Pizza Extravaganza Wrap-Up

Well, it's that time of year pizza heads! As we reach the end of the semester, with only two weeks left, I've decided to do an end - of - semester review. For this wrap up I will focus on the four aspects I've analyzed during my pizza-eating blogger extravaganza: Crust, Sauce, Toppings, and Price. After reading this blog, you'll be able to choose your pizza wisely based on these four crucial elements.

Crust - It was a tough decision, because let's be honest who really "likes" the crust. However, I would argue if you have a tasty crust, you have yourself a tasty pizza! Bias aside, the best crust would be a tie between Chow Pizza or Mellow Mushroom. The reason being you can't go wrong with either a crust covered in cheese OR a crust basted with garlic butter. Chow's toasty, savory, roasted garlic flavored crust made it the most unique compared to all the pizzeria's I have visited in the past. It was the first thing I noticed as I began to gobble it down. It had a golden, cripsy outter layer, basted with a garlic butter oil which is what made it's taste so original. On the inside, it was warm and soft, still maintaining the strong potent garlic flavoring that cooks down while it's in the oven. Crust is an important part of pizza, especially because a lot of people want to enjoy their crust. At Chow, you're not only enjoying it but experianing a mouthful of flavor.

Sauce - Mellow Mushroom, hands down! I said it once and I'll say it again, I could drink that stuff like it was soup! It's smooth, zesty, but has a texture thick enough to satisfy you marinara sauce lovers. It has the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, mixing just the right amount of herbs and spices to create a legendary flavor. Not only do you want it underneath a plethora of delcious toppings and cheeses, but you'll want to have it on the side just for dipping.



Toppings - The pizzeria with the best toppings would have to be Lilly's pizza. It's hard for any other pizza restaurant to compete with Lilly's fresh, local-grown, all organic vegetables, meats, and cheeses. My experience at Lilly's, tasting their fresh vegetables and cheeses, is the real reason Lilly's came out on top for "Best Pizza Toppings". The green peppers and onions were crispy and juicy, like they had just been picked from the garden. The meat [pepperoni] was spicey and chewy, just how my Italian ancestors would have made it. The mozzarella and parmesean cheeses melted perfectly amongst the toppings. Lilly's toppings are what make their pizza so original and delicious. You can't beat the freshness!

Price - Deciding which Slice of the Triangle pizza place had the most reasonable prices was not difficult. The answer is obvious! Schiano's Pizza had the best deals, with a 24 inch slice ( bigger than the size of your head) for only three dollars. Not only was it cheap, but it's quantity and quality are what make the deal even better. Their true Italian style pizza with such a reasonable price has attracted the masses around Raleigh, even a few of my fellow classmates and my professor. Needless to say, Schiano's is the winner when it comes to prices.

Now that I've discussed and evaluated the pizza essentials, it's time for you to take your own adventure and discover which pizzeria is for you. Bottom line, you can't go wrong any of these four Block-Buster pizzeria's.

It's Not How It Appears at Mr. Pizza and Salad

Mr. Pizza and Salad, located off Peace Street in downtown Raleigh, proved it's not all about appearances on Monday night when I entered through their doors. The restaurant, which looks shabby from the outside, was surprisingly engaging. Looking past it's skeptical exterior, the staff, atmosphere, and food was enjoyable. The menu was full of choices and reasonably priced combos. In addition, the cashier who took my order was very friendly and polite. At Mr. Pizza and Salad, you can place your order at the register and walk over to begin creating your salad while you wait for your pizza.

The interior of the restaurant was well decorated, with paintings and big screen tv's. The salad bar, which was fresh and well stocked with various goodies was a perfect accompaniment with my slice of pizza. With topping options like carrots, red onions, cheese, croutons, broccoli, and more, the salad bar was delightful. Made for a healthy side item along with pizza. The combo of a salad, a slice of pizza, and a drink came to $6.49. An extremely reasonable price given all that was included.

The pizza itself was delicious! It wasn't anything to write home about, but you can never go wrong with New York style pizza. I ordered a slice topped with cheese, green peppers, red peppers, onions, and tomatoes. The toppings were crisp and juicy, while the sauce and cheese were warm and gooey. The base sauce was light but tasty, not too much but just enough flavor to take your taste buds to a happy place.

    

Overall, I really enjoyed Mr. Pizza and Salad. It's reasonable prices, fresh salad bar, and tasty pizza slices had me sold. "I love Mr. Pizza and Salad, it's so cheap yet so good! Perfect for lunch or a late night snack," said Jacey Quarles, William Peace University junior. Mr. Pizza and Salad is not just for the college students who roam close by, but caters to families with children or big parties who would like to enjoy their outdoor seating. It's worth the adventure!

Drinks and Deals at Ruckus Pizza

Google.com

It was an eventful Tuesday night at Ruckus Pizza and Bar. Ruckus, located off Avent Ferry Road was tucked away in the plaza across from N.C. State University. Upon entering the restaurant I was immediately impressed by the edgy atmosphere. It definitely has a bar feel with the dim lighting and laid-back staff, which really struck me as unique.





The bar at Ruckus, which takes up almost the entire back wall of the restaurant was note-worthy, as well as the deals they promoted. On Tuesday's, Ruckus offers a 1-topping, 18 inch pizza for $10, as well as drink specials. Unfortunately, I passed on the 18 inch pizza deal and chose another bargain for two slices of pizza and a drink for around 8 dollars. I also enjoyed a few delicious, staff-recommended, garlic knots before my pizza was ready. "The garlic knots are our most popular appetizer, and you wont find better deals on drinks and pizza than you will at Ruckus," said Ruckus cashier, Brian Johns. The garlic knots were warm and crispy, with the perfect zest of garlic, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and parsley flakes.

The pizza itself was to DIE for! Personally, I am a huge fan of New York Style pizza. It was cheesy and heated to just the right temperature. The warm, thin crust, was not too crispy or flimsy, but folded perfectly. The cheese was fresh and gooey, dispersed evenly amongst the pepperoni that accompanied it. The pepperoni was my chopping of choice, because honestly you can't ever go wrong with pepperoni. The meat was not overwhelming greasy and had just the right kind of spice. I enjoyed every bite.

The sauce that was underneath the stringy, mozzarella cheese, was light and zesty. With all the right elements of fresh tomato, garlic, herbs, and spices. It was not too heavy but just thick enough to melt perfectly under the cheese and fresh pepperoni.





Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Ruckus. The pizza was great, the staff and atmosphere couldn't have been better, and the fact that they offered Cheerwine to drink sealed the deal. Another great pizza spot to try in Raleigh, and another thumbs up from Slice of the Triangle. Probably not a place to take the kids, but a great place for a night out to enjoy pizza and awesome deals on drinks.