Austin Pizza Review: East Side Pies

East Side Pies
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

So when you think of killer pizza you do not really think of Austin, Texas. Yeah, I know it's the home of "Austin City Limits" and Stevie Ray Vaughn, but I went there a little while back and I wanted to eat some pizza. I was there with some pals who were pretty not stoked on eating pizza in Austin. I managed to eat at some pizza vendor outside of a show at Beerland, and at East Side Pies. First of all, as a bonus, East Side Pies is next to a slamming record store that just opened (I don't know what it's called) where I scored some killer records (this does not affect my review). I guess East Side Pies is new too, and I was feeling it. First of all the pizza is a variant on the New York style flat pie, basically it's a little thinner. It has cornmeal on the bottom, which I normally am not feeling, but they managed to get a perfect amount on there, and combined with the thinner crust it adds a nice crunch to the pie. The sauce was average, the cheese good, and the price right. It had a solid vibe and they were jamming some good tunes inside. Dudes were nice, and the place delivers. For you toppings freaks out there East Side Pies has some bizzaro toppings/sauces that looked good (and I normally don't like that bullshit). Overall solid Texas flom, maybe next time I'll have more to report from down south. Four Stars

EAST SIDE PIES
(512) 524-0933
1401 Rosewood Avenue
Austin, TX

Providence Pizza Review: Saki's Pizza

Saki's Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

At just $1.25 a slice, Saki's Pizza is certainly affordable. Keep in mind, however, that affordability is pretty much all you're going to get. Eating Saki's pie is indeed a challenge, and each additional slice pollutes your digestive system even more than the previous one. The sauce is difficult to describe, but "really bad" is an accurate (and lazy) label. The crust carries an unfortunate flavor and lacks consistent form. The cheese is also a culprit, but its crimes are minor compared to the rest of this atrocity. We appreciate inexpensive pie and are willing to overlook certain shortcomings if the pizza is cheap enough, but Saki's is simply a disaster. Pizza Queen, by no means a hub for luxury pie, is about a block away; unless price is the sole determinant of your pizza decisions, choose the Queen over Saki's. One Star

See more pictures of Saki's Pizza here.

SAKI'S PIZZA
(401) 831-1299
199 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903

Providence Pizza Review: Pizza Queen

Pizza Queen
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

While getting a haircut last year, the barber mentioned that he previously worked at Pizza Queen, earning it a spot on our "To Try" list. We recently ate a couple of the Queen's pizzas with him in mind. Pizza Queen offers inexpensive pies that could fairly be described as independent Domino's. Many pizza loyalists dismiss this variety of low-quality pies, but the fact of the matter is that these pizzas have a rightful place in the pizza pantheon. Nobody would want to resort to Domino's-esque selections every time they desired a pie, but sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered. From this perspective, Pizza Queen is satisfactory: they make the most of subpar ingredients and keep prices low. Their coupons are particularly enticing. If you only enjoy high-end pizzas, be sure to steer clear of Pizza Queen. But for those of you who recognize the virtue of (occasionally) indulging in greasy, lowly pizza, Pizza Queen is a worthy option. Three Stars

See more pictures of Pizza Queen here.

PIZZA QUEEN
(401) 351-2500
215 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903

Seattle Pizza News: More Than You Wanted To Know About Safeco Field Pizza

As part of a Mariners Q&A column, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer fields an unlikely pizza-related question:

Q: How come the Garlic Jim's pizza, new at Safeco Field this season, does not taste as good as the pizza served by Garlic Jim's restaurants and outlets?

AG: There are considerable challenges in cranking out mini-pizzas in the numbers required at Safeco. Ross R. Marzoff, director of local marketing for the Everett-based chain, says almost all the ingredients in the Safeco mini-pizzas are identical to those used in its retail outlets -- with one significant difference. The crusts for the Safeco mini-pizzas use Garlic Jim's dough but are partially prebaked by an outside contractor (monitored by Garlic Jim's). Marzoff does say that efforts are under way to "greatly enhance the flavor of our mini-pizza crust." Cheese and pepperoni versions are offered on the 100 and 300 levels of Safeco, while those on the pricier 200 suite level can choose from four additional varieties: sausage, gourmet garlic, veggie and ultimate. Contrary to what the Garlic Jim's name might suggest, no garlic is used in its pizzas other than the gourmet garlic.

Even if the Safeco pies fail to match their typical pizzas, we imagine Garlic Jim's still offers a major improvement over Papa John's reign of terror in years past. Of course, we'll withhold official judgment until we attend an M's game.

Providence Pizza Review: Fellini Pizzeria

Fellini Pizzeria
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Fellini Pizzeria, located just off I-195 on Providence's East Side, specializes in gourmet pizzas, much like its neighbor on Wickenden, Pizza Pie-er. The two are just blocks apart, but their pizzas are quite different. Fellini's expansive slices have a thin crust with limited cheese and sauce, in the form of New York-Neapolitan. The pizzeria features high quality crust, sauce and cheese, all of which contribute to its fairly high prices. A basic pie will cost you $15, but their specialty pizzas are $20. Fortunately, a $2 coupon is often available from the restaurant's web site. Like Pie-er, Fellini slices survive refrigeration with ease, maintaining their flavor and consistency. (Their white pie, in fact, tastes better cold than warm.) Those who enjoy a typical pizza-eating atmosphere may scoff at Fellini's environment, which feels slightly upscale, but you can't find a better thin crust pizza in the area. Four Stars

See more pictures of Fellini Pizzeria here.

FELLINI PIZZERIA
(401) 751-6737
166 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI 02906

Seattle Pizza News: Expensive Pie

Today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer highlights rising pizza costs, detailing increasing expenses across the board. The article includes interviews from employees at Pagliacci and -- stunningly -- Wild Tiger, as well as Danny Piecora, who anticipates "boom times." The accompanying chart is relevant to pizza lovers everywhere, but the rest of the article will probably only interest Seattleites.

Toronto Pizza Review: Papa Ceo Pizza

Papa Ceo Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

*** Final Toronto review ***

After a solid couple of slices I headed next door to Papa Ceo’s. Once again a cheese slice was “garlic,” but at this point I had “gotten on the trolley” as they say. One bite in to this poorly re-heated slice and I knew that Canadian pizza-heads must be crazy. The sauce was gross, the cheese oily, and the crust had the consistency of a saltine. Furthermore, when we walked into the store Blazing Saddles was on TV and the guy working changed the channel to a Soccer game (while this does not affect my review of the pizza I had to throw it in). The slice was acceptable -- and if Pizza Cora wasn’t right there I might hit it for a lazy lunch -- but why bother when a better option is right next door. Two Stars

Click here for more pictures of Papa Ceo pizza.

PAPA CEO FINE ITALIAN FOODS & PIZZA
(416) 916-2222
654 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, ON M5S 2H7