The Pizza Challenge

My wife and I really enjoy pizza, so I was looking forward to this review almost as much as the hamburger review.  The challenge was to review the small works or combination pizzas in the area from small independent establishments.  We have had most of them at some point over the past 8 years except for Del’s in Shell Beach.

Having never been to Del's before I was expecting more of a pizzeria ambiance but was surprised by more of an upscale Italian Restaurant.  Del’s version of a combination pizza is Mama Del’s House Special that really wasn’t the “works”.  The toppings consisted of two meats, pepperoni and meatball, and four vegetables, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and olives.  Here is a prelude to the meatball experience.  The server told me Del’s makes their own meatballs and they are traditional style large Italian meatballs.  So when I got the pizza, I was expecting…well…meatballs.  Maybe small but something round that resembled a meatball.  What I got was meat ball pieces that looked more like ground meat pieces.  I tasted one to make sure and it had the texture and taste of a meatball so I can only assume they tear pieces off a large meatball and toss it on the pizza.  The meatballs mild flavor is overwhelmed by the other flavors.  The crust and sauce are good, the cheese combination was good and the flavors were balanced overall.  I liked the pizza, but compared to others in this category, sadly, Mama Del's fell short of toppings. 

Klondike Pizza in Arroyo Grande is very unique.  They are located in the basement of the street level building in the Arroyo Grande Village.  Inside, the dirt floors derived from crushed peanut shells, may be a little off putting for some while being part of the Restaurants character to others.  Klondike’s combination pizza is heavy and smothered with toppings. Covered in olives, mushrooms and cheeses with bell pepper and onions scattered throughout, the thin crust pizza has the right idea.  The wrong idea is thinking the thin crust can support all those toppings or add some texture to the bite.  The pizza had flavor but mostly from the mushrooms and crust. This pizza was out of balance in taste and texture.   

Palo Mesa pizza must be doing something right, they just opened their third restaurant.  Their combination pizza, aka Ken’s Favorite, really packs a punch and carries the most toppings of all the pizzas reviewed.  They use 5 meats and 5 vegetable toppings.  Their pizza also has banana peppers for that added zing.  In addition to the traditional pepperoni, sausage, and ham, they add hamburger and bacon.  There is no lack of flavor or texture on this pizza.  The issue I have is the amount of topping in the middle of the pizza.  Due to the sheer weight and thin crust, when a slice is removed, one fourth of the toppings clings to the center.  In this case may be just a tad much of a good thing.  A very flavorful, texturally balanced pizza. 

Gino’s Pizza appeared to be the most balanced in terms of toppings to crust ratio.  The toppings were evenly distributed, equally applied and the pie crust had a good thickness with a slightly rolled edge.  The flavor was good but seemed a bit lacking.  My big disappointment is the crust was undercooked.  The bottom was barely light brown and doughy, unable to properly support the weight of the toppings when a slice is lifted from the pie.  The textures of the toppings were well balanced providing a slight bit of crunch from the peppers and onions in each bite.  

Margarita’s Pizza is an unassuming little pizzeria in Grover Beach.  Don’t let their simplicity fool you, the food is top quality.  The small Works pizza…works.  The least expensive of the pizza’s reviewed, Margarita’s Works pizza may be a little thinner on toppings, but their balance and flavors are spot on.  The crust is cooked perfectly.  When a slice is pulled from the pie, the toppings don’t tumble off the end.   As my wife and I were tasting this pizza while eating another previously mentioned pizza, we both noted the same experience.  There was a unique flavor the other pizza’s lacked that only Margarita’s had, and that flavor, while subtle, made a huge difference; it was the cheese.  You can taste the cheese, mozzarella I believe, and not in a way you would eat it and say it has cheese, but in a way you can identify the kind of cheese it is and savor its uniqueness.  

The method behind my madness.  I was asked before writing these reviews, why I chose to review the combination pizza.  My answer is, a combination will give you a lot of insight into how a pizzeria makes a pizza that a simple pepperoni won’t.  What kinds of meats they use, what kinds of vegetables, and cheeses. How they are cut and prepared, layered and integrated to create a bounty of flavor and texture.  In my opinion the combination pizza tells the artistry of the owner and/or chef.  That is what I discovered with this review.  Based on how each prepared their combination, or version of, I have a pretty good idea how all their other pizzas will be prepared and whether or not I would give them my future business.

Conclusion; I would say the best value would be Margarita’s Pizza.  The most flavorful would be Palo Mesa.  Del's was more restaurant than pizzeria and their pizza reflected it.  Klondike’s is a unique experience but their pizza didn’t capture my taste buds.  Gino’s had one of the best looking and most balanced pizzas but the under cooked dough is hard to dismiss.  I would recommend any of these above a chain pizza store.

I will add a review for Doughboys in the near future.  I will not include Sam's Giant Manhattan or Pizza Grande because I don't feel they fit with the others.  I am not affiliated with any local restaurant.  All reviews are independent and paid from my personal funds. 

If you would like to see more reviews of local eateries, please help support the effort by clicking the Gofundme link in the top left corner of this blog.  Thank you.