pizzaesque

Last night, I went out to Mosaic Cafe in College Park to share a Mezze with a very nice gentleman named Ross. I tried Manakish with Za'atar for the first time, which was tasty and somewhat pizzaesque, at least in shape. It was a bit greasy, but I think that had more to do with the restaurant than the dish...it's certainly a dish I would eat again. It had a strong thyme flavor, and I adore thyme. But let's be honest---I'm SO spoiled on middle eastern cuisine. Both times I've eaten at Mosaic, I just wasn't impressed. Their falafel was over seasoned and a bit mushy, and while many things we tried on our Mezze were pleasantly spicy, none of it was all that great. The real problem was the bread though--just a plain somewhat dry pita. Too thick. Everything would have tasted much better with a fresh, thin, chewy and warm blanket of lavash. I can at least look forward to going to Shawarma King in a few weeks when I'm back in Michigan.

Anyhow. It was worth noting though that I was in good company, and I ate something tasty and somewhat pizza-like.

Chicago-esque...

Happy Easter!

I desperately need to take my mind off the gobs of candy I've eaten today, and writing about pizza seems like a good way to do that.

So. I went on a date Friday night. A pizza date. And what was extra exciting about this pizza date was the fact that my date, Ernie, suggested a pizzeria that I'd never even heard of--a totally off my pizza radar restaurant! It was called Armand's, and was in Silver Spring (though, it's a mostly local chain). I was quite impressed with my smooth-voiced (really, he had a very nice voice) and stylish date's ability to find a place that I didn't even know existed. That's what's so magical about pizza--there is always new pizza out there to discover. I was also impressed with my date's thoughtfulness in bringing a camera along as a surprise, since he felt photos were missing from my blog. However, you'll notice that there are no photos here yet. He's not emailed me them... yet. He says he's forgetful. Maybe he'll read this and remember. Right?

Anyhow, so, the atmosphere was a nice blend of "dive" and "mom and pop" restaurant, and my seat looked like a throne/church pew. Awesome. The place specialized in "Chicago Style" deep dish.

So. Chicago pizza. I've had it. In Chicago. Many times. I know...how it really should be. Relatively thin crust (all things considered) made with a bit of cornmeal (mmmcornmeal crust), and then just tons and tons of sauce, toppings, and cheese. Then, when served, the waiter serves up the first slice with flair, managing all of the cheese in a graceful swoop. Armand's...doesn't quite have it down. The crust was too thick (common error with chicago-style wannabes) and the server DID serve the first slice, but maybe not with the flair of a Chicago slice server. He did do a good job though, and truth be told, sometimes you don't want the glitz and showmanship, right?

The pizza, overall, was very, very good. The crust, though not exactly right, was very tasty. It surprised me, since normally I don't like really doughy crusts (hi, pizzeria paradiso...). The sauce was good--a darker sauce, without being too sweet--and the toppings (mushroom and onion) were generous and fresh (no canned mushrooms here). The cheese was glorious (they could have made a commercial about it in 1987, it was so glorious indeed. ). Overall, it was a great meal. I was impressed. And, on the rare chance that the urge for deep dish pizza were to strike me, I'd return. But, I mean, I do have a bias towards thinner crusted pizza. I like it when I can eat ungodly amounts of pizza. Deep dish is too filling for my inner glutton to be satisfied. I only ate 2.5 slices. I need to eat like, a whole pizza to feel like I've done a good job...

The rest of the evening was special. It involved awkward times with singing pirates. You may think I'm making this up, but I'm not. Singing pirate awkwardness aside, it was a good night though. I hope I have pictures to add to this post soon.