Humboldt Pie is a cafe that has the good sense to include pizza on the menu. Its pies are pretty thin and square-cut, with above average sauce. The biggest problem with Humboldt Pie's pizza is its overuse of herbs. When applied selectively, herbs and spices are a great way to enhance the flavor of a pizza. Carpet-bombing the pie with clusters of herbs, however, overwhelms the palate and prevents the other great pizza flavors from emerging, ruining the entire eating experience. Including an excess of herbs is an easy way to mask poor ingredients in a pizza. Humboldt Pie's sauce, crust and cheese are all satisfactory, though, so it's a shame they bombard their pies with a glut of herbs. Three Stars
See more pictures of Humboldt Pie pizza here.
HUMBOLDT PIE
(773) 342-4743
1001 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Showing posts with label Chicago Pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Pizza. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Chicago Pizza Review: The Art of Pizza
The Art of Pizza is one of Chicago's most renowned pizza establishments. Newsweek hailed it as the best deep dish pizza in the country, and the Chicago Tribune named its pizza Chicago's best in 2001. We tried a variety of slices, focusing primarily on their signature deep dish offerings. The spinach and mushroom slice was enjoyable, featuring quality ingredients and a tasty combination of flavors. Another positive aspect was that the pies consistently displayed a superior sauce and top-caliber cheese.
There were a few problems, however. First, we don't really see the wisdom of deep dish pizza. It's a fun way to mix things up now and then, but unlike lighter pizza fare, it is simply unsustainable as a frequent meal option. Who needs 12 cubic inches of cheese in every slice? Pizza should be -- and usually is -- a fun and delicious experience, but eating a couple of deep dish slices can feel like trying to shove a Dodge Ram into your stomach. Of course, this complaint is not specific to the Art of Pizza, so it is not a complete deal-breaker. Unfortunately, the Art of Pizza includes a healthy dose of butter in their dough, which results in disaster. Navigating Titanic deep dish slices is a task in and of itself, but adding a stick of butter to the mix pushes us over the edge. The butter crust is certainly the worst part of their pizzas. And finally, a quick negative aside: when ordering a salad, one expects to receive at least a few greens. Apparently the Art of Pizza is unaware of this principle.
The Art of Pizza charges $2.75 for each slice, a good deal considering the quality of ingredients and heftiness of their pies. If you're a fan of deep dish pizza and the thought of a truly buttery crust sounds appealing, then this is the spot for you. If not, you may be in for a disappointment. Three Stars
See more pictures of the Art of Pizza here.
THE ART OF PIZZA
(773) 327-5600
3033 North Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL
There were a few problems, however. First, we don't really see the wisdom of deep dish pizza. It's a fun way to mix things up now and then, but unlike lighter pizza fare, it is simply unsustainable as a frequent meal option. Who needs 12 cubic inches of cheese in every slice? Pizza should be -- and usually is -- a fun and delicious experience, but eating a couple of deep dish slices can feel like trying to shove a Dodge Ram into your stomach. Of course, this complaint is not specific to the Art of Pizza, so it is not a complete deal-breaker. Unfortunately, the Art of Pizza includes a healthy dose of butter in their dough, which results in disaster. Navigating Titanic deep dish slices is a task in and of itself, but adding a stick of butter to the mix pushes us over the edge. The butter crust is certainly the worst part of their pizzas. And finally, a quick negative aside: when ordering a salad, one expects to receive at least a few greens. Apparently the Art of Pizza is unaware of this principle.
The Art of Pizza charges $2.75 for each slice, a good deal considering the quality of ingredients and heftiness of their pies. If you're a fan of deep dish pizza and the thought of a truly buttery crust sounds appealing, then this is the spot for you. If not, you may be in for a disappointment. Three Stars
See more pictures of the Art of Pizza here.
THE ART OF PIZZA
(773) 327-5600
3033 North Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
