quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:

I HAVE TO MENTION:
There's a spot in Vernal, Utah that is phenomenal! On the main street, north side, east end of town, not too far from the Dinosaur Inn. I can't remember the name of the place, but a nice pizza oven in the corner. Owner was from New York.
Damn good pizza!

I believe, by your description, this is the place: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tNmqpc...le.maps.preview.copy

http://www.anticaforma.com/

YES SIR!!!!!
That would be the place!
Well worth going out of your way for!

The best pizza I've ever had has come out of my own kitchen. It takes some practice and experimentation, but once you get it down you won't want to go back to restaurant pizza.

I grew up in New Jersey near NYC and they have some great pizza places.
When you see the owner that makes pizza get summoned to take a ride in a limo, you know its good pizza!

I lived in CA, specifically the Silicon Valley part of the Bay Area, for 20 years and had no trouble finding excellent pizza, as well as ethnic food of every possible description, from Moroccan to Ethiopian to British to French to German..... There were a host of great reasons for leaving CA around 18 years ago, but food wasn't among them.

That said, tastes vary. Maybe the OP was/is looking for some particular geo-centric Pizza style like New York, Detroit etc - and maybe that's scarce on the ground now?

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
It's just Round Table Pizza.

Hey now, the original Menlo Park location is still open and I'm a sucker for a King Arthur

Pizza Plus on Main St in Jamestown. Get the Super Plus Special. Probably the best pizza I’ve ever had. We ate there on our way to Yosemite.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
It's just Round Table Pizza.

Hey now, the original Menlo Park location is still open and I'm a sucker for a King Arthur

As far as chain restaurants go in NorCal, Round Table is my favorite.

Konata, spill the beans.

Gustofer, you're in Montana, I'm in Montana and that is the best pizza I've seen here...headed your way

Seems like SF, like every other topic under the sun, has its share of pizza experts!

I grew up with pizza. Especially during summer vacation when I would spend my days at a club and would have a pizza every day. NY style is ingrained in me. I like the taste. I like the crust to sauce and topping ratio. I like the way a slice feels in my hand - like it was custom made to be there. I like the crust thin with the right balance of crisp and chew - great bread flavor with a bias of sweetness. I love the sauce and how the taste of tomato and herbs shout their hellos, accentuated by a little wine to really bring out flavors of tomatoes. I enjoy the way the cheese meekly but confidently announces its presence.

A slice of simple cheese pizza can bring comfort and content like almost no other food.

This place is NOT NY pizza. But it's a decent nod and better than most places I've tried in CA over the decades. Amici's was not bad when they first opened in Mt View many years ago. There's a dive place in the North Beach area (forgot the name) which was pretty good (not sure if they still exist). Most places in CA are maybe 4-5. Amici's (haven't been in 20 years though) was maybe 6-7. This place is maybe 7 (need to try more - just a sample of 1 so far). NY being my baseline 10. I can eat 4-5; be happy with 6-7; would crave 8-10.

Russ - incoming....

quote:

Originally posted by sooma:
Gustofer, you're in Montana, I'm in Montana and that is the best pizza I've seen here...headed your way

As I recall, you're up in the Flathead? If you haven't, you might try Moose's Saloon. For many years it was the best pizza around there.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
The best pizza I've ever had has come out of my own kitchen. It takes some practice and experimentation, but once you get it down you won't want to go back to restaurant pizza.

It's great that you can make your own. I wish I had that talent. I bought the bread book ya'll recommended some time ago. Need to work my way through it.

It's really not difficult. It just takes a little practice. Here is a great place to start.



I used to be pretty intimidated by pizza as it never turned out well. Once I started using Vito's methods, the light bulb went off. I've since tweaked things to my liking, and they are fantastic.

The best pizza I had in CA was in Berkeley of all places. Berkeley was definitely not my kind of place to hang out, but I spent a lot of time there working one particular case as well as investigating a few fires there. The name of the place was Artichoke Basille’s at 2590 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704-1715. one of the UC Berkeley PD guys recommended it to me and I enjoyed it quite a bit actually. I found CA to be lacking in pizza quality overall but I did like the pizza at Artichoke’s and for Chicago Deep Dish style a place called Chicago Fire in Sacramento was a close second. For what it’s worth, I found the crust to absolutely be the most lacking in CA. There were some places whose pizza I would have considered great if they had better crust.

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG: You ever come back to Chi-Town, hit Flo & Santos on 13th and Wabash, or Vito & Nick's, 84th & Pulaski or Pequods, 2207 N Clybourn for the Deep Dish!

Haven't really been back since 1975 which I shipped out to the USCG. My pretty much favorite pace at that time was Lou Malnatis on Higgins Rd in Elk Grove Village. I used to grab a carry out there on the way home from being with my buddies in Chicago proper after family moved from Norridge to Elk Grove. I preferred the thin over the deep dish. Vito & Nick's is talked about a lot at pizzamaking.com but don't know if I ever had it unless it was when I was a wee lad. Definitely miss Chicago pizza but there are some pretty good transplants in NC, and I will buy their pizzas and freeze slices for later.

Good for you, we've had a few good pizzas since moving to Utah but are on the search, again. I heard a place opened about 25 miles away, kinda out of the way for us but I'll do a road trip to try it. I'm talking the NY/NJ style, well described by Gary.

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
Good for you, we've had a few good pizzas since moving to Utah but are on the search, again. I heard a place opened about 25 miles away, kinda out of the way for us but I'll do a road trip to try it. I'm talking the NY/NJ style, well described by Gary.

Good luck! Planning to visit your neck of the woods again someday; will explore a couple of new regions first but a return visit is on the books. Of all things, Oscar's and that breakfast place are key draws. But love the slot canyons. And would like to hit the sand dunes. Save a slice of pie for me.