questions for chicago folks

Crispy crust .... thin and if the slice stands up when you pick it up.....life is good

I'm wondering why they put salad on their hot dogs.

Cubs winning the WS has made them [temporarily] blissful/un-trollable... maybe try again next year when they don't repeat?

Maybe they've finally realized that their pizza is actually lasagna and have nothing more to say.

They'll repeat & fans will get all obnoxious & entitled just like Boston/New England fans are now.  My city's teams are across the board losers w/no hope on the horizon :(

In the spring I got a nice slice of deep dish while in chicago.....

Horrible....absolutely horrible.  

At least Chicago doesn't have the garbage plate.

As a second generation Californian, I still can't identify with all of this Pizza fanaticism.

Melted Mozzarella, tangy sauce, and cooked dough, in its many varieties = GOOD EATS!

I used to love Leona's stuffed pizza in Chicago and now I love the stuffed pizzas at ZACHARY's in the East Bay.  Whatever you call it, I say bring it on.

What about Detroit style?

didn't realize this thread is 5 years old

the arguments about what is and is not real pizza miss the mark for me - the magic of pizza happens when you combine a simple, fresh sauce made with high quality ingredients, a really really good homemade dough, and top quality mozz - toppings are not nessacary in any way and are usually a distraction from the flavor of really good pizza. the combonation of top quality sauce, dough and mozz combines to make a new flavor - the magical pizza flavor. something like dominos, or in fact the vast majority of average pizza shops across the usa do not have this "magical pizza flavor". if all the elements are not correct, it just tastes like bread and tomato sauce and cheese. these pies can still be delicious, its just not really in the same ballpark at all.

tons of different styles of pizza can have the magical pizza flavor - classic ny, chicago, neopolitan, sicilian/grandma, detroit, new haven, all kinds of pizzas - it just has to have great sauce, dough and cheese that combine to give the magical pizza flavor - its similar to how a piece of nigiri sushi has its own delicious flavor that goes way beyond just fish, rice, wasabi and shoyu - its the combonation of all four ingredients, presented at their absolute peak of flavor that creates the magic that is nigiri sushi or proper pizza.

also if your only experience with chicago style has been one with thick hunks of chewy dough, you are not getting proper deep dish - the crust should be crisp, oily and flaky on the bottom and soft and fluffy yet substantial on the inside, and the whole crust should have a delicious and unique buttery flavor, which afaik comes from corn oil in the dough, not butter.

zacarys is ok for the bay area. not really peak deep dish tho. unos in sf used to be primo when i was younger but its not really the same anymore. ive been wanting to try paxti's in the east bay but have not gotten a chance quite yet. i honestly cant think of a good rec for where to get really really peak deep dish in the bay area that does not begin with the purchase of a ticket from sfo to o'hare. pizza in the bay has grown alot over the past 10 years and you can now get top quality ny style, neopolitan or sicilian slices, but deep dish has not really arrived here in the same way ny pies or more traditional italian pies have arrived here.

Pizza Rocks!

...hate it all you want

Detroit style > Chicago style.

IMHO.

@Strawbud

I understand why they call them Pizza Pies with that version.

Pizza to me is thin crust. 

Never had a thick crust Pizza. Next time in Chi-Town will get one.

La Barbera's in L.A.  was the best Pizza I ever had years ago.

> Pizza Rocks!

I see a menu or something with Gino's East on the right side of the pic, Strawbud. One of these days, we will share one of their deep-dish pies. 

Anytime, Mike! Delicious pies from Gino's East, now in LA!

....thanks for the tip on Barbera's, doolittle, but it appears as if they are now sadly "permanently closed"

While I do understand and agree that quality counts, I'm no pizza snob. It's rare when I can't enjoy to at least some degree whatever pizza is in front of me.

As for Chicago style, until recently there haven't been that many options in my region of the world, but what I have had generally has been a bit too heavy, too "much" for me and I don't usually go that way.

Daylight, there is a place in North Beach, Capo's, that is a Chicago themed restaurant and is the creation of that guy Tony something who gets lots of raves about his thin pizza's at his place a few blocks away, across from Washington Square.

I haven't been to Capo's, it looks a bit touristy to me (although a couple of friends originally from NY like it) but they're supposed to have good deep dish. If you've been there what's your take on that place, and on the other Tony whatever-his-name-is pizza that is supposed to be so good?

Growing up, Tony's Pizza in San Marino (Los Angeles) was the gold standard (RIP Chief, the sons run it now)...  but they didn't do deep dish, never had good deep dish, not on the bucket list either (but i'll remain open to the possibility when I travel, as Corvallis really only has local personality pizza, or chains)

Thanks Noodler - Tony's has been added to my list. For those in/around Long Beach, both Rances and Big E's are also rumored to be very good.

If/when in Chicago (River North area), Pizzeria Due's is the bomb, located in an old speakeasy basement of a place. Call ahead or expect long waits but they do, quite obviously, have a great bar. My understanding is that it's the more-so family style recipe of the now-exploded Uno's brand/chain. 

>>>>ive been wanting to try paxti's in the east bay

We like their deep dish with meatballs and green peppers. 

Yeah I read La Barberas closed a long time ago. I think the owner died. Their sausage pizza with caraway seeds in the sausage was epic.

https://www.lamag.com/digestblog/tbt-these-were-l-a-s-top-three-pizzas-i...

Those "caraway seeds" were likely fennel - which is pretty much the standard in sausage on Chicago pizza as well.

Went to a spot in Cassville, Jerseyland last week (a tiny little Village) and the place is now called Fenaro's but new ownership kept the really good ingredients -- Flour, Sauce, Cheese.

So it was a great "Plain Slice".

Cassville does not have a heck of a lot going on.  There's a Tavern named "Cassville Tavern" but I have not visited.  Heard they have really great Burgers and Fries.

Place is tiny, maybe 80 square feet.  Restrooms were clean enough,  and maybe I'll try a Cheese Steak next time.

Cassville Crossroads...

https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm6QQH_Cassville_Crossroads_Historic...

I meant Fennel. And they add a lot to sausage flavor.Thanks for clarifying

Yeah Cassville is really kinda slow.  Pizzeria,  Tavern, Quik-E-Mart and Donut shoppe.

There's a big Onion-Dome Ukrainian Church,  maybe a couple lite-industrial venues.
It's a nice quiet place. 

Doolittle... a La Barbara's shout out?  I grew up in Westwood in the 70s and was taken to La Barbara's every week from birth until it closed.  Fantastic pizza and the sausage was the bomb. Our server was always a woman named Audrey and she was like family. 

Great throw back call!

^Stu, my brother in law is a Cassville resident, i know it well. Before he got married, he joined that Russian orthodox church to appease his future in laws. He never attended, just gave some money to the church. 

My mechanic lives out there too. 

^ he joined that Russian orthodox church to appease his future in laws. He never attended, just gave some money to the church<<<

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJV9zDmgGls

@Salvador Vagrante

Cool! When did they close? I know the last time I was there was in the 80's. I bet Bill Walton went there. as it was close to UCLA

Not sure but a TON of longtime restaurants have permanently closed in COVID's wake, including Mazzarino's in L.A.

Good one, Face. The Russian Orthodox priest suggested the express conversation option.

I think George actually cheated on his test.

But yeah, I have to wonder how many people throughout the ages have done something similar .... essentially Cliff Noting their way through a religious conversion just to satisfy the concerns of parents / family?

Pierro's in Highland Park (northern suburb of Chicago) always had great stuffed pizza:

https://pieropizza.com/menu/

^Nice! I have never heard of that place nor had their pizza but the fact remains that there are many, many unknown and/or way under-rated neighborhood pizzerias thickly scattered all across Chicagoland that are amazing and almost none of them serve the (in)famous deep dish pies that Chicago is more known for having.

@StrawBud

I lived in Rockford, Il from 74-79 and this place had some of the best Pizza my dad said. I don't remember it.

https://www.linosmenu.com/

That's awesome and I would not have nor seek out any reason to doubt that. A quick glance tells a great old Italian family restaurant story that does it right every step of the way!

Lido's Rockford Illinois Baby. Home of Cheap Trick. I went to HS where some of them went for a spell. Was a cool city at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw18nQDyzIc

Chicago has two types of phenomenal pizza.

I much prefer the thin sliced square cut tavern style pizza they do as a regular go- to.

Deep dish Malnatis style is like once or twice a year.

^This.....at least when I lived there anyway.

It has been long-debated that the pizza actually tastes different when cut in squares like that and I admit that I am in that camp and agree.

Our crust is so thin we can fax your order to you.

Chicago has two types of phenomenal pizza.

I much prefer the thin sliced square cut tavern style pizza they do as a regular go- to<<<

Barnaby's in Chicago area is great for tavern style

Indeed! Barnaby's also has a very good and unique cornmeal crust. Some other places mix cornmeal with flour but Barnaby's has it nailed.

Cafe Reyes, Point Reyes, CA, yesterday. An excellent pizza; It's the best I've found in Marin County, for a very un-Marin price: $15.

A pint of Racer 5 IPA is $6. 

Pretty much the last really good, affordable place in the area.

(The 15% off they give us and others for being regular customers from the area is just plain good business; we respond by tipping heavily.  Win-win for everyone).
 

Indeed! Barnaby's also has a very good and unique cornmeal crust. Some other places mix cornmeal with flour but Barnaby's has it nailed.<<<

Until you mentioned this, I didn't realize the "secret ingredient" is cornmeal in the crust, but it totally makes sense!

I always try to go to the Northbrook location when I visit my brother and dad who live in the nearby suburbs ... we used to always go there when we were growing up and it had the coolest ordering system (no longer there) that had a small electronic unit on every table that lit up when your order was ready.