so fluffy and light and delicious. <a contents="Spacca Napoli" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.spaccanapolipizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Spacca Napoli</a> has really great die-hard neapolitan pizza. It is as good as what you can get in Naples. Those are typically my go-tos. There’s a couple spots in the suburbs. There’s a place called <a contents="Al’s" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://alspizzainc.com/" target="_blank">Al’s</a>, in Warrenville, that does a great Chicago bar style thin crust. As long as you get it extra crispy. What really stands out their is their sauce and their sausage play so well together. Their fresh sausage is seasoned so well. A nice sausage and mushroom pie there just makes me happy. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: Do you think you want to expand more in the city, or will this be it? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: For a sit-down, casual place, I think this is going to be it. I would love to do a little slice shop: I feel like Chicago is one of these cities without a lot of slice shops that serves just a good, quick slice where you can walk up to the window and be like “hey, I want a slice.” I’d love to do it with some New York slices and maybe some Detroit slices. Something simple. Whether it’s downtown to hit some of the lunch crowd or it’s more like in Logan Square where we’re doing late night, where it’s people who are leaving the bars and just need a bite to eat, I think it would be cool to have something like that. Depending on how things go, I don’t know if it will be one of these windows here that will turn into one of these to-go windows at night, or whether we set up a separate shop somewhere else. That’s the goal, we’ll see where it goes. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: It’s interesting how you transitioned from the healthcare industry to pizza. </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: There is some crossover. I was negotiating supplies for hospitals, so negotiating supplies for the restaurant is a step away, but similar in some veins. When I worked in the hospital, I ran a department, and managing people is managing people to some degree. But managing doctors and nurses versus managing cooks and waiters is definitely very different. I’m definitely learning a lot along the way. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: How do you go from what you were doing before to pizza? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: I think part of it is just having a type A personality. You get obsessed with something. Something triggers that obsession, and you just have to learn and learn and do it until you’re happy with it. That kind of started with me at home, and it wasn’t the jump that it sounds like. I was doing my healthcare consulting on the weekdays, and on the weekends I would go to the farmer’s markets. On Wednesday, I would make the dough and get everything ready for the weekends. </p>
<p>At some point I just realized I just lived for the Wednesdays where I’m making dough with my friends and talking, catching up, and for the Saturdays where I had guests coming back telling me “oh, yeah, we loved your pizza. We want to buy some more and freeze it for the week,” and seeing repeat guests and just talking to them. That’s really what the fun part is, right? Your obsession continues to grow until it becomes this uncontrollable behemoth that’s a restaurant. I have my wife to thank, for sure. She’s been the breadwinner in the process. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: I was just doing some math in my head - so did you open the restaurant with a </strong><strong>one-month old</strong><strong> baby? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: (<em>laughing</em>) I did. We had planned to open earlier - July 9 was our opening date, but our baby came early, so we pushed that date back for some family time. It’s been phenomenal. My front of house manager tells me that everything he told me for the first three or four months that I don’t remember anything of just from the lack of sleep. Things have been going really well for us now. </p>
<p><strong>DDP: When you’re hiring people to work here, what do you look for? </strong></p>
<p><strong>D</strong>: It’s all about that passion. I have that type A personality, and you get focused on one thing and you want to learn how to do it better and better. One of the things I learned when working at different pizza restaurants to get my skills up and figure out how the restaurant world functions is that you can tell who is there because it was a job, and you could tell who was there because they were truly passionate about creating a great product because they want to represent and do something amazing. I worked at different places, and it was interesting to see. </p>
<p>The moment I went to Paulie Gee’s to start training there, every single person there just had a love of pizza. From the moment I got on the line to introduce myself and we talked, they’d suggest these five pizza places in New York, or this place with amazing ingredients. At other places, I’d ask them “hey, have you tried the pizza place next door? How does it compare to ours?” and they wouldn’t even know there was a pizza place next door. What I’m looking for is someone that’s really passionate about it. If they want to be in the front of house, on the service side, you have to be able to demonstrate that. </p>
<p>You have to really like to interact with people, you want to have people have a good time, and be someone that facilitates that. If you want to be on the pizza line, you have to really have that love of wanting to make pizza and have that type A pizza of wanting to create something that people are going to look at and say “that’s beautiful, but that’s also delicious.” It’s all about pursuing your passion. If you do that, truly, good things can come. If you don’t have that, it’s just a job. What’s the point? </p>
<p align="center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/960a9cd05c984f643a9048c4b5ae38c6d76270ab/medium/marg.jpg?1493756120" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/5cc1fb90698892404d5f2de4b6ba14b2f1a44297/medium/pizza.jpg?1493756084" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><br>We got to try the Detroit-style pizza, and he's right - it's very reminiscent of Buddy's in Detroit. The crust is light, fluffy, and the exact right amount of crunch. Their pepperonis are seasoned perfectly. I ordered a watermelon margarita and it was the perfect compliment to the heat in the meat. </p>
<p>My mouth is watering after this post! If you're in Chicago, please go visit them for some of the best service you'll ever have. If you're not in Chicago, plan a trip to head their way! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/0eb78a764591dcebf7e2fd0de568dfb62fd35a0c/original/10slices.png?1487645653" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rating: 10/10</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46857912017-04-27T07:10:00-05:002024-01-22T23:48:37-06:00This Month In Pizza: April 2017<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/75ceb49bfd1aec035c877ab1f86f73ba4ed7a239/original/monthinpizzaapril.png?1493243785" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Pizza news technology is always evolving, and it's important to stay current on the trends. Here's what you need to know about pizza this month!<br><br><a contents="Portland pizza parlor breaks world record for most cheeses on a pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://katu.com/news/local/portland-pizza-parlor-breaks-world-record-for-most-cheeses-on-a-pizza" target="_blank"><strong>Portland pizza parlor breaks </strong></a><a contents="Portland pizza parlor breaks world record for most cheeses on a pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://katu.com/news/local/portland-pizza-parlor-breaks-world-record-for-most-cheeses-on-a-pizza" target="_blank"><strong>world</strong></a><a contents="Portland pizza parlor breaks world record for most cheeses on a pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://katu.com/news/local/portland-pizza-parlor-breaks-world-record-for-most-cheeses-on-a-pizza" target="_blank"><strong> record for most cheeses on a pizza</strong></a>: It's no secret that I loooove a cheese pizza. Congrats to Portland pizzarinos Scottie's pizza parlor - their <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em>-inspired creation with 101 cheeses set a world record!<br><br><strong><a contents="Starbucks Bringing Massive Four-Story Roastery With Pizza and Tours to Chicago" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://Starbucks%20Bringing%20Massive%20Four-Story%20Roastery%20With%20Pizza%20and%20Tours%20to%20Chicago" target="_blank">Starbucks Bringing Massive Four-Story Roastery With Pizza and Tours to Chicago</a></strong>: Holy. Yes. I absolutely love coffee - it's probably in my top five loves, so news that the Mother Ship is coming to my city and bringing a pizza kitchen along with it is super exciting. Hopefully, these two years go quickly because I love working at a Starbucks! <br><br><strong><a contents="Pregnant Women Believe a Pizza Induces Labor—And They're Lining Up For It" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.foodandwine.com/news/pregnant-women-believe-pizza-induces-laborand-theyre-lining-it" target="_blank">Pregnant Women Believe a Pizza Induces Labor—And They're Lining Up For It</a>:</strong> Not exactly relevant to me, but definitely something to tuck away. If you're carrying around a little garlic knot of your own and it feels like it's been cooking a little too long, head to North Carolina to help move the process along.<br><br><a contents="We Tried It: Mug pizza, the questionable art of making pizza in a coffee mug" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-microwave-pizza-mug-recipe-we-tried-it-story.html" target="_blank"><strong>We Tried It: Mug pizza, the questionable art of making pizza in a coffee mug</strong></a>: This is true pizza technology advancement. I'm a big fan of microwave gourmet (a culinary technique I perfected back in college,) but I never considered putting pizza to the test. The Chicago Tribune's testers have mixed reactions, but I'm going to give it a try. <br><br><a contents="This London Marathon spectator offered runners pizza from the palm of his hand" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2017/4/24/15410994/london-marathon-spectator-offered-pizza-video" target="_blank"><strong>This London Marathon spectator offered runners pizza from the palm of his hand</strong></a>: As a former half marathoner, I can tell you that there's no hunger like the runger after a long double-digit training sesh. No one has ever offered me pizza during a race - this guy would be a welcome sight. Any kind of dairy is probably not the smartest during a marathon, but hey, the race itself is supposed to be the victory lap anyway. <br><br><a contents="Totally Tubular Ninja Turtles Inspired Ice Cream Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://nerdist.com/totally-tubular-ninja-turtles-inspired-ice-cream-pizza-exclusive/" target="_blank"><strong>Totally Tubular Ninja Turtles Inspired Ice Cream Pizza</strong></a>: The <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> cookbook is yet to be released, but Nerdist got a sneak peek and tested out this dessert pizza and O. M.G. From the graham cracker crust to the sweet-and-sour fruit (and gummy) toppings, this looks like it's going to be to die for. <br><br><a contents="Pizza Hut Enters Ethiopia in Latest Expansion Into Africa" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-25/pizza-hut-enters-ethiopia-in-latest-sub-saharan-africa-expansion" target="_blank"><strong>Pizza Hut Enters Ethiopia in Latest Expansion Into Africa</strong></a>: Pizza Hut's expansion continues with their new stores set to open in Ethiopia this year. I'd love to try some of their international specialties and hope to see some African influences on their menu soon.<br><br><strong>Any good pizza news in your neighborhood? Let us know in the comments!</strong></p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46278792017-04-18T07:10:00-05:002024-01-22T23:51:12-06:00Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company, 2121 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/068680972e79fb2ddde18233618a7034eb6ee25f/original/cpog.png?1491675464" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I've been sitting on this review for a little while, because the food was so good it made me a little emotional. I wanted to wait awhile to revisit it so I could savor it again after some mediocre pizza. Last summer long after Chicago fever had set in big time, my roommate <a contents="Dani" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.danikate.com" target="_blank">Dani</a> sent me one of those food videos that litter our Facebook messages. This time, though, rather than a recipe, <a contents="it was for a restaurant" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/FoodNetwork/videos/10153616840236727/?autoplay_reason=all_page_organic_allowed&video_container_type=0&video_creator_product_type=0&app_id=273465416184080&live_video_guests=0" target="_blank">it was for a restaurant</a>. And by restaurant, I mean it looked better than heaven. <br><br>Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company is a little hole-in-the-wall brownstone in Lincoln Park. They're only open for dinner service on weeknights and for brunch and dinner on weekends and they fill up FAST - when Dani's family went on move-in day back in January, their wait was almost two hours. The intern and I went in early March - we arrived right at opening and <em>still</em> had a 45 minute wait. </p>
<p>Wood paneled walls and low lighting screamed 1970s, and it even looked a little <em>Cheers</em>-like. We waited in the (packed) bar area and tried to wait patiently for the man to come over and seat us. Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company doesn't take names or reservations - just a host that remembers every party and seats them in turn. They feature <a contents="a simple menu" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/menu/" target="_blank">a simple menu</a> and don't take too many customizations, because the pizza pot pies are made in advance. In addition to the pot pies they're known for, their mediterranean bread is also the most popular appetizer. We were ready to order before our server even came by.</p><!-- more -->
<p>The mediterranean bread is bigger than your head - it's so big it hangs off the plate it's served on.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/e160e871e03bdb8fb856903f0a0daf9f35a085c7/original/cpogbread.png?1491677600" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>The seasoning on it was to die for, and it was perfectly oily without being greasy. I ordered the vegetarian pizza with mushrooms, and B got the sausage one without mushrooms. Finally, they came to the table. The server tips over the bowls they're baked in and the pizzas flatten out a bit, and the cheese just oozes toward you.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/4fae3454a0ae14f930a21288c6dc0c0ab3a76283/original/cpogpizza.png?1491678140" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>It was INCREDIBLE. The mushrooms are full sized - they're not sliced and they just look like little buttons. The crust is really great - light and fluffy, and the cheese and sauce are perfectly ratioed (of course it is, since they've been at this for over forty years!) <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/7ce75683d65ea04b965dc01db9bec9b128a5621e/original/cpogeat.png?1491678432" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>The best part was that I was able to eat the whole thing without feeling overly full or getting that distended feeling that tends to happen when gorging on carbs. <br><br>They also have frozen pizzas that you can buy to take home, which would be a really great at-home treat!<br><br>This is one of my top 5 favorite pizza places ever, and I cannot wait for an occasion to go back.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/0eb78a764591dcebf7e2fd0de568dfb62fd35a0c/original/10slices.png?1487645653" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rating: 10/10</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46635462017-04-11T07:00:00-05:002024-01-22T23:53:53-06:00Retail Restaurant Roundup: IKEA, 1800 McConnor Pkwy, Schaumburg, IL<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/80985a3cf6e92979bf26568f641ace63cce93a5f/original/ikea.png?1491673258" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Full disclosure: this slice was doomed from the first time I decided to try it. Many years ago, IKEA's snack counter at the front of the store used to serve pizza pockets. They were greasy with great ratios of ingredients - perfect sized, like little handheld calzones. I thought about them often (probably embarrassingly often, even for me.) There were a few years where I didn't visit an IKEA, and when I finally returned, I happily trotted over to the counter to grab a pre-shop (super healthy) snack of the pocket and a cinnamon roll, only to discover that they didn't have the pizza pocket. Ever since then, I've had it out for this pizza, and I don't think I'd ever even tried it until my last pilgrimage to the Swedish wonderland.<br><br>I bitterly walked over to the snack counter and skeptically ordered a slice. The pie sitting under the heat lamp looked like it could have potential with visible seasoning and mostly adequate cheese. A few slices had some egregious air bubbles - my least favorite part of any pizza and sure enough, I got the piece with most of the bulges. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/ef3f8bdaea6062f9a22ba0f45e51f6822c887b2b/original/ikeaslice.png?1491673588" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>It wasn't remarkable, but it wasn't as terrible as I'd expected either. The crust was chewy but overall well seasoned, and the toppings were messy, but it was about average for a retail pizza. Next time I'll opt for the cinnamon roll instead.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/80cc8e5453b1fe4e90d7b0aee13e1fe02fbe22d4/original/4slices.png?1487645658" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Rating: 4/10 Slices</div>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46366172017-04-06T06:40:00-05:002024-02-12T13:46:23-06:00Pizza Style: Home Decor Edition<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/ca0a8c557a19e8457e955dc41c90141a80e56821/original/pizzahomedecor.png?1490035044" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>With all the pizza products in the world, of course there's a lot of pizza fashion! Today's post explores home decor - ways you can display your pizza pride around the house, obviously or subtly. <br><br><strong><a contents="Boxer &amp; Pizza framed print" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://society6.com/product/boxer-dog-pattern-pizza-dog-lover-pet-portraits-boxers-dog-breed-by-pet-friendly_framed-print" target="_blank">Boxer & Pizza framed print</a></strong>: Those who follow <a contents="my personal Instagram account" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.instagram.com/desilynne" target="_blank">my personal Instagram account</a> know that I love boxers (well, one in particular, but all of them are so nice and snuggly.) I stumbled upon this art on Society 6 and you can get it on anything from a shower curtain to a rug, but there's a special spot on our gallery wall that I think this print would do just fine. <p><a contents="After This We're Getting Pizza yoga mat" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://amzn.to/2nbB244" target="_blank"><strong>After This We're Getting Pizza yoga mat</strong></a>: You might not consider a yoga mat traditional "home decor," but I leave my yoga mat all the time as inspiration that I can't escape. (After all, with the amount of pizza I eat, I have to do a little extra work to keep that #pizzabody!) I have loved this ban.do line <a contents="since it came out around my birthday last year" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BATd5SUyfA5/?taken-by=desilynne" target="_blank">since it came out around my birthday last year</a> - it's almost like they knew.<br><br><a contents="Neon Sign" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.spellbrite.com/shop/pizza-neon-led-sign-letters/" target="_blank"><strong>Neon Sign</strong></a>: I don't know what it is about neon signs that I love so much, but anytime we drive past a neon sign store in Chicago, I flail wildly and want to go on a shopping spree. In Brooklyn, we would often pass <a contents="a pizza shop that had its name in neon symbols" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://pizzalovesemily.com/" target="_blank">a pizza shop that had its name in neon symbols</a>, and I lusted thinking how cute that would be in my house. Someday, I will have one of these signs at home.<br><br><a contents="Plush Pizza Pillow" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pizza-Pillow-Plush/54308270" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Plush Pizza Pillow</a>: My mama llama takes really good care of me, and continues to feed my pizza passion even though I'm out of the house. She gave me this pizza pillow for Valentine's Day (pizza is my soulmate, after all) and it's nice to cuddle up with it on the couch, light the fire, and settle in for a nice marathon of true crime TV. With Walmart's new two-day free shipping, you too can be snuggling in record time! <br><br><a contents="Pepperoni Pizza Queen Duvet Cover With Red Pepper And Parmesan Pillow Shams" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://amzn.to/2mGvACr" target="_blank"><strong>Pepperoni Pizza Queen Duvet Cover With Red Pepper And Parmesan Pillow Shams</strong></a>: This is the dream: a pizza duvet and condiment shams. Can you imagine the saucy dreams you'd have between these sheets?<br><br><strong><a contents="Handmade Pizza Lighter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/255166401/pizza-party" target="_blank">Handmade Pizza Lighter</a> </strong>and <a contents="Pizza Candle" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://stinkycandlecompany.com/product/pizza-candle/" target="_blank"><strong>Pizza Candle</strong></a>: I can't stand a house without candles lit, and this combo will let you feel like there's a pizza in your oven all the time! <br><br><a contents="Pizza Love Art Print" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/194467810/romantic-pizza-love-5x7-or-8x10-art"><strong>Pizza Love Art Print</strong></a>: Etsy is so full of cute pizza prints, I would be hard pressed to select just one. This pizza with hearts is super cute, though, and it matches my office colors, so it's ranking at the top of my "loved" products there for sure! <br><br><span class="font_large">Do you pay tribute to your pizza affection around the house? Share your favorites with us in the comments! </span></p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46548282017-04-04T06:50:00-05:002023-12-19T22:00:23-06:00Dimo's, 1615 N Damen Ave., Chicago, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/9fcd06db4815dc9397307bb8915008ba76fede8e/original/dimos.png?1491087582" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I started visiting Chicago in earnest about a year ago - last May I made an impromptu road trip from Nashville to Chicago with <a contents="my intern" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.obviatemedia.net" target="_blank">my intern</a>, who treated me to <a contents="Dimo's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dimospizza.com/" target="_blank">Dimo's</a> delivery after a Beach Slang concert at the end of the drive. I didn't really bother asking what the pizza place was at the time - I just remembered that it was really, really good. Now that I live her permanently, I'm definitely a Dimo's regular!<br><br>They have two locations: one in Wicker Park just off the blue line, and another in Wrigleyville near the ballpark. I've been to both, though I prefer Six Points for it's size and for the fact that I'm there so often it's beginning to feel like home.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/775bb79eb5cbf332040b0cbd53b3dbc4c4e08718/original/img-0425.jpg?1491090360" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Dimo's slices are HUGE - I mean, just look at that photo. They offer slices, full pies, and bicycle delivery. Every month, they have really creative specialty pizzas, like the Green Bean Casserole (green beans on a cream of mushroom soup base topped with French fried onions) and The Argyle (sriracha marinated tofu on a peanut sauce base topped with cilantro, bean sprouts, fried onions and sriracha,) both seasonal options. They also have fun "staples," like BBQChickenBaconCheddarRanchh and Chicken 'N Waffles (one of my favorites due to the inclusion of honey, which is potentially the greatest pizza topping ever.) They also cater to a variety of diets, with many of their pizzas available in a vegan version and lots of great salads for the gluten-free.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/d7f7265c8463705346fa116c9c308164a008d0cf/original/img-0593.jpg?1491090403" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Going back to the basics, though, I'm a big fan of their pizzas because they're well balanced. The ratio of cheese to sauce is good, the crust is always crispy, and the sauce isn't overly thick. I have to knock off points for the inconsistent cheesing (I wish they'd sprinkle the cheese all the way out to the edge of the sauce, but that's not typically the case.) Cheese slices are complimented by parmesean or oregano, but it doesn't feel like it's missing anything if I forget to tap some on.<br><br>In addition to near-perfect pizza, they also have great cocktails and rotating taps, with brownies and cookies available to take home. And if pizza gets you in the mood, they also sell condoms at the register (I can only assume they might be pepperoni inspired.) Their gifts (including the pins my intern got me) come in mini pizza boxes, which is one of the best touches I've ever seen.<br><br>My biggest complaint about Dimo's is that for as often as I'm there, I had no idea that they have a punch card until the last time I stopped in - and I was already on my way out. I would easily be on my way to a second (or third) free slice by now, but c'est la vie.<br><br>Obviously, I'm a really big fan (I even chose Dimo's to be the pizza I ate for the Pizza Summit competition.) The only way I could love them more is if they would finally make me their <a contents="Customer of the Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/desidoespizza/status/837826412212015104" target="_blank">Customer of the Month</a>! <br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/52dd5c0331f560c73abeb48d25fd4c26fc887257/original/7slices.png?1487645453" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rating: 7/10</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46055402017-03-30T07:15:00-05:002023-12-10T12:56:19-06:00Perfect Pairings: Beer and Pizza<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/f9cd8221264040a3a97e5bbff296aed5220a6374/original/beerandpizza.png?1490490398" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Right up there with my love of pizza is my love of beer. They compliment each other perfectly, so it makes sense to match them up. But not all beer and pizza deals are created equal - like wine and cheese, there's definitely an art to it (<a contents="just like this cute embroidery" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/487744053/beer-and-pizza-mostly-embroidery-art" target="_blank">just like this cute embroidery</a>.) Today I'm sharing some of my favorite combinations so you can amplify your next fancy dinner!<br><br><strong>Cheese</strong>:<strong> </strong>The classic cheese pizza, the standard by which all pizzerias should be compared, is obviously one of the most flexible slices to pair. Go for something light and easy, like <a contents="Atwater Brewery's Dirty Blonde" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.atwaterbeer.com/beer-type/dirty-blonde-2/" target="_blank">Atwater Brewery's Dirty Blonde</a>. For bolder taste (and a beer that is definitely worthy of being the full focus of the meal,) <a contents="Russian Rivers' Pliny the Elder&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://russianriverbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Russian Rivers' Pliny the Elder</a> is a DIPA that matches well with a plain cheese slice. Or if you, like me, are mostly concerned with depositing the most pizza possible into your body, I recommend something like a shandy. I can't tell you how many cheese pizzas and <a contents="Summer Shandy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://leinie.com/beer/summer-shandy" target="_blank">Summer Shandy</a> six-packs I've guzzled down in the past! (No shame here.)<br><br><strong>Pepperoni</strong>: For a pepperoni pie, you'll want something spicy to pull out the heat in the meat. I like a black IPA, like <a contents="21st Amendment's Back in Black" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://21st-amendment.com/beers/back-in-black/" target="_blank">21st Amendment's Back in Black</a> - it's not too bitter, but has rich hops and flavor to accentuate the pizza. <a contents="Founder's Mango Magnifico" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://foundersbrewing.com/backstage-series/mango-magnifico-2016/" target="_blank">Founder's Mango Magnifico</a> is brewed with habaneros for an extra kick - perfect to play off the peps. <br><br><strong>Homemade</strong>: I love making pizza at home! Because toppings can vary, you can pretty safely pair any beer with a homemade pie. A pale ale is a good choice (try <a contents="Harpoon Wannamango" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/beer/401169/harpoon-camp-wannamango" target="_blank">Harpoon's Wannamango</a> if you're a fruit fan, like me.) Get a double dose of ALE by using <a contents="beer battered dough" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thebeeroness.com/2012/11/29/beer-pizza-dough/" target="_blank">beer battered dough</a>, too!<br><br><strong>Deep Dish</strong>: <a contents="Bell's Oberon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer/seasonal/bells-oberon-ale" target="_blank">Bell's Oberon</a> is a seasonal wheat similar to Blue Moon, but way better. The carbonation can help break up the mouthfeel of the deep dish's crust and gives a citrus flavor you won't find in the pizza. Or try a witbeer - <a contents="Revolution's Bottom Up " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://revbrew.com/beer/core-cans/bottom-up-wit" target="_blank">Revolution's Bottom Up</a> is my favorite wit, and the flavor won't be overpowered by the heavy deep dish.<br><br><strong>Margherita</strong>: I'm a really big fan of this classic pizza - give me fresh mozzarella and I'm a happy girl. Pair it with a <a contents="Tiny Bomb from Memphis' Wiseacre Brewing" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://wiseacre.staging.wpengine.com/beer/tiny-bomb/" target="_blank">Tiny Bomb from Memphis' Wiseacre Brewing</a>, and I'm even happier! Or opt for something unfiltered - the bready flavor of <a contents="Boulevard's Unfiltered Wheat Beer" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://boulevard.com/BoulevardBeers/unfiltered-wheat-beer/" target="_blank">Boulevard's Unfiltered Wheat Beer</a> gives a nice mouthfeel to play off the basil, tomato and mozzarella combo.<br><br><strong>Ham and Pineapple</strong>: A Hawaiian pizza deserves a Hawaiian beer - this pairing sounds especially appetizing now, after winter months of little sun and cold temperatures! Choose a light, tropical beer like <a contents="Avery Liliko’i Kepolo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.averybrewing.com/beers/liliko-i-kepolo" target="_blank">Avery Liliko’i Kepolo</a> - this passion fruit infused Belgian white is a favorite of mine, and the flavor will play off the sweetness of the pineapple as well as the salt in the ham. <br><br><strong>White Pizza</strong>: The creamy alfredo sauce on a white pizza is begging for a strong partner in its beer. I'd opt for something like <a contents="Leinenkugel's Big Butt Dopplebock" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://leinie.com/our-beers" target="_blank">Leinenkugel's Big Butt Dopplebock</a> (my favorite of the variety, because who can resist that name) or an IPA. My favorite is <a contents="Bell's Two-Hearted" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bellsbeer.com/beer/year-round/two-hearted-ale" target="_blank">Bell's Two-Hearted</a> (love my Michigan beers) but any IPA is a nice compliment. I'd also love to try it with <a contents="Champion's Malibu Nights" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://championbrewingcompany.com/beer" target="_blank">Champion's Malibu Nights</a> - a PINK beer? Sign me right up.<br><br>Still not inspired? <a contents="This guide from Home Run Pizza here in Chicago might help!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.homeruninnpizza.com/beer-pizza-pairings-guide" target="_blank">This guide from Home Run Pizza here in Chicago might help!</a><br><br><span class="font_large">What's your favorite beer and slice combo? Share in the comments!</span>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46110212017-03-28T07:00:00-05:002022-05-31T03:20:33-05:00Reno Chicago, 2607 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/422524a4caf211b5a42d25bb5a270daa1eb2b752/original/renochicago.png?1488332348" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Chicago is widely known for their deep dish pizza, but I seem to keep hunting down the finest thin crust the city has to offer. Located in Logan Square, <a contents="Reno" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.renochicago.com/" target="_blank">Reno</a> is a cash-only bar and restaurant with one of my favorite flatbreads I've had so far. In addition to pizza, they also have morning, noon and night food menus along with a great cocktail and drink menu. I'd been last summer, but it wasn't until this past December that I perused their pizza selections.<br><br>The one that first grabbed my attention was a pie called the Fancy Nancy: a regular margherita pizza, topped with a burrata. Sign me alllll the way up. Their pizzas are 14", so I ordered an entire one for myself for dinner because what other choice did I have? <br><br>I'm not a big crust person at all, so the burrata was a nice touch - not only as a pizza topping, but also as something to dip the crust in. (I've recommended this to friends since, and they agree that it's a gamechanger.) <br><br>A few months later, we went back on a Tuesday to discover that they have a deal every Tuesday: 2 pizzas for $20! I didn't have intentions of getting another, but I can't pass up a deal. I got another Fancy Nancy, and my intern picked the Hog.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/fc1114dbc6502149abb46a19a7d83ff33aedb1cb/original/img-0339.jpg?1488332273" class="size_l justify_center border_" />So if you're in Chicago, head over to Logan Square today - Reno is right off the Blue line stop!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/841c72029ecbf2b3f8727a4d83cbf12709fb195d/original/8slices.png?1487645654" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Rating: 8/10 Slices</div>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46358962017-03-23T07:05:00-05:002022-06-01T20:36:48-05:00Desi Does Pizza Competes for Pizza Supremacy!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/3b30703194c7cd919fecf73a299de14a7acf4a10/original/desidoespizzathumb.png?1489888885" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I've talked about Old Style's Pizza Summit before, and I have a chance to go! <a contents="Vote for me here - the pizza eaters with the most votes will win a pair of tickets" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://p.antavo.com/EnR/59/%2B2261/" target="_blank">Vote for me here - the pizza eaters with the most votes will win a pair of tickets</a>! Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/45801632017-03-21T08:55:00-05:002022-08-17T02:08:34-05:00Bacci Pizza: 2301 W. Taylor, Chicago, IL<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/764c90866510c236ba65f4949872530adff122ee/original/baccipizza.png?1488061556" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>A few weeks ago I was in the medical district to finish out my workday and figured I'd be eating another Starbucks $8 lunch since I thought I wouldn't have a chance to grab anything else on the way over. As I hopped out of my Lyft, I noticed that there was a <a contents="Bacci Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.baccipizza.com/" target="_blank">Bacci Pizza</a> across the street from the coffee shop - how perfect. It wasn't even 11:00 yet, but there's never a bad time for pizza, am I right?<br><br>I walked up to the counter and confidently ordered my slice of cheese pizza - I wasn't planning to eat very much before my doctor's appointment, but I should have known it wasn't an ordinary size when she told me the price. They popped the slice out of the oven and they aren't kidding when they describe their pizzas as "giant" - it took two hands to hold it. The cheese was great and it wasn't overly greasy, and Bacci's crust wasn't what I expected - it was pretty dense for thin crust, which was a nice surprise. It did seem like the slice was a bit oddly proportioned - it seemed longer than it needed to be (rather than wider) which made for ungraceful eating (though who really cares when it comes to pizza.)<br><br>Bacci has several locations all over Chicago, as well as a pizza truck they rent out for events.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/a45a23247e9ff401dc8ae28ceba96a3b87e8cde0/original/5slices.png?1487645264" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Rating: 5/10 Slices</div>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46176822017-03-16T07:10:00-05:002023-12-10T10:55:04-06:00This Month in Pizza: March 2017<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/33fdc579b6cda18099477916a6a7f5a5569c03fe/original/inpizzamarch17.png?1488830269" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Pizza news technology is always evolving, and it's important to stay current on the trends. Here's what you need to know about pizza this month!<br><br><a contents="This robot can 3D-print and bake a pizza in six minutes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.refinery29.com/2017/03/143530/beehex-3d-pizza-printer" target="_blank"><strong>This robot can 3D-print and bake a pizza in six minutes</strong></a>: The Chef 3D printer quickly spits out dough, sauce, and cheese in any shape you want. Add your own toppings and pop it in the oven - where can I sign up for this?!<br><br><strong><a contents="Do not, we repeat, do not dip your pizza into milk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://mashable.com/2017/03/04/pizza-dipped-in-milk-is-the-worst/#vl9J3wEgFOq4" target="_blank">Do not, we repeat, do not dip your pizza into milk</a></strong>: <a contents="Malory from OKC OVER EASY" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://okcovereasy.bandzoogle.com/" target="_blank">Malory from OKC OVER EASY</a> sent this one my way - what heathen dips their pizza in MILK?! Marinara, great, absolutely. Ranch dressing, sure, I guess. As the tweet she sent me says, <a contents="pizza is over" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/Whack_/status/837457122736635904" target="_blank">pizza is over</a>. At least for this person. Take away their access to any dairy at all, in fact, because this human is not to be trusted. <br><br><strong><a contents="Pizza Hut introduces shoes that order your pizza for you" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.avclub.com/article/pizza-hut-introduces-shoes-order-your-pizza-you-251414" target="_blank">Pizza Hut introduces shoes that order your pizza for you</a></strong>: I can't even with these shoes. I <strong>NEED</strong> them. These shoes let you order pizza with the push of a button, just like those old Air Jordan shoes I always coveted. (Seriously, anytime I saw someone wearing them, an uncontrollable urge to push the button overtook me.) </p>
<p><strong><a contents="This pizza joint serves a bloody Mary garnished with a whole slice of pepperoni pizza&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/entertainment/restaurants/tnt-diner/article135335474.html" target="_blank">This pizza joint serves a bloody Mary garnished with a whole slice of pepperoni pizza</a></strong>: Truth be told, I'm not a big Bloody Mary fan. I could suck it up at this restaurant, though - this restaurant in Puyallup, WA, upped their game with a slice of pizza garnish. I can't wait to head to Washington - Wicked Pize Pizza will certainly be on my list!</p>
<p><a contents="A Completely Reinvented Pizza Box Ensures Your Pie Won't Get Soggy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.foodandwine.com/news/zume-pizza-box-redesign" target="_blank"><strong>A Completely Reinvented Pizza Box Ensures Your Pie Won't Get Soggy</strong></a>: Dani and I have remarked on the weird construction of Chicago delivery boxes before - rather than just lifting up, the skinny front flap tends to fold out first and then the top comes off. This seems like an even better move - the boxes use all organic materials so they're fully compostable, and the grooves mean your crust is kept from getting soggy in the grease.<br><br><a contents="There's a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cookbook coming soon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://amzn.to/2muPRvg" target="_blank"><strong>There's a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cookbook coming soon</strong></a>: If ever there's been a cookbook I need, this is it. Set to be released in May, it will contain recipes for all kinds of pizzas - breakfast, dessert, even a Goulash pizza! Get on that preorder list or say cowabunga, dude - I think it's going to fly out of the Amazon warehouses!<br><br><strong><a contents="Sold-out Chicago Pizza Summit offers fans 2nd chance for tickets" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://do312.com/p/oldstylepizzacompetition" target="_blank">Sold-out Chicago Pizza Summit offers fans 2nd chance for tickets</a></strong>: I DESPERATELY want to attend Old Style Beer's Pizza Summit, but I wasn't one of the lucky ones to pull tickets. It looks like they're partnering with Do312 for a competition I'm confident I can win - submit your own pizza eating video by April 3 and you'll win a pair of tickets to the summit! (And I hope you'll take me in case I somehow fail to win in the popular vote.) <br><br><strong><a contents="US Army Almost Built A Pizza That Would Last 3 Years" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.foodbeast.com/news/pizza-mre-test/" target="_blank">US Army Almost Built A Pizza That Would Last 3 Years</a></strong>: The Army has been working for almost four years on creating a pizza MRE for troops - it sounds like it's the closest they've been, but they're still not quite there. It sounds like they're at least a few years ahead of schedule, so maybe they'll still be able to hit their 2018 goal.<br><br>Any good pizza news in your neighborhood? Let us know in the comments!</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/45981152017-03-14T06:35:00-05:002024-02-06T07:04:00-06:00Pequod's Pizza: 2207 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago, IL<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/b815b66e94a27cd724d229fb88dd058aec96da6e/original/pequods.png?1488061344" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>What better thing to do on a Friday night than get pizza with your besties? When <a contents="Brendan" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://obviatemedia.net" target="_blank">m</a><a contents="my intern" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.obviatemedia.net" target="_blank">y intern</a> texted me saying "get to <a contents="Pequod's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://pequodspizza.com/chicago" target="_blank">Pequod's</a> at 5:30," he knew I was an easy sell. Pequod's is widely considered a Chicago institution, and their menu features both deep dish pan-style as well as thin crust pizza (my favorite!) They originated in the suburbs and a few years after the original owners sold the restaurant, they expanded to a second location in Lincoln Park. A 2006 fire at the Chicago location closed them for a few months of renovations, but the restaurant now is gorgeous - it's gigantic, and in addition to the main dining room, it also features a second level with larger seating areas and at least one other bar. Their beer list was a bit short, but we ordered a pitcher of Allagash for the table and settled on an order of cheesy garlic bread, a medium cheese thin crust, and a sausage pan pizza.<br><br>One cool thing that I noticed was that Pequod's has a sort of priority seating list that you can sign up for starting 24 hours in advance. Luckily there was plenty of room when we arrived and we were seated right away, but that's definitely something I'm tucking away to remember next time we want to go out!<br> </p><!-- more --><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/279411ad72ce43987eef3ebcfa04477c92b4e28f/medium/img-0280.jpg?1487558872" class="size_m justify_center border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/339a247701daeb0ee8c0da674d2a40309bcf492f/medium/img-0281.jpg?1487557569" class="size_m justify_center border_" /> <br>There was a mix up with our garlic bread so that came out after our pizzas, so we were pretty hungry and dug in right away. I tried a couple slices of cheese first (of course) and I liked the crust a lot. It was light and a little flaky - more "regular" density than a crispy thin crust. The cheese itself was fresh, and it wasn't too greasy. It's not my all-time favorite cheese pizza, but it was really good. <br><br>It's rare that I'll want deep dish, and even more rare that I'll eat a sausage pizza - but the pan pizza at Pequod's is legit. The crust is really crispy and carmelized (I don't usually like crust and I ate all of the deep dish crust, so that's a sign) and the cheese:sauce:sausage ratio was good.<br><br>The cheesy garlic bread was really great - I didn't eat very much because I was already full, but it's highly recommended to start off the meal.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/52dd5c0331f560c73abeb48d25fd4c26fc887257/original/7slices.png?1487645453" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Overall it's a 7/10 slices - I'm definitely looking forward to going again! </div>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46059912017-03-09T07:50:00-06:002023-12-09T23:12:42-06:00Pizza Gift Guide for Your Pizza Loving Friends<em>This was originally posted on my lifestyle blog, <a contents="A Northern Girl," data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.anortherngirl.com/2016/12/09/gift-guide-2016-pizza/" target="_blank">A Northern Girl,</a> for my 2016 gift guide. You should share the pizza love all year long, though!</em><br> <img src="http://www.anortherngirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/pizzagifts.png" class="size_orig justify_center border_" alt="" height="400" width="800" /> We’re just a few weeks out from Christmas, and in the crunch for wrapping up the holiday shopping lists! If you’re feeling stuck on gift ideas, I’ve put together a week of ideas to help you get inspired. It's no secret that I <em><strong>love</strong></em> pizza - especially if you <a href="http://www.instagram.com/desilynne" target="_blank">follow me on Instagram</a>, where I recently <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/desidoespizza/" target="_blank">started a hashtag</a> to document all the slices I've been taking in. Chances are about 100% that you also have a pizza lover in your life, so here are some gift ideas for the aficionado in you love!<br><br><a href="https://www.bando.com/products/work-it-out-exercise-mat-after-this-we-re-getting-pizza" target="_blank"><strong>ban.do After This We're Getting Pizza yoga mat</strong></a>: I've been super obsessed with this line since I <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BATd5SUyfA5/?taken-by=desilynne" target="_blank">first saw it at Paper Source last winter</a>. I have the water bottle, and in the new year I'm getting back to my gym rat ways - what better inspiration than the thought of pizza staring me in the face as I struggle through a yoga class? <a href="http://ilovelolli.com/collections/accessories/products/pizza-blanket" target="_blank"><strong>Pizza<br>Blanket</strong></a>: I'm in love with this, and need it desperately. This giant pizza shaped blanket (with heart-shaped pepperonis!!!) is even on mega-sale, all the way down to $25. The perfect size to cuddle up with on the couch, a pizza box, and a good TV binge.<!--more--><br><a href="http://www.fun.com/cassette-pizza-cutter.html" target="_blank"><strong>Cassette Tape Pizza Cutter</strong></a>: Perfect for the music and pizza lover (like me,) I saw this little guy in a record store and thought it was so funny! It would look great in a kitchen next to one of my favorite kitchen utensils, <a href="http://amzn.to/2hgFMQD" target="_blank">drumstick-ended wooden spoons</a>.<br><a href="http://www.allyoucaneatpress.com/shop/vol7-ny-by-the-slice-pizza-map" target="_blank"><strong>NY By the Slice Map</strong></a>: I wish I had heard about this company before I went to New York a few weeks ago. This map features 40 of NYC's best pizzerias according to <a href="http://www.nypizzaproject.com/" target="_blank">the NY Pizza Project</a>, and I can only hope my dear Anna Maria's made the list - I've been dreaming out those slices every day since I left.<br><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/229196533/pepperoni-pizza-foodie-funny-food-crazy" target="_blank"><strong>Pizza Bikini</strong></a>: Some people might argue that in order to attain the perfect beach body, you might want to lay off the pizza. I wholeheartedly disagree - I think it should be embraced to the point that you wear it to the ocean. Plus, it could probably be a great icebreaker, resulting in a pizza date!<br><a href="http://www.feelgift.com/canvas-tissue-boxes" target="_blank"><strong>Pizza Seat Cushion</strong></a>: Get a cushion to go along with your pizza blanket - though this is built to be a seat cushion for dining room chairs, I bet you could just as easily snuggle up with it in your arms.<br><a href="https://dubleplus.com/collections/pkew-pkew-pkew/products/pkew-pkew-pkew-self-titled-album?variant=21646345923" target="_blank"><strong>Pkew Pkew Pkew - Self Titled Album</strong></a>: I started listening to Pkew Pkew Pkew earlier this year when I heard their song "Let's Order A Pizza," which caught my ear and hasn't let go yet. The vinyl doesn't appear to come in a pizza colorway (a real missed opportunity) but both the physical and <a href="https://pkewx3.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">digital album</a> are great listening for your next pizza party.<h2>Honestly, I could go on and on with pizza gift suggestions, but I'll refrain ? are you always gung ho for a slice, or are your friends sick of hitting the pizzeria with you for the third time this week?</h2>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/45988362017-03-07T07:15:00-06:002023-12-09T23:11:04-06:00Sarpino's Pizza: 1862 N. Damen, Chicago, IL<p><a contents="Dani" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.danikate.com" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/9a2d1dd4360387679df8c20dd439696f57777a38/original/sarpinos.png?1488077374" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Dani</a> and I don't order delivery very much, surprisingly - and I'm hesitant to order pizza because nothing can ever top the hole in the wall pizza joint we would get in Boston, but last Sunday we were feeling lazy and who was I to say no when she suggested pizza? We hopped on <a contents="Postmates" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://postmates.com/?_branch_match_id=316384200681556742" target="_blank">Postmates</a> (sign up using the code QA8U for free delivery!) and flipped through a few options before landing on <a contents="Sarpino's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.gosarpinos.com/pizza-delivery/il/chicago-metropolitan-area#!/Review/4" target="_blank">Sarpino's</a>. I am not typically a fan of most "specialty" pizzas, but I do love alfredo. We settled on the <a contents="Alfredo Picante pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.gosarpinos.com/menu/gourmet-pizza#!/35/alfredo-picante" target="_blank">Alfredo Picante pizza</a> and cheesy garlic bread (just the regular cheesy, not the double cheesy, because that would be too far) and buckled down for a long Postmates wait. More like an hour, but still.<br><br>Sarpino's was allegedly founded in Italy, and is now headquartered in Singapore. It's been around since 2001, and has over 80 restaurants open in five countries. With that kind of popularity, I was pretty excited for our pie to arrive.<br><br>We excitedly (obsessively?) counted down the minutes until the pizza was set to arrive and basically ran to the kitchen to plate it out. We popped open the pizza box to find pepperoni inexplicably added - the pizza description didn't mention pepperoni, but we just shrugged and dug in. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/663883bb19df714a83373337aaaed71bd2aaf318/original/img-0300-jpg.jpeg?1487621502" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/b58f6831c1adaf7743208b34dcd99b88a88c02b7/original/img-0301-jpg.jpeg?1487621505" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>The cheesy bread was really great, and I could have eaten the entire order by myself. Not greasy at all, and the cheese:bread was a nice ratio.<br><br>The pizza, on the other hand, was not such a success. The alfredo was great but I wished there had been more on the pizza. The crust was okay - flaky and a little dense, and the chicken was added to the pizza under the cheese which was great - this helps it from tearing the entire chicken piece off when you bite into the slice. The onions were really what took this pizza down - they weren't cooked at all and were pretty large chunks, so each bite was just full of white, crunchy onion. I like onions a lot, but this was too far even for me.<br><br>I might give Sarpino's another chance to try a simpler pizza, like a plain cheese, for a chance at redemption, but so far I'm really unimpressed. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/de6730aa4cba40007eb87d35fa92fdeff03a474c/original/3slices.png?1487645657" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rating: 3/10 Slices</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46169262017-03-06T07:40:00-06:002023-12-10T13:44:15-06:00Desi Does Pizza Live - Tune In Tonight!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/cf478303d7609b4f75a14d63f1d895d4f492f167/original/ddpdoesradio.png?1488677726" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>I was on <a contents="Canada's Newstalk 1010" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010" target="_blank">Canada's Newstalk 1010</a>'s The Night Side last night - if you missed it, listen below!6:36Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46065292017-03-02T07:35:00-06:002024-01-10T00:45:50-06:00Pizza Party Playlist<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/60e697e308feb96eb179a8c7daf043738a499ddb/original/pizzapartyplaylist.png?1488064527" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a contents="photo via" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7476159/pizza-hut-turntable-pizza-box-dj" target="_blank"><em>photo via</em></a></div>Every party needs a great soundtrack, but a great pizza party requires a more specific set of tracks. Pizza rock is a small (but important) genre, and I highly recommend considering adding these jams to your next playlist!<br><br><a contents="Daddy Issues" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://daddyissuesband.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Daddy Issues</a>, "Pizza Girl" - I might be biased, but this is the greatest pizza song to date. Check out <a contents="the rest of Daddy Issues' catalog while you're at it" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://daddyissuesband.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">the rest of Daddy Issues' catalog while you're at it</a> (I'm especially a fan of "Creepy Girl.")<br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2328461669/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://daddyissuesband.bandcamp.com/track/pizza-girl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://daddyissuesband.bandcamp.com/track/pizza-girl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Pizza Girl by Daddy Issues&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe><br><br><a contents="Pkew Pkew Pkew" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pkewx3.bandcamp.com" target="_blank">Pkew Pkew Pkew</a>, "Let's Order a Pizza" - I've been obsessed with Pkew Pkew Pkew since I first heard them, and as a warning, this song will be stuck in your head for weeks. A great anthem for for those of us who suffer from hanger, this song encourages a pre-dinner pizza, of which I'm always a fan.<br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3458691933/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1558072920/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href="http://pkewx3.bandcamp.com/album/pkew-pkew-pkew" href="http://pkewx3.bandcamp.com/album/pkew-pkew-pkew"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;PKEW PKEW PKEW by PKEW PKEW PKEW&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe><br><br><a contents="Pizza Underground" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thepizzaunderground.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Pizza Underground</a>, "Cheese Days" - A 90's child star forming a tribute band about pizza? Sign. Me. Up. It's everything I love. My deepest Pizza Underground regret? Missing their show at Mercy Lounge when I lived in Nashville. There's nothing better than <a contents="mowing down on a slice during a show!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNdKbCvDpQw/?taken-by=desilynne" target="_blank">mowing down on a slice during a show!</a> <br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2426757020/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://thepizzaunderground.bandcamp.com/track/the-pizza-underground-demo&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://thepizzaunderground.bandcamp.com/track/the-pizza-underground-demo&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Pizza Underground Demo by The Pizza Underground&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe><br><br>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, "Pizza Power" - An anthem of my youth, to be honest. Their love of pizza is, I would safely guess, at least 89% of the Turtles huge (and enduring) success. Who didn't want to scarf down pizza with Michaelangelo? I still want to.<p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zi6NT8TVLvU" width="560"></iframe></p><br><br>Dean Martin, "That's Amore" - The track that truly expresses how I feel about pizza. Every love of my life will be compared to the feeling I get when I lay my eyes on <a contents="that Spanky's buffet" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://desidoespizza.com/home/blog/spanky-s-pizza-1042-w-main-fremont-mi" target="_blank">that Spanky's buffet</a>!
<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A6GYqOflskcZxPj8rkTZkOy" width="300"></iframe></p><br>And of course, the seminal classic, <b>Gimme Pizza</b>!
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k6DA_WwO90c" width="560"></iframe><br><br>What's on your perfect pizza playlist?</p>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46108872017-03-01T06:40:00-06:002024-01-10T00:47:44-06:00Desi Does Pizza<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/ffbb31e0415b0b963e981e28901518a02ea5557c/original/img-9518.jpg?1488328629" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Hey! I'm Desi. I really, really like pizza. I first started cataloging my pizza thoughts <a contents="using an Instagram hashtag" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/desidoespizza/" target="_blank">using an Instagram hashtag</a> to create a kind of scrapbook of cheese, tomato and crust, but I've found myself with a little more to say. Stop by every Tuesday and Thursday for pizza reviews and other news!Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46042902017-02-28T06:35:00-06:002023-12-10T10:44:51-06:00Spanky's Pizza: 1042 W. Main, Fremont, MII love coming home. Getting to see my family, relax at home, catch up with old friends... and, of course, eat my Holy Grail pizza. I was lucky to grow up in the hometown of <a contents="Spanky's Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://spankys-pizza.com/" target="_blank">Spanky's Pizza</a>, which ranks among the best pizza I (or anyone) will ever get to eat. I can't exactly put into words how much I love this place - it's the pizza place I grew up begging to go to, whether it was for breadstix (which keep well for breakfast the next day), for chili, or for the (fairly?) recently launched pizza buffet, it's still my favorite place to go when I'm home - even above the amazing brewery that opened last year. It's such a popular spot that a high school friend, after finding out that I was in town, had two orders of breadstix delivered to my house on election night. It's just an institution, and it never ranks highly enough on best pizza lists (it's on there, but not high enough for my tastes.)<br>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div>
</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1YKgJSfAj/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">"I've got on my #pizza eating shirt." #? ?❤️#desidoespizza</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by desi (@desilynne) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-04-05T21:41:19+00:00">Apr 5, 2016 at 2:41pm PDT</time></p>
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<br><a contents="Melissa Burt has owned Spanky's for almost thirty years" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://wotv4women.com/2016/04/22/best-pizza-in-west-michigan-poll-winner-spankys-pizza-in-fremont/" target="_blank">Melissa Burt has owned Spanky's for almost thirty years</a> - the owner of the restaurant she was working at part-time in college offered her the chance to become part-owner. Within a year, she became sole owner, and I've seen Spanky's expand three times as far as I can remember. The first location wasn't much bigger than a takeout counter and a few dine-in tables. It's gotten bigger with each new expansion, first adding a private room for parties. The newest location even includes a patio, perfect for summer beers and pizza (the best way to spend a day!)<br><br>I have a typical order: the family gets the pizza buffet, I'm always heading straight for the cheese pizza. Ham and pineapple, pepperoni, BBQ Chicken, supreme and Chicken and Ranch are always out on display, but I know what I like and I stick to it ? I'll also get a pile of breadstix and some sauce, and I'm ready to go for a great meal. In addition to the buffet, they also offer specialty pizzas and build-your-own pizzas, with breadstix to DIE for. (Michelle is the only person who knows that recipe - we need to keep her in a padded room so we never lose that perfection.)<br> <div style="text-align: center;"><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/4546c7e40c53160ee971a78ece5d0467614c7341/original/spankys.png?1488061473" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Dinner with my parents... just take a guess at what plate is mine!</em></div><br>The sauce for the pizza and the stix is sweeter than a normal marinara, and the cheese is always perfectly bubbled. I got a bit excited at dinner and didn't manage to document a few other aspects I meant to cover... so I guess that just means another trip is in order soon!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/236606/0eb78a764591dcebf7e2fd0de568dfb62fd35a0c/original/10slices.png?1487645653" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">Rating: 10/10 Slices</div>Desi Does Pizzatag:desidoespizza.com,2005:Post/46044052017-02-23T20:35:31-06:002024-01-10T00:48:45-06:00Follow me on Bloglovin!<p><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/18505733/?claim=8f63w22ykwg">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>! Get all your pizza news, right in your feed.</p>Desi Does Pizza