The 501 Club, the year-old sister bar to the 331 Club, quickly became one of the better music venues for local music in the city. It’s a “club” in two parts: music venue in the front and a bar/restaurant in the back. There’s never a cover charge, a decent selection of booze and usually something going on in the late evenings.

After numerous recommendations, I’ve explored the pizza here a few times. The pies are 14 inches and cut in triangles or squares depending on your preference. They’re good for two very hungry people or more comfortably, three people. I’ve fallen in love with their cheese pizza. This “cheese” pizza may more accurately be described as a Margherita pizza derivative as it plays up fresh tomato chunks and basil.

From the bottom up: the crust is a bit sweet and very chewy. There’s hardly any sauce to speak of and the crust goes straight to the cheese, which is a very flavorful and non-greasy mozzarella that tastes fresh. It has a bite that offsets the sweetness of the rest of the pizza. In lieu of much sauce, there’s large chunks of juicy tomatoes, all topped with basil. Overall it’s a very tasty and addicting pizza. Arguably, the 501 Club’s pizza is the best you can get at a music venue in Minneapolis.

With a half-off special on this pizza every 11pm-1am, it will continue to be difficult for me to not order in the future. Strongly recommended.

501 Club
501 S Washington Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-338-3848

Note: this post describes my uncompensated experience at a preview event and is not a review.

Sauce Pizza and Wine in the latest addition to the booming Shops at West End in Saint Louis Park. This Sauce is not to be confused with Sauce Spirits and Soundbar, which is now changing its name due to the trademark conflict.

Sauce is from Arizona-based Fox Restaurant Concepts. The owners, Michael McDermott and Jason Merritt, went to college here and are also working on opening Rojo Mexican Grill also located in the Shops at West End.

Ordering pizza here is and the dining style is similar to that of Noodles and Company or Punch Pizza: stand in line to order, take your drink and a number with you and staff will bring out your food.

My first impression of their Mozzarella, Fontina Cheese & Basil pizza, which is at the top of their menu, is that it is thinner than a lot of Neapolitan-inspired pies. It’s very easy to eat and pieces can be held in one hand easily. The cheeses were quite flavorful and they had a nice bite. The dry crust paired with the fairly wet top. The edges are small and crunchy.

The most strange aspect, however, is that for a restaurant called Sauce, there was hardly any of their namesake to speak of. In fact, I later tried a couple slices of their Rosemary Potato pizza (with spinach, feta and olive tapenade) and there was no sauce to speak of. The Rosemary Potato is actually quite tasty and a fun combination of flavors but leaned heavily on the dry and salty side. No complaints, however, as it pairs very well with their Tangent Winery Pinot Grigio, which is an exclusive to Sauce. Sidenote: Tangent Winery sells a Pinot Gris and rips on wineries making Pinot Grigio on their site. Strange. Anyway, it’s a light and summery wine that’s very refreshing and recommended.

I also enjoyed their cheesecake which is simple (to my liking), very tasty, had a soft texture, and light but filling.

Overall the experience and food I had at this preview of Sauce was good. It’s a perfect fit for the area, a working concept and the staff was fantastic. I’ll come back in a couple months and revise this post if needed if the experience is much different than this preview event.

Note: a couple cohorts with the Heavy Table stopped by you can read another take on Sauce Pizza and Wine there.

Sauce Pizza & Wine
1610 West End Blvd
Saint Louis Park, MN 55416
952-657-5020

About a week ago, Grand Ole Creamery opened a pizzeria in it’s overflow area, headed up by Robert Lampe. Andrew Zimmern, noting the Punch Pizza across the street selling Grand Ole Creamery’s primary competitor’s ice cream wrote:

The folks at Grand Ole Creamery, taking a page out of my five-year-old’s Pre-K playbook were so outraged that Punch was selling Izzy’s product just a stone’s throw from the Creamery’s front door that they decided to sell pizza from a space next to the scoop shop. Vengeance!!!!

I don’t have the kinds of sources that Zimmern has, but I asked three different people at Grand Ole Creamery on two different days why they started the pizzeria. All the answers were different but had a common theme: they wanted to diversify their business. “Ice cream sells better in the summer, pizza in the winter,” a girl behind the counter explained, also noting the tanning beds they own upstairs. I was also told they had considered creating a bakery and thought of focusing on cupcakes before deciding on pizza. Robert Lampe noted his history in bread making and he simply wanted to start a pizzeria. Those familiar with Peter Reinhart or are into making pizza know this is an ideal transition.

Regardless of what side of the story you believe, the pizza here stands on its own and I don’t see it as a direct head-to-head competition with Punch. While Punch arguably creates the most authentic Neapolitan-style pies in the state, Pizzeria at the Creamery sells American-style slices and 16″ pizzas. Punch sells beer and wine and is open for lunch, Pizzeria at the Creamery stays open much late to cater those that are done drinking, even until 2:30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

One very late weekday evening, a friend and I stopped by to find a very long line out the door. They were waiting for ice cream, not pizza, and seemingly most of the people there were unaware that a slice shop opened up under the same roof. We ordered the “Cheese Pizza,” which is a poor name due to its understatement: homemade mozzarella, aged mozzarella and parmesan make up the cheeses, San Marzano tomatoes create the sauce, and it’s topped with fresh basil and oregano.

The crust was a little bit puffy, a little airy, chewy and had a solid, crispy edge. It’s nicely charred on the bottom and the sauce is notably sweet. The cheeses tasted very fresh and were even a bit stringy. The balance of flavors was good and it’s surprising what good basil will do to pizza sometimes. Slices could be held with one hand and a fork is unneeded. It’s filling: a whole pizza would reasonably feed three to four people. It’s light enough, however, where two hungry people could plow through the entire thing — which I’m almost ashamed to admit my friend and I did. It’s flavorful and difficult to not keep eating. Great ingredients for a “Cheese Pizza,” and this pizza is balanced. Quite satisfying.

As we left, there were still a line out the door waiting for ice cream and the Punch Pizza across the street had its lights dimmed, doors locked, and chairs on the tables. While I don’t see myself going to Punch any less, I’ll certainly be stopping by Pizzaria at the Creamery again soon. A slice shop has been needed around here for awhile and this one fits the bill quite well.

Pizzeria at the Creamery
at Grand Ole Creamery
750 Grand Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105
651-291-8931

Beek’s Pizza, or “Beek’s King of Pizza” as it is more affectionately known as, is hidden in a run-down building under large billboards and connected to a video rental shop. Locals in South Minneapolis know about it, but Beek’s rarely comes up in conversation with anyone I talk with outside their delivery area. (I would believe the same is true for their Saint Louis Park location — I hadn’t heard of it until writing this piece.)

It’s delivery and take-out only. On a recent trip home from Bloomington I decided to give them a shot. I called about ten minutes in advance and my pizza was just being cut and boxed when I arrived. A dude in reflective aviators ran my card and joyfully gave me a nondescript, completely unmarked and uncolored corrugated cardboard box.

I dropped in at a friend’s house to share my medium pepperoni pie. Beek’s Pizza is traditional Midwestern style but cut in triangles. The pieces are just a bit thicker than you might expect so they can be held without drooping. Impressive. The ingredients I had weren’t bad, but having them topped with their seasoning certainly lifted the flavor of the pizza with otherwise fairly standard mozzarella cheese and sauce. I also appreciated that Beek’s is notably less greasy than most of its Midwestern-style counterparts. A satisfying little indie joint.

Beek’s Pizza
5336 S Lyndale Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55419
612-827-2567

Olive Pizza is a new portable wood-fired pizza operation started by Elizabeth Vossen. As of last week, they started serving Saturdays at the Midtown Farmers’ Market on Lake Street near the Hiawatha Light Rail.

A selection of about four pizzas are made to order by a small crew that went counterclockwise around the tent. My order was taken, then the person to her left made the pizza, then in the back it was put in the oven and about five minutes later a man to his left cut my pizza directly on the peel and slid of off onto a plate.

I ordered the pesto and tomato pizza which ingredient-wise isn’t dissimilar to an Italian-style pizza margherita but a bit smaller. The ingredients were notably fresh even before biting in. Tasting this pizza is divine: the mozzarella and tomato were quite tasty and the pesto was balanced well — I’m used to a “pesto pizza” having too much pesto but this was spot on. The crust was light although not terribly notable on its own. Overall a refreshing and surprisingly filling lunch. Despite its smaller size, I preferred sharing a a slice (one sixth) of it to a friend — splitting one of these would serve as a fantastic Farmers’ Market snack.

Olive Pizza is based in Shokopee and it looks like they’re planning on showing up at more places than the Midtown Farmers’ Market. They have a good thing going on here and if today’s pizza was from their second full day of operation, I can’t wait to see how much better their already quite good pizza will become. Recommended.

For many more photos and another, more detailed take on Olive Pizza, check out Martha and Tom’s post from a visit last week on their first day.

Olive Pizza
Saturdays at the Midtown Farmers Market
Lake St E & 22nd Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
952-221-6206

Replacing the Paisano’s that closed in Woodbury is DeLeo Bros. Pizza (pronounced de-LAY-o) which opened this April of this year. DeLeo Bros. kept much of the same interior: a larger cafeteria-style pizzeria with a few televisions and they’ve added a few classic arcade games and a pinball machine.

The pizza is completely different than Paisano’s, however. It’s less New York-style and more of a thicker and ingredient-heavy pie — a single lunchtime slice is very large and quite filling. On first bite, the first thing I noticed was how much cheese there was. This said, after three visits, I’ll say that the cheese, sauce and ingredients I’ve had were all not very notable. I’ll confirm, however, what their menu brags: they pride themselves on their “excessive use of garlic.” The edges of the crust are painted with a thick coat of garlic butter that’s quite overpowering. The bread reminded me of a bagel with a crispy edge. I haven’t had a crust quite like it before: it’s like having a garlic breadstick at the end.

I’ve also tried their Garlic Knots, which are doughy balls drenched in the aforementioned garlic butter and parmesan. After considerable pause on this paragraph, I cannot find a better description than “doughy.”

The staff here is very friendly and personable but I avoid talking politics — one of the TVs was annoyingly blaring Fox News on a recent visit. I like their contests: this month there’s a chalkboard listing the high scores of the Frogger arcade game near the door. At the end of the month if you’re the highest, you win a huge pizza and four drinks and there’s prizes for second and third place. As of a week ago I was the best score — we’ll see if I hold on to it.

DeLeo Bros. Pizza
803 Bielenberg Drive
Woodbury, MN 55125
651-714-9315

UPDATE July 27, 2010: Just talked with the new owner (as of last Wednesday) of Pizza Joe’s Delivery and they’ve disabled the online ordering and they’re switching to fresher ingredients. Apparently there’s a name change coming soon as well.

I always thought it was funny that when you load up a location on Google Maps and then click “Search Nearby” under the input field it says “e.g., ‘pizza’”. So one time at a friend’s place near Minnehaha I typed it in and Pizza Joe’s Delivery showed up. I hadn’t heard of them before and it looks like they’re new in the last year or so.

When I started the process of ordering online, I was struck by the prices: $9.99 for any pizza. It’s $9.99 for a medium, $9.99 for a large, or $9.99 for a large thin crust. It’s $9.99 regardless how many toppings you add, although their online ordering limits you to 25 toppings, which is a limit that should probably not be tested. Note there is a $2.00 taxable delivery surcharge so after tip, which you can include before the pizza is delivered, comes to about $16-$17.

Pizza Joe’s Delivery has the good aspects of big chain delivery pizza without most the negatives. For example, it is incredibly consistent. I’ve ordered from them three times and there was hardly any variation other than my choices of ingredients. Maybe the same machine that takes my order makes the pizza too? I kid, but I wouldn’t care if that was the case. There’s a different need when your order pizza for delivery opposed to going out to dine on pizza, right?

It has doughy and thick crust edges, the pieces stay in one piece, it’s not too greasy, and the ingredients taste fresh. It’s great pizza delivery. There’s no reason to dial up the big chains.

Pizza Joe’s Delivery
5501 34th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55417
612-727-2424

I’m a cynic when it comes to Red’s Savoy Pizza. It’s garbage pizza, in the sense where it’s an imbalanced mess of stuff strewn together with obnoxiously biting sauce. Their location in Saint Paul is classic with rude staff with a dark, campy interior. It’s a staple of Saint Paul and it works for what it is. Unfortunately, they’ve been aggressively expanding by taking over struggling independent pizzerias.

I visited their location in Hudson, which used to be Barley’s Pizza. I remember asking staff there soon after they re-opened if they’ve changed anything. “No, everything’s the same, except the pizza’s better now.” They were wrong.

I avoided visiting the new location in Uptown after they replaced Golooney’s East Coast Pizza, which was horrible to begin with. I couldn’t imagine it being better. Finally this month I gave it a go.

My pepperoni slice took about 5 minutes to get during lunch and was received in tin foil inside a styrofoam box. The cheese was tasteless, the pepperoni were plain and the crust was crunchy on the edge and very soft towards the tip. It was food that satisfied hunger but not much more.

I bought a bottle of water at the gas station a block away because I kept having the sensation that I had burned the inside of my mouth and realizing I didn’t — their sauce is crazy weird.

I will say the staff is much nicer than Golooney’s, so I give them that. The pizza’s different, and it’s not worse than Golooney’s, but it doesn’t earn my recommendation.

Red’s Savoy Uptown
2329 Hennepin Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55405
612-377-3110

The Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue light rail station in downtown Minneapolis is a fun one for some. Across the tracks is “Drink: the Original Fun Bar” which must be cool if you are into drinking pink shots as if it’s your bachelorette party while grinding on the dance floor with young scantily clad girls as if it’s your bachelor party. Similar story for Sneaky Pete’s on the same block, which is the “Ultimate Fun Bar.” Then there’s Dream Girls Night Club if you want to sit back and pay a lot more to see a lot less clothes on older women. I’ll admit I haven’t been to any of the above places but that’s my best understanding.

Then there’s Downtown Diner Pizza, sometimes known as “Midnight Pizza.” Diner, this is not, and by midnight this place serves what might be the worst slice in Minneapolis in the place you need it the most: waiting for the train after a night of drinking in the Warehouse District.

Inside is a stereotypical low-grade New York-style slice shop with old pies under glass ready to be re-heated. On a recent trip I purchased a pepperoni slice that immediately upon receipt started soaking the paper plate under it with grease. The slice drooped when picked up but it can be folded. Note, however, when folding you’ll create a stream of orange grease down the middle that’ll create a waterfall-like experience at the tip.

It was low-grade cheese with plain pepperoni and flavorless crust, except for the places it was slightly burnt. On two occasions on this visit my friend and I were asked if we’d buy $20 worth of marijuana for $10 by a random passerby. On the way out we had to deal with two very vocal panhandlers. By the time we got a block away from Downtown Diner Pizza I started wondering if the “ten buck” bag of weed contained oregano or catnip. I never bothered to find out.

Downtown Diner Pizza aka Midnight Pizza
10 5th St N
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612-333-1144

I was surprised to find pizza on the menu on a recent visit to The Bulldog Northeast. I asked the waitstaff when this happened and I was told it was new as of April 4th, 2010. I quickly folded the menu as there’s obviously no choice for me but to order the PIzza Margherita with a Grain Belt Northeast.

In short order, my pizza arrived. It’a appropriately listed with the appetizers as it’s small: about 9 inches diameter. On first glance I noticed it’s quite oily and picking up a piece revealed a bunch of oil on the plate. Biting in, the crust, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes seemed to want to separate from each other. No problem if you’re careful or use a fork. My favorite portion was the cheese, which is very fresh, a bit sticky and chewy. The tomatoes tasted fresh and the crust and sauce were decent: a bit on the doughy side but a decent base. It was a bit crispy on the edges.

If it was a bit less oily and if the crust had more to it I’d give it really high marks as far as bar appetizers go. Without change I’ll have it again either way.

I otherwise recommend the Bulldog for their good beer selection and happy hour specials. I’ve been many times before and you’ll see me back there soon.

The Bulldog Northeast
401 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-378-BULL

I’m generally not too impressed with airport pizza. At Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP), I’ve had the Famous Famiglia slices in the food court which in aesthetic and lack of taste remind of Sbarro. Unfortunately, I have also had a slice from one of the two Sbarro locations here. There’s also Godfather’s Pizza and California Pizza kitchen which I cannot imagine being any better than their non-airport counterparts.

Upon returning to Minneapolis recently with extra meal vouchers, I decided to try Wolfgang Puck Express, located in concourse G. It’s split in to two sides: a kitchen area with cafeteria-style ordering and a full bar. Even though it was almost empty when we arrived, it took about 8 minutes for my pizza to be ready.

My Pizza Margherita here had a fluffy crust with crispy edges, flavorful cheeses without being too heavy and fresh tomatoes. Even though the crust was thin and not hard, one could still hold a slice with a hand. However, I did find it a lot easier to tackle this one with a fork. There was a tiny buttery and garlic tinge to the taste too. The bones of the crust were chewy.

If you want pizza at MSP, it’s worth it to walk here and spend a couple extra bucks.

Wolfgang Puck Express
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Concourse G
4300 Glumack Drive
St. Paul, Minnesota 55111
612-726-5360 x338

Ryan’s Grill at Ward Center is part of Restaurants Unlimited and feels more like a sports bar than a restaurant.

There’s a good selection of Hawaiian beer and the bartenders are friendly. On a recent visit I tried a pizza I hadn’t had before, the Pizza Insalata, or literally, “Salad Pizza.”

It’s oval shaped, drenched with ingredients with a salad on top. The crust was crispy and almost cracker-like with fresh tomatoes and pineapples on top. The salad was fresh and tasty as well, which I ate with a fork as if the pizza was a plate. The cheese atop the salad was creamy and tickled the tongue.

A bit much for one person and a mess to consume. It’s, well, an interesting dinner.

Ryan’s Grill
1200 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-591-9132

A Grecian restaurant with wood-fired pizza? I’m compelled to try the “Pizza Classica,” which is a Margherita derivative: basil, tomato, regiannito and mozzarella cheeses.

I’ve been here twice and I’m still surprised with how loaded with cheese the pies here are. They’re doughy, floppy and soggy. Pizza here is overly sweet and imbalanced. The last time I was here I was reminded of Pizza Hut. Half way through I felt like I gained a significant amount of weight.

Santorini Taverna seems to otherwise be a fairly classy suburban restaurant and also packs quite a crowd at times. Perhaps I’m the only one trying the pizza.

The free Ouzo on the way out (which you pour yourself into paper shot glasses) is a nice touch.

Santorini Taverna
13000 Technology Dr
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
952-546-6722

Pizza Biga is an appendage of Turtle Bread‘s Chicago Avenue location dedicated to pizza, salads and wine. It isn’t as separate as the other Turtle Bread-related restaurants Trattoria Tosca and Cafe Levain — Pizza Biga feels more like a side room of the main bakery.

I enjoyed Pizza Biga last April and didn’t write about it immediately as I felt like all the ingredients were good but the pizza didn’t seem to come together right. In a recent visit I came to the same conclusion.

The Margherita I ordered from their wood-fired oven was chewy and had crispy edges. The previous visit my crust was thinner and more crispy all around. In both cases I expected fantastic crust from Turtle Bread’s dough and wasn’t that impressed. Fairly plain, in my opinion.

However, the mozzarella on both visits tasted quite fresh and I was surprised to find what I thought was cheddar in the mix of cheese in my most recent visit (compare photos). I’m not sure if I’ve ever had cheddar in a Margherita. Is this Wisconsin-Neapolitan? Either way, I’m glad they weren’t sticking to the rules and it gave a flavor that was new to me in this style of pizza. The shredded basil, however, was decorative and the sauce would be best described as sweet. Neither bad, just lacking much depth. On average, good ingredients but just lacking the magic and balance of a great pizza.

I can’t actually complain, but I did get frustrated with their cylindrical water glasses. About two-thirds through my glass I ended up spilling water all over myself through the magic of ice cubes sticking together and pushing to the other end as I tilted the glass towards my mouth. Upon scrambling for a napkin I remembered I made the exact same error on my previous visit. I wondered if I’m really a klutz or if a number of other Pizza Biga patrons experience this.

I might recommend Pizza Biga more if the pizzas weren’t as expensive. It was $11.50 for my Margherita and for even the Pepperoni, which contains the same ingredients minus the basil and with pepperoni is $13.00. They feed one hungry person or two people eating rather lightly.

Pizza Biga
4762 Chicago Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55407-3515
612-823-7555

On a recent weekend trip I visited Kate’s Pizza Amoré in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It’s the sister location to Kate’s on State which serves Italian in the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse area. Pizza Amoré is new and fairly packed when we arrived. Without a reservation we had about a 45 minute wait. No fear, however, as there are numerous great bars in the area, notably the Bodega Brew Pub to grab a drink and come back.

It was clear the staff was hustling: our waitress wouldn’t let one of her tables sneak out behind her without saying goodnight and there was a little sweat on her forehead when she helped us order. Without a beat she explained her favorites and explained the pizza sizes while coming across relaxed and very personable. Well done.

I ordered the small Margherita, which according to the menu contains “extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh roasted garlic, basil pesto, and a light sprinkle of our secret blend of cheeses.” Wow, garlic and garlic!

Upon arrival, the first thing I noticed was the pesto. It’s drenched in it and tasting this pizza was more garlic and pesto than cheese and tomato. It wasn’t what I was expecting for a Margherita but it was quite good and not overbearing. The crust is thick and chewy but crisp on the edges. It’s a great take on California style and all the ingredients popped out and shared the stage. It’s well balanced, fresh and flavorful. A little sweet, perhaps, but I liked it. The “secret” blend of cheese seemed to be predominantly mozzarella, although quite good mozzarella. If you’re from Minneapolis, Saint Paul or Duluth, think of what Pizza Lucé would be like if it was less greasy and the crust was better.

My date ordered the “Spinach Surprise” pizza as recommended by our waitress and the quality of it kept getting brought up throughout the rest of the weekend. As a small pizza here is a bit much for one person we had some of it boxed and it was quite good reheated.

I can’t wait to go back to have it again although next time I’ll call ahead to get a reservation and skip lunch so I have room to try an appetizer too.

Kate’s Pizza Amoré
212 Main St NE
La Crosse, WI 54601
608-782-6673

Downtime is situated on the University of Minnesota campus in the same building as a student bookstore. It’s a bar with a few tables and a stage for live music and feels like a place you’d only find fried bar food. I never thought to check it out until Kyle, who works at the University, told me I needed to stop by to try the pizza. Surprisingly, there’s wood-fired oven here and as I found out, the pizza is much better than one might expect.

I sat at the bar and ordered a Guinness thinking it was on tap but she pulled a special can out of the fridge and put it in the machine in front of me, the “Guinness Surger,” which uses “ultra-sonic” powers to simulate Guinness from a tap. It still tasted like Guinness to me, for what that’s worth, but next time I’ll explore some of their taps as they have a few good locals. Ordering is done with a marker and a laminated menu where you fill in boxes. I indicated a small pizza with pepperoni and red sauce.

The pizza took a bit of time to arrive — I think they had to get the oven heated up just for me. This pizza was thin crust but nicely charred on the bottom and crispy. The edges were airy. As it’s the midwest, there is a lot of cheese and grease here but it isn’t overboard. The pepperoni was quite flavorful too. It’s wood-fired Midwestern if there is such a thing and is far better than your regular bar pizza. Students must know how great this is already but if you’re not at the U, it’s worth a trip to the campus to try this. As far as I’m concerned, it’s far better than the insanely popular Mesa Pizza by the Slice a couple blocks away.

I’ll be back soon.

Downtime Bar & Grill
1501 SE University Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-379-1224

I visited The Loop in Minneapolis’ North Loop recently on a weekday afternoon when it was almost empty. I’ve been here before and it can get rather filled up in the evenings. The menu here does not have many economical options with almost everything, aside from sides, is ten bucks or more. Pizzas are $10.95 and I ordered their Harvester: “fire roasted roma tomato, basil, garlic and fresh mozzarella.”

What I received was a thin, chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges pie with chunks of tomato, mozzarella and pesto. Close enough. The tomatoes were fairly ordinary but the cheese was quite good although not very flavorful. Even though the crust was firm and crispy on the edges, it would droop in the middle unless folded, which required cracking the crust, causing the pesto to drip everywhere. It’s not exactly bar-pizza friendly. It’s quite filling, however.

Nothing extraordinary to report here, although on Thursday nights all pizzas are half off and really are worth trying for five and a half bucks. That’s when I had my first pizza here and it went quite well with drinking, watching sports on TV and hanging out with friends.

The Loop Bar and Restaurant
606 Washington Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-340-0010

Lake Harriet Pizza, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Lake Harriet Pizza, was described to me by a dedicated reader as “a staple.” I recently ordered it for pickup and arrived early to chat while my pizza was being finished up.

Lake Harriet Pizza is in a tiny strip mall near 50th and Penn, across the street from Broders’ Pasta Bar. On a blistery January evening the florescent lights made their part of the building glow through the completely fogged-up windows and door. The oven was filled with pizzas and I was told it’d be a few more minutes. While a delivery guy busted through the door with red cheeks to pick up more pies, the man behind the counter said “you’re smart to do pick-up” noting the below-zero temperatures, slick roads and forecast of perhaps the lowest windchill of the winter that night. When you’re delivering three at a time, it’s a really hard to keep that third pizza oven-hot, he told me, although they try as hard as they can. They were moving fast and the energy in the room was high.

When I got my pizza, I think everyone in the place thanked me and I was charged as if I brought in the dollar-off coupon I didn’t have. Very friendly service.

At home and opened, everything about a Midwestern style pizza is here: the cheese being the predominant ingredient, tavern cut and a bit of grease. The cheese was thick and stretched, sometimes requiring a knife or fork to separate from the other pieces. The crust was just thick enough to be a solid base and had chewy and sometimes airy edges. Overall on taste, the cheese was fresh but nothing profound, the sauce was perky but nothing loud, and the pepperoni was flavorful but nothing extraordinary. Overall it’s filling, satisfying and a bit sloppy. Although ordinary, it’s not plain or bland.

If there was a certification for Midwestern style pizza as there is for Neapolitan, this place would earn it and train others. It’s a staple of the Midwest and Lake Harriet Pizza does a great job.

Lake Harriet Pizza
5009 Penn Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55419
612-920-7717

Every time I’ve visited Glaciers Café near East Lake Street and Minnehaha I’ve wondered, “why isn’t there more people here? This is great!”

Perhaps it’s that “café” is in the name and by a first impression you may not notice there’s a larger kitchen behind the counter. There’s Wi-Fi and an extensive amount of power outlets available. A selection of four different varieties of Peace Coffee sit ready for dispensing near the cash register next to self-serve filtered water.

I stopped by recently on a Monday afternoon and had their flatbread pizza. Anything other than their “Glacier Goodie” pizza with chicken, caramelized red onions, basil and Applewood smoked bacon is a custom order. While I have had a few other combinations before, to compare apples to apples this time I ordered the pepperoni with their cheese blend. The edges were crispy like a thick cracker, the sauce was a bit spicy and had a nice edge to it. The cheeses and pepperoni were flavorful and fresh. Sure, it’s a bit greasy but it isn’t much to complain about. Overall the pizza at Glaciers Café is light, yet filling. It’s very well crafted.

While it’s not stated on the menu clearly, the pizza is not for one person. My recommendation is to split it with one or two people and save room for the frozen custard. Actually, saving room for the frozen custard is an order. Do not leave without trying it. They usually have chocolate, vanilla and a seasonal flavor on deck — always ask what it is because it’s usually very, very good. If you play the “I’ve never been here” card, they’ll generally give you a small free sample.

Glaciers Café is an under-appreciated neighborhood gem. I need to make myself more of a regular.

Glaciers Café
3019 Minnehaha Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-746-1504

I admit it: I like cats and pizza. For Parasole to recently rebirth Figlio as Il Gatto, or “The Cat,” I was naturally aroused. If you’ve been to Figlio before, the bar area has been fully redone and the dining area has been freshened up a bit.

The wood fire oven in the back I saw while walking in was stealing my focus while our waiter was describing what he likes on the menu. It didn’t take long to realize that the staff here really knows this menu well and our waiter had a long list of favorites from all sections of it — except for the pizza which he never even mentioned.

I ordered the Margherita pizza anyway. If you’re going to start offering pizza with a wood fired oven in the back, you’re at least trying, right?

Our table received some bread and one of the most beautiful yet concise presentations of olive oil I’ve seen. A tiny square dish with a little garnish, yet the perfect amount for the bread we received which was strangely cold. Not room temperature, but cold. It was quite tasty nonetheless, especially with the bottle of Angeline Pinot Noir.

My date and I kept scanning the menu which was littered with double entendres and sexual innuendo. If there was a way to wrap “kitty” or “pussy” into the description or name of something, it has been completed in menu form at Il Gatto. I also can’t imagine that the drink named Smitten Kitten was any sort of coincidence noting the popular sex toy store with the same name a couple blocks down. The “Twig and Berries,” a drink I ordered on another visit had a literal phallic and testicular reference in the drink itself.

On the back of the menu you can read about the “Italians’ reputation for unrushed lovemaking” which is a paragraph that references Pope Paul III, American taboos about masturbation, “truncated mutual pleasure” and how many Hail Mary prayers could be recited during an Italian lovemaking session all in one swoop. I couldn’t tell why I was giggling to myself: was it how frat boy humor could be written so seriously on a restaurant menu or was it the fact that frat boy humor inspired the menu in the first place? Oh, and how do you choose between ordering the “Pistol Tease” and the “Sour Puss” without being sarcastic?

My pizza arrived and it was a strange-looking but incredibly appetizing thing: it’s what might define Neapolitan-Midwestern pizza if there was such a creation. It has many of the signatures of a Pizza Margherita but the the mozzarella is house made (and quite good but very different than mozzarella di bufala), the sauce had an almost barbecue twinge to it and there was oil all over, even on top of the basil and edges of the crust. The crust was nicely charred on the edges and chewy. The edges were buttery, salty, sweet and greasy at the same time. I couldn’t help thinking something was wrong as I was dealing with the dichotomy of staunch Midwestern and Neapolitan influences in the same pizza. What seems like olive oil might be grease — or maybe it’s both. I’m not saying this is bad, however. In fact, before I could even figure my thoughts out on this pizza I had devoured the entire thing. I did say there was a bit of barbecue flavor in the sauce, right? Regardless, this thing was tasty.

Upon completion, our waiter told us about the desserts and that the house-made Limoncello shots were worth it just for the presentation. On another visit my date and I ordered these Limoncello shots for four bucks and the presentation is worth seeing once just so you can think how funny it is that someone not only thought it was a good idea but that someone else that works there recommended it. Don’t worry, it’s still worth it as the Limoncello is quite good.

The Bomboloni, which is a fancy Italian name for fancy doughnut holes, is a very tasty dessert. This was echoed by James Norton of the Heavy Table in his observations of Il Gatto which I recommend reading. I should note that they give you more dipping sauce than doughnut, however. I felt like I should have been able to ask for more of the bomboloni just so we could use the rest of the sauce.

Overall I like Il Gatto. What makes it uncomfortable and mysterious in its menu and food is fully compensated by its very friendly and knowledgeable staff and the large photos of cute cats on the wall. A lot of “huh, really?” followed up with “well, yum, not bad.” Something new, right?

I’ll be back, meow.

Il Gatto
3001 Hennepin Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-822-1688

If you’d like an obnoxious pile of some of the cheapest, synthetic-tasting cheese around Stillwater while watching Fox News, you should try Grand Grill & Pizzera instead of the Pizza Hut next door.

This pizza is not for me. If this is your thing, give it a shot.

Grand Grill & Pizzeria
14587 60th St N
Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
651-439-2172

La Strada Ristorante Italiano is in the heart of Palo Alto on University with a lot of people walking by but few people inside on a recent Sunday evening. When entering, the first thing my eyes gravitated towards was the beautiful wood-fired oven on the other side of the bar. My stomach growled.

After being seated we were given white bread that was almost flavorless. Our waitress apologized twice for assuming she might be rushing us even though she wasn’t. Eventually she took our food order before our drink order. Perhaps we were giving the wrong message by keeping our heads in the menus.

I ordered a glass of Tenute Rubino Primitivo from their fairly decent wine list. My Pizza Margherita arrived fairly quickly and was cut into 6 slices. The buffalo mozzarella blended together with the sauce almost seamlessly — in a way uncommon with Neapolitan-style generally. The crust was firm but chewy and slices could be picked up and held without drooping. The pizza wasn’t very wet, which allowed for a fully finger-food experience. The edges of the crust were floury and a bit sugary, chewy and a bit crispy. Not much char. Interesting take on Neapolitan.

Overall, quite satisfying actually.

La Strada Ristorante Italiano
335 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-324-8300

It’s usually a good sign at an Italian restaurant when the staff and some of the clientele are speaking in Italian. Upon walking into AcquaPazza Ristorante we were greeted promptly and seated at the table of our choice. San Mateo isn’t known for great restaurants and while Acquapazza doesn’t dispel this stereotype it does a decent job of overcoming it.

My dining companions ordered pasta dishes and I ordered the Pizza Margherita “Recipe Da Michele,” referring to the famous Da Michele in Naples which is high on my to-do list.

We were served bread with a bowl of olive oil with large clumps of garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. My pizza was larger than I’d expect and quite wet. The sauce and oils came close to creating a soupy mess but was saved by the blocks of buffalo mozzarella holding things into place. Rather enjoyable to eat but the eight slice cut is deciving as this pie requires a fork and knife. There was nothing interesting in the flavors, however. The sauce, cheese and basil were fairly plain. The crust was crispy on the edges and chewy. Nothing negative to say but I couldn’t find anything that would help it stand out against others. The sum of its parts were equal to the sum of its parts, so to speak. In summary: satisfying.

I can’t compare this pizza to Da Michele but I can say from what I know of San Mateo, not bad. For another visit it might be worth to explore more of the menu — the diners present that were speaking in Italian weren’t ordering pizza.

AcquaPazza Ristorante
301 E 3rd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-375-0903

La Bocca is more-or-less on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Arizona. It’s surrounded by a few chain restaurants, campus gear stores, a head shop, a variety of shops and is under offices for the university. La Bocca opened about a year and a half ago in a space that has apparently seen a few restaurants come and go.

Inside is upscale without being too fancy for the college students that surround the area. This said however, one in my party overheard someone walking by saying “this is where my parents took me…”

My party and I sat outside for lunch and I ordered a Pizza Margherita. In short time it arrived on a peel and looked like it was tossed by a life-long pro. The contrary is true, however: owner and restauranteur Julian Wright, who also owned and sold a couple successful nearby restaurants has no history with pizza. He must be a quick study.

The crust was nicely charred on the edges and crispy while maintaining a hearty chewiness. The cheese, sauce and basil were balanced and tasted fresh. It was a bit drier than most I’ve had of this style but I have no complaints. The pizza overall looked beautiful and vibrant. Light and refreshing.

Service at La Bocca was spot on and well-timed. It’s a nice gem in Tempe. Those who I was with frequent La Bocca. I’ll probably go back for dinner next time with wine.

La Bocca
699 S Mill Ave
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-967-5244

The V Lounge in Honolulu is tucked away near the largest open-air shopping center in the world and on the other end of a popular night club run by a group of nightlife scenesters. Inside is a couple dart boards, bar-style seating and a few couches. The food menu contains only one thing: Neapolitan-style pizza.

The menu is so concise it almost mirrored that of Una Pizza Napoletana. Both V Lounge and Una Pizza’s menus contained just four pizzas but V Lounge has a “build your own” and Una Pizza has “no substitutions or alterations.” Recently V Lounge ranked first in a recent Honolulu pizza crawl. I ordered the Margherita.

The oven is wood-fired, the ingredients are on par with Italian standards including imported 00 Caputo flour and mozzarella di Bufala. An exclusive offering considering how distant Hawai‘i is from everywhere else.

While sitting at the bar, service was fast and my pizza arrived hot. Almost no char on the bottom and the crust was much thicker than most Neapolitan-style pies I’ve had. The best adjective I could come up with was “puffy.” On paper, this is a Neapolitan-style pizza. In tasting, it’s a thick, chewy and cheesy. Neapolitan-style should leave you satisfied but not heavy — this pie I couldn’t finish.

Really, it’s not bad however, and for $12 in Hawai‘i, this is a good deal. Surprised there weren’t more people here on a Saturday evening. Perhaps the party starts later — they’re open daily until 4 AM.

V Lounge Hawaii
1344 Kona St
Honolulu, HI 96814
808-955-2640

I normally don’t review frozen pizzas but I’ve been lately intrigued by the premium brands and high-end styles. American Flatbread is a big player in this field with a few different varieties available across the country — shipped from Vermont.

The containers are traditional in the sense that they are a frozen pizza box but very unusual in the sense that they do not show a photo of the pizza on the front. All sides of the package are covered mostly in text and the shelf appeal is actually quite low.

Inside, however, is the rarest find in a frozen pizza box: a beautifully personally-crafted pizza with a crust made of hand-stretched dough. Every time I’ve purchased one of these they have been unique. A recent one was bent quite a bit on the edge but corrected itself nicely after heating it up. They’re par-baked and flash frozen, so it’s about as close as you can get to the wood-fire oven in Vermont (check out their process).

The cheeses and herbs tasted incredibly fresh — even after I noticed the expiration date on the back of the box was four months ago! The crust retained its crispiness while still being airy. The crust was just thick enough — a bit thicker than a Neapolitan-style pizza. When eating, I spent a considerable amount of time picking out all the different flavors. It was surprisingly well balanced. I feel bad calling this a “frozen pizza,” because it doesn’t do it justice.

It doesn’t replace eating this style of hand-made pizza in a good pizzeria, but it certainly is the next best thing I’ve tried from the frozen section even if it’s the same price as pizza delivery. American Flatbread has a couple restaurants around Vermont, one in Virginia with another opening in Portland, Oregon. I added them to my pizza to-do list.

Even if premium frozen pizza isn’t your style, try this once.

American Flatbread
Available in stores nationally; I picked a couple up at the Seward Co-op.

I normally don’t cover frozen pizza because there usually isn’t much to say: it’s generally cheaper ingredients and, well, it’s frozen. There’s a few exceptions that can be found co-ops and speciality markets for premium frozen pizzas but they are generally shipped from other time zones and cost upwards of ten bucks. And sometimes, they are almost worth the price. High-end frozen pizza a strange niche market though: if you really need to serve quality pizza at home you’d either make it yourself or buy one fresh, right?

When I saw that the Seward Co-op recently started making and selling their own organic pizzas in the frozen section (as well as not frozen and fresh for take-away), I was intrigued: the co-op has a fairly good cheese selection and they even make sausage in-house. The pepperoni must be good! I bought two: a cheese pizza ($9.49) and a pepperoni ($11.49).

I tried the cheese first and then shared the pepperoni over a meeting with Heavy Table‘s James Norton and Becca Dilley one afternoon. The general consensus was that it was not notable. While the ingredients might be organic and of good quality, there wasn’t much flavor. In fact, we were surprised as to how unnoticeable the pepperoni was. The pepperoni pizza tasted just like the cheese I had days before. The cheese seemed rather plain and the crust, while crunch on the edges was rather dry. James ended up leaving his plate with a bunch of bones from the crust. The sauce was a highlight, mostly because it was more noticeable, not that it was much to write home about.

Comparing to regular grocery store frozen pizza, Seward Co-op’s organic frozen pizzas are on the higher end, but being I’m buying quality ingredients, paying more for a premium pizza, and knowing how good the Seward Co-op deli is, I expected a bit more than what I’d describe as a “decent plain frozen pizza.” Again, it’s not bad and I’d certainly recommend it over a national grocery brand. Sometimes you need a frozen pizza and this certainly fits the bill.

Next time I’m going to buy one fresh and top it with a few other ingredients from the co-op myself and see what happens.

Seward Co-op
2823 Franklin Ave E
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-338-2465

The upcoming election on November 3rd is under many radars in Minneapolis for a few reasons: it’s an off-year, mayor R.T. Rybak doesn’t have a viable challenger for reelection and many campaigns have simply not been aggressive about getting people to the polls. What this means for you is that your vote is even louder when it comes down to our city council, park board and major decision about who controls our tax levies.

The first thing to point out is that this is our first election using Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and despite some people’s confusion over how it works, from a voter’s perspective it is dead easy: just rank who you want in office in your order of preference. There’s more about RCV at voteminneapolis.org.

If you are not sure where to vote, use the City of Minneapolis Voting Precinct Finder.

Below are my choices if I could vote in every park district and ward in the city:

Mayor: R.T. Rybak

Ward 1: Kevin Reich

I disagree with the Star Tribune’s endorsement here. This video, for me, sums up why I can’t vote for Hanna. Reich is a solid for Northeast.

Ward 2: Cam Gordon
Ward 3: Diane Hofstede
Ward 4: Barb Johnson
Ward 5: Don Samuels
Ward 6: Robert Lilligren
Ward 7: Lisa Goodman
Ward 8: Elizabeth Glidden
Ward 9: Gary Schiff

Gary Schiff is actually my favorite CM in the city. In fact, for any issue I go to a CM with I talk with his office instead of my actual CM in Ward 12. Hey, being three blocks away from Ward 9 is close enough, right? He unfortunately has one of the tougher races in the city against activist Dave Bicking.

Ward 10: Meg Tuthill
Ward 11: John Quincy
Ward 12:

Ward 12 is where I live and I’m in a tight situation. There’s four candidates running. Rick Nyhlen is a Ron Paul Republican and Brent Perry is a young Socialist with almost no grasp for city issues. The two Democrats running are Charley Underwood, who has not been traditionally campaigning after he lost the DFL endorsement to incumbent Sandy Colvin Roy. Neither have active websites as far as I’m aware. I haven’t agreed with Sandy Colvin Roy on a number of issues and my experience has been that I’ve been only able to get through to her when she’s running for re-election. Charley Underwood and I talk now and then and while we had very opposite positions regarding the recent U.S. Senate race and a few other political subjects, out of the four he’s the guy I feel like I can level with and really debate the issues with. That doesn’t necessarily translate to effectiveness on the City Council, however. In a recent email, Underwood stated “if I get elected, I am going to scream every time I hear about another subsidy for fat-cats at public expense. If I get elected, I am going to network like crazy to support the neighborhood sustainability programs that can deliver, the sorts of things I have been studying quite intensely for the past year.” So I’m in Ward 12 with a Libertarian-lite Republican, a young Socialist, a deep-left progressive ideologue and a politically-savvy center-left incumbent. All of whom I respect, none of whom I’m terribly excited about sending to city hall.

Ward 13: Betsy Hodges

Minnesota Independent has had a fantastic overview of the City Council races starting here.

Park Board At-Large:
John Erwin
Tom Nordyke

John Erwin is far and away my number one choice for Park Board. He’s endorsed by almost everyone under the sky, he’s a horticulture professor at the University of Minnesota and also has solid experience with being on a Park Board — because he was one. I also support Tom Nordyke. Mary Merrill Anderson and Annie Young are vying for the third seat, in my opinion. Mary’s the DFL-endorsed incumbent and Annie Young is also an incumbent endorsed by the Green Party.

Park District 1: Liz Wielinski
Park District 2: Michael Guest
Park District 3: Scott Vreeland
Park District 4: Anita Tabb
Park District 5: Jason Stone

This is actually an interesting race, not for reasons I terribly like. Carol Kummer is the incumbent and did not seek re-election. Kummer and the majority if not all of her strong supporters backed Marty Demgen. Demgen dropped out of the race not long after the Minneapolis DFL Convention where the endorsement procedure for this seat got so out of hand it had to be adjourned with no endorsement. After Demgen dropped out, Carol Kummer decided at the last minute to run for re-election again and many of those Demgen supporters followed. Jason Stone, in my strong opinion, should have won the DFL endorsement in the first place. He’s one of the most sincere and solid people in city politics and should have been in office when he ran for this seat four years ago. He’s in this for the right reasons — fighting for our park system.

Park District 6: Brad Bourn

Board of Estimate and Taxation: David Wheeler
Charter Amendment #168 : Vote Yes

The Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) is an obscure 130-year-old, six-person board with a member of the park board, the Mayor, two city council members and two elected officials (who are paid only $35 a meeting) that decides our tax levies, issue bonds and receive audit reports. I strongly favor having our elected City Council be held responsible and accountable for these things, like almost every other major city in the country. This is what this charter amendment does and I’m supporting it. A six-person board with two bottom-of-the-ballot candidates should not be deciding our maximum tax levies. The “Save the BET” group, which is essentially run by the same people as BET reelection candidate Carol Becker’s campaign, have been aggressively pushing messaging that implies voting “no” would not only remove the BET but effectively ruin the independent Park Board, be a “consolidation of power” or actually cause less accountability. With all the “Save the BET” and Carol Becker’s claims, in my strong opinion, the opposite is true. Let’s hold our City Council accountable like every other modern city. The current president of the BET, Jill Schwimmer, who was formally Becker’s running mate, wrote a solid editorial encouraging people to vote “yes.” It’s a must-read. From my understanding, most of the current BET supports its removal too.

BET frontrunner Carol Becker’s running mate and neighbor DeWayne Townsend entered the race “because [Becker] asked me to run” after it was feared people would run for the seat seeking to abolish its existence. I am not voting for either of them. Even though David Wheeler is voting “no” to the charter amendment, I see him by far the strongest candidate for the Board of Estimate and Taxation if it were to continue to exist. I generally agree with the Star Tribune editorial board’s thoughts on this race.

Unfortunately, I don’t get to vote on every single race in the city. Also check out my neighbor and friend Brian Moen’s picks; almost all I agree with.

Have fun at the polls on Tuesday! Do you have different choices? Different thoughts on the race? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Sauce Spirits and Soundbar opened this summer on Lake and Lyndale and per the name and what I had heard about it I assumed it was a place to get drinks and listen to live music. I had visited only briefly not long after it was opened and saw there was actually a dining area in addition to the stage. I stopped by again, essentially by accident when trying to try out the new Lyndale Tap House which had its opening party the weekend previous but stayed closed the day I arrived to open the next day. Bummed, I looked at the menu posted at the door of Sauce a few doors down and noticed pizza.

Not only pizza, there’s more of a full menu here and it felt more upscale than I anticipated. I ordered a pepperoni pie and a pint of Fat Tire. When my pizza arrived, I was a bit surprised that it looked like midwestern bar pizza. In fact, it reminded me of Dulono’s Pizza a couple doors down.

Tasting this pizza, however, is anything but Midwest-style. Sure, it’s tavern-cut into squares but the amount of cheese wasn’t over the top — it was quite balanced with the sauce. The sauce, for a place named Sauce, was actually the most pronounced ingredient: “zesty,” the bartender described it as and I can’t find a better adjective. It’s spicy and hot but doesn’t overpower. I asked what was in it and was told it was a secret. My guess is that red pepper plays a large role here. The crust was cracker-like and there wasn’t really any grease to speak of — a rare find amongst pizza that looks like this.

In other words, the pizza at Sauce Spirits and Soundbar has all the positive qualities of Midwest-style pizza without any of the negatives. Weird, and impressive.

With numerous options for pizza within just a couple blocks, Sauce is one of my new favorites. There’s also pizza by the slice on weekend nights until late, a free jukebox and a large vending machine with various CDs from local artists. Cute. Happy hour has $3 taps and wine from 4pm until 7pm. Yes, $3 wine.

If I’m not here soon for a show, I’ll be back for happy hour.

Sauce Spirits and Soundbar
3001 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-822-6000

Madeline Island in the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior is a hot spot for tourism and the Inn on Madeline Island is one of if not the largest resort. The conglomerate manages a sizable amount of real estate on the island from condominiums, townhouses, lodges, hotel rooms as well as facilities for banquets and weddings. The Pub Restaurant & Wine Bar is part of this and while walking by with family recently we decided to stop in.

We asked our waiter about the oven for pizza and he said it was wood-fired. I immediately zeroed in on that section and choose their “Marguerite” pizza, an obvious nod to the Pizza Margherita. They describe it as “fresh basil, roma tomatoes and mozzarella, drizzled with fine olive oil.” In other words, similar to a Margherita, without any sauce.

Biting in, the cheese was particularly stringy but without much flavor. The tomatoes did not seem like typical roma tomatoes and while the absence of sauce was certainly noticeable I didn’t notice any olive oil. What stuck out most was the crust. The edges were unusually airy, had a bubbly and hard crispiness on top and tasted floury. Essentially this was cheese bread with some tomatoes on top. A second opinion at our table described it as “very plain.”

I tried a slice of a pepperoni pizza that my father ordered and while there was a bit of sauce it was hardly noticeable as the cheese was thick with some of grease on top. Pepperoni wasn’t bad, though, but plain. Neither pizza seemed completely done and there was no char on the underside, something I look for in typical wood-fired pizza. Overall, not great, but not bad either. Good for an appetizer, perhaps, but seemed out of place for a restaurant playing a more upscale card. I wondered how they could muck up wood-fired pizza.

I dug around on the website and found a page with a photo of the oven where it didn’t appear wood-fired at all! I called and confirmed that it was actually gas that fires the oven. Which is fine — they should just make sure their staff doesn’t advertise it as otherwise. My expectations would have been set so high.

The Pub is open only evening hours during non-peak seasons and is not open at all during the winter months. You might have a difficult time reaching the island in the winter anyway as the ferry stops when the lake freezes and a wind sled operates less frequently and is passenger-only. There’s also an average of seventy inches of snowfall yearly on the island: a tourist hotspot turns into a desolate, secluded snow globe.

During the summer months, you may want to try a couple other pizza options on the island instead. They are closer to where the ferry arrives and honestly, that’s where I’ll be next.

The Pub Restaurant & Wine Bar
800 Main St
La Pointe, WI 54850
715-747-6315

The Chatterbox Pub is a quirky staple of South Minneapolis that for some reason or another is able to thrive on kitsch and it’s brand of uniqueness even though neither are pulled off well. Having been more than fifty times, I recall when it was dubbed an “80′s bar” and when you left all your clothes stank of cigarette smoke. After the smoking ban, the layer of smoke inside disappeared and the smell of sewage revealed itself. Following repairs to the restrooms that smell was replaced by that of their fryer, a smell that to this day will many times follow you home in your clothes.

The Chatterbox Pub may also have the worst layout of a restaurant in Minneapolis: in order to get to the dining room you need to go to the back of the bar and pass through a very tight hallway that literally divides the kitchen. It may also have the weirdest service in the area as nobody is responsible for any specific tables and all the tips are divided equally. In almost every visit, you will either be under-served or over-served. For example, it is common for someone stopping at your table to ask if you’d like anything to drink just two minutes after you gave your drink order to someone else. Alternatively, it may take a trip to the bar to get your tab after waiting 20 minutes for it.

If you hit the wrong night, you may be subjected to experience ‘Music Bingo,” which if you are not a participant is jarring: music is played until someone identifies the song’s connection to a square on their bingo card then the DJ halts the music to announce this and the status of the game. It wouldn’t be horrible if the volume wasn’t sometimes ear-splitting, if one could hear a song or two without interruption and if they didn’t pump it into the bar side of the pub where you can’t even participate in the game in the first place.

The food at the Chatterbox is unique in the regard that flavor is consistently overboard. If there’s a spice, they’ll use five times as much as you’d expect. If there’s pesto, expect your food to be drenched in it. I apologize for being crude, but their garlic cheese bread is so heavily infused with garlic that I’ve noticed the garlic clearly in my flatulence even days later.

Their pizza is confusingly described by their menu as “Seriously Awesome Pizza!! So Italian you’d think they created pizza.” They have two “artisan” crusts, one of which is an “authentic Schiacciata,” which they incorrectly describe as “savory thin, lightly crispy and flaky Italian flatbread.” In reality, the crust is neither authentic Schiacciata nor their description. It is the opposite of crispy and flaky: wet and when held, droops so the tip of the slice points directly down and ingredients fall off. Their other crust, which is thicker, is described as a Focaccia with fresh herbs and roasted garlic. The garlic is certainly pronounced — it is the same bread used for their garlic cheese bread. The easiest way to describe the texture is foamy. It’s almost uncomfortably filling.

Crust aside, their sauce is quite good and even has a little bite. Their blend of cheese is decent and a bit more flavorful than your typical mozzarella topping. Pepperoni on a recent pizza I tried was spicy and fresh. Even though the toppings may fall off, eating this pizza with a fork and knife works well and overall it is tasty.

This is enigma that is the Chatterbox Pub: even though so many aspects can be quantified as negatives, the sum of those parts end up being a usually fun and enjoyable experience. Even though the pizza doesn’t seem great, it’s something that I always want to order again the next time I’m there. There’s a certain vibe with the Chatterbox Pub that effectively turns its faults into part of its personality.

On top of this, there’s no better place in town where you can play Super Mario Bros. or Castlevania on an original Nintendo Entertainment System around beat-up couches and drink a “Chatterbox Speakeasy Lager” or “Chit Chat Belgian White Ale,” two of five of the Chatterbox’s brews supposedly made exclusively by Schells in New Ulm made by Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI. There’s a great selection of board games as well a surprisingly halfway decent wine list.

I keep coming back to the Chatterbox Pub. I also continue to visit their newer locations: a converted Perkins Restaurant in Highland Park and the end of a strip mall in Linden Hills, both of which are quirky in their own ways as well. There’s just something about the Chatterbox Pub that just works. I can’t put my finger on it.

Chatterbox Pub
2229 35th St E
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-728-9871

Pizza Margherita at Pazzaluna, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

The area of downtown Saint Paul near the Ordway, Saint Paul Hotel and Landmark Center may not be an obvious place to hunt for pizza. After a very positive tip from Andy I decided to visit the generally upscale Pazzaluna for pizza. Having been to Pazzaluna’s bar a few times previously for drinks, I never even thought to look for pizza on the full menu.

In a recent visit, I was surprised to find that the Margherita was on their happy hour (4-6 and 9-10 PM) for five bucks. I asked my bartender what size the special was, indicating with my hands what I was guessing. “No, no, it’s full size,” he replied. Luckily showing up during their happy hour I quickly ordered it and a glass of their “featured red wine” for the same price.

Pazzaluna’s clientele during their latter happy hour on a weekday was a mix between businessmen in suits out late, couples on nice dates and a few random scruffier men at the bar. I sat at a portion of the bar where there were 4 empty stools on either side of me. A large, beautiful interpretation of the face from Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” encompasses the far wall from floor to ceiling.

The wood-fired pizza, which is apparently modeled after Brandi Pizzeria in Naples, took a bit longer to arrived than I expected but when it did I was pleasantly surprised. Beautiful and smelled fresh. Crust done to a crisp on the edges, but not charred at all. The blots of mozzarella were nice but without much flavor. Liberal amounts of basil, oregano and olive oil augmented noticeable flavor to the sauce. The cornicione of the crust was especially crispy and airy.

A good derivative of Neapolitan style and overall quite tasty. For five bucks during happy hour in this area of town, it’s a real steal.

Pazzaluna
360 Saint Peter St
Saint Paul, MN 55102
651-223-7000

Pepperoni Slices at Pino’s Pizza, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Tucked away in a strip mall in the eastern part of the eastern suburb of Woodbury lies Pino’s Pizza, an unassuming pizzeria with a popular name (it is unrelated to both the Pino’s in Saint Paul and the newly opened Pino’s in Oakdale). Owner Enzo Lipari, who named Pino’s after his father, is frequently the one making your pie and serving your slice.

Lipari is an Italian expat from Sicily who moved to New England in the seventies and threw pizzas in New York. Now in Woodbury, you get the unique-for-the-area mix of a thick Italian accent and heritage with a stereotypical New York attitude and pizza.

The interior is a huge open room with tables and chairs and a large counter at the end covered in glass showcasing a number of pizzas you can get a slice of. A pair of glasses rests on a hook next to the cash register. Old family photos along with newer photos of Italy and Greece sit alongside a large team shot of an Italian soccer team and a large print of Lipari smiling and holding a fresh pizza on a peel.

On a visit a couple months ago, someone asked for mushrooms on their pizza and Lipari snapped back in an animated manner: “No! I’m not going to give you mushrooms! Want to know why? Because the mushrooms suck!” As he stormed around he explained that he wasn’t satisfied with his latest shipment and had to throw them out. On a more recent visit, where a large sign indicates the special for two slices and a soda for $5.75, two guys order the special and the third one asks if he can just get one slice. The reply: “are ya sure? You a rookie or somethin’?” The other two guys laughed and joked to the third, “hey, you’re embarrassing us; this is Pino’s!” Lipari mumbled, “a rookie… a rookie… a rookie…”

This is true Manhattan slice shop grub. After multiple visits, the pizza has consistently been thin, just a bit crispy and a tiny bit of very welcome char. It properly folds to be eaten with one hand perfectly. Not very greasy and a good balance of ingredients. It’s not for everyone in this suburb dominated by pizza chains and midwestern-style cheese-heavy independents. If you’re looking for a good New York-style slice for lunch, Pino’s is true to form. Pino’s was voted the best pizza in Woodbury in 2008 by Woodbury Magazine. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best pizza in Woodbury in 2009.

Pino’s Pizza
2110 Eagle Creek Ln
Woodbury, MN 55129
651-998-1555

Margherita at Dolce Food & Wine, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

When we walked into Dolce Food & Wine in Hudson’s Riverfront Square, we were immediately greeted and offered any table on their large patio. We chose to sit near the road which gave us a view of the parking lot of Riverfront Park and the Saint Croix River. The nine or so tables had Corona umbrellas and the daily specials were written on a board near the door.

We ordered the 14″ Margherita Pizza for fifteen bucks. We were told it would arrive only in a few minutes as they use a convection oven. I took a minute to look at the wine menu, which is mostly Fish Eye, Beringer, Kendall-Jackson and the like. In other words, the stuff you’ll find on the bottom shelf of Casanova about a block away.

The first thing I noticed when our pizza arrived was the basil. When I looked closely, I asked myself if it was frozen. The tomatoes did not look very fresh as well. The crust was paper thin and crumpled on the edges. The globs of mozzarella were the highlight although were at about room temperature. Overall, the pizza tasted mediocre but wasn’t bad. I cannot say it’s worth fifteen bucks though.

If you want to sit outside, visit Dolce — they have a selection of sandwiches and paninis that we haven’t tried and everyone else seemed to be ordering. If you’re hunting for good pizza and a decent wine menu in Hudson, walk a couple blocks from Dolce to Bricks Pizza, where the pizza seems to be better every time I visit.

Dolce Food & Wine
106 Buckeye St
Hudson, WI 54016-1588
715-381-1200

Apollo Pizza at West Branch Bar & Grill, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Finland, Minnesota is small town between the north shore of Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Along the Baptism River, it’s an old logging town that’s now home to few people, a co-op and a few watering holes including the West Branch Bar & Grill.

Upon a strong recommendation, I trekked out to visit and was pleasantly greeted by the bartender in an extra-large purple Minnesota Vikings shirt. The interior was lit with hanging Michelob fixtures flanked by mounted deer on the walls. An inflated NASCAR scale replica sat above a refrigerator. While the bartender was personable, when asked how he was doing he responded with the low bar of assuring us he was still breathing and upright. He told us the pizza was the best part of the menu and what they’re “known for,” correctly assuming we were not from the area and haven’t previously visited.

With some delay, our waitress took our order and to pass the time we borrowed a deck of cards from the bar. After a number of rounds of Rummy, we cleared the cards to receive our “Apollo Pizza,” as it was named in the mid-1960′s (and still referred to as on some of the outdoor signage). I was mildly surprised considering the recommendations: the Apollo Pizza at West Branch Bar & Grill was an exaggeration of every bad stereotype of pizza in the Midwest.

There was no visible edge to the crust as the cheese and sauce bled off the edges to a burnt crisp. A spotted pool of bright orange grease covered the entire tavern-cut pie and the cheese was overly thick but broke apart easily. Biting in, this cheese was the opposite of stringy: a seemingly synthetic block of tasteless mass. The sauce was generic and it was all held together with a crust a bit thicker than a sheet of construction paper soaked in grease. There was pepperoni too. It felt that the ingredients were the least expensive in North America — most frozen pizza I’ve tried is better.

Even though we arrived extremely hungry, we couldn’t see ourselves finishing the two-person pizza and left a third of it behind. After waiting a significantly long time for our bill and then again to pay our waitress, we went up to the bar to close up and drop off the playing cards. After humorously bouncing to different spots at the bar, it got to the point where we both had to stand at opposite sides to get the bartender’s attention even after he acknowledged I was there. He wasn’t rude and wasn’t ignoring us, he was just overwhelmed by the demands of the regulars, the four Jägermeister and Red Bull shots he had to prepare and the takeout order a neighbor was trying to pay for. The classic hits were cranked up at this point, the locals were swapping their stories over cheap beer and the party was just seeming to start. We were on the way out, never to return.

West Branch Bar & Grill
6701 Highway 1
Finland, MN 55603
218-353-7493

Marghertia Fresca Pizza at Coho Cafe, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Along US Highway 61 between Duluth and the Canadian border there’s a scattering of small shops, bed and breakfasts, tiny bars, towns and resort areas separated from the large state parks and tracts of protected forest. This stretch, along Lake Superior’s north shore is undoubtably one of the most popular weekend getaway destinations for Minnesotans. One of the larger resorts along the way, Bluefin Bay has an uncharacteristically extravagant set of offerings including heated stone massage therapy and the option to have rose petals on your bed when you arrive (for thirty more bucks). The resort is juxtaposed with a visibly aged general store across the street and is within short distance of dirty and sometimes smoky local dives. Further inland is mostly devoid of people with the exception of backpackers along the Superior Hiking Trail.

The Coho Cafe, which sits right along US 61 appears to the uninitiated to be unrelated to the resort and mimics the exterior appearance of some of the small souvenir stops, coffee shops and bed and breakfasts along the highway. Inside is a very modern, faux-rustic and bustling eatery with fresh bread, sandwiches, salads and pizzas. We ordered up front and took our number to the dining outside area with patio furniture.

After a bit of a wait, my six inch Margherita Fresca (“fresh roma tomato slices marinated in extra virgin olive oil with fresh basil & roasted garlic on our cheese blend topped with a sprinkle of feta”) arrived on a wooden peel. There was a bit of a mixup before we all had our food at the table: only my pizza came; we had to hunt down the soup.

The tomatoes on this mini pizza were juicy and fresh and there was much, much more than a “sprinkle” of feta. I couldn’t find much of the fresh basil, though. I had asked earlier how fresh the bread behind the counter was and was told the baker makes it all the night before. I wondered if the pizza crusts might have been done this way as well — it tasted like a nice piece of fresh flatbread with cheese melted on top. It did not feel or taste quite like a pizza, in other words. It was quite good, however.

A surprise treat in a location I didn’t expect. Small portions, which I personally didn’t mind. For this pizza, two bottled sodas and a shallow bowl of soup our total ran to $24.11. Uncommonly high for the area, perhaps a bit high for the quality but probably quite reasonable considering the resort.

We left with a fresh asiago cheese loaf which they sliced for us on the spot. The cheese flavor was subtle enough and the edges were hard — served as a nice, fresh treat with other cheeses and drink later that evening and handled well for picnicking the next day.

Coho Cafe at Bluefin Bay Resort
7126 W Highway 61
Tofte, MN 55615
(218) 663-8032

Fresh Mozarella Whole Wheat Pizza at Wildfire Restaurant, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Wildfire Restaurant in Eden Prairie is the only Minnesota location of the Chicago-based chain, part of the Lettuce Entertain You group of restaurants. They’re a “1940s supper club”-style joint with large televisions over the bar showing sports and a large menu that includes whole wheat pizzas made in their wood-burning oven.

Even though there’s some strongly recommended choices on the menu, I’ve consistently tried the pizzas of course. Their “fresh mozzarella” pizza is more-or-less the same ingredients as a pizza margherita although it is tiny. One could arguably call this flatbread.

On a recent visit, we enjoyed a bottle of Bearboat Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and ordered the fresh mozzarella pizza, knowing we just wanted a small snack. It’s cut into 6 pieces and there’s more basil than there is sauce. The bread, rather, the crust is chewy and has a crisp edge to it. What stands out most is the cheese, which is presumably why they call it a fresh mozzarella pizza opposed to a pizza margherita: it is indeed very fresh, stringy, sticky and flavorful.

It is a great snack or appetizer; I’d argue they should move it to that part of the menu.

The service at Wildfire is solid and they were in no rush to kick us out even though we stayed well beyond the posted opening hours to finish up our bottle of wine, which paired quite well, by the way.

Wildfire Restaurant
3020 Eden Prairie Center
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
952-914-9100

Large Pepperoni from Bella Cucina, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Bella Cucina is tucked away in a strip mall near Bloomington Ferry Road and US169 in Bloomington. It’s an unsuspecting gem of an independently owned Italian-American restaurant amongst the three-mile radius sea of chains and fast food.

With fantastic service on my first visit I ordered one of their, as their menu describes, a gourmet pizza that’s “hand-stretched” to 10 inches. When ordering, I was asked if I wanted thin or thick and chose the latter. Unfortunately, their Pizza Margherita with the thicker crust was, let’s say, not memorable.

About a week later, eager to give them another shot, I ordered a pepperoni pizza, thin crust this time, for take-out. A night-and-day difference: very fresh cheese, meaty pepperoni and a crust that was quite thin but stable. Not much sauce to note of but I don’t mind — it’s one of those pizzas that even though you’re full you still want to eat a few more squares. A surprisingly great take on midwestern style from a place I wouldn’t have expected. I’m ordering from them again.

Bella Cucina
9332 Ensign Ave S
Bloomington, MN 55438
952-941-3614

Large Pepperoni Pizza at Mama’s Pizza, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Since 1964, Mama’s Pizza has been a local staple north of the capitol in Saint Paul on Front and Rice Streets. Serving classic midwestern style pizza, many come for the the pasta too, which has equal weight on the menu.

After a recent closing and remodel a couple years ago due to a pipe leak and water damage, the interior now drowns in kitsch: a mural of stereotypical Italian landmarks, large christmas lights dangling around and fake grapes hang from fake vines climbing brick arches. Even though the old coin-operated televisions have been yanked out, they’re replaced with small, wide-format flat-screen encased in wood trim in some of the booths. You still have to pay: they’ve rigged even these modern boob tubes to be coin-operated somehow.

While a friend and I were waiting for our pizza, a woman sat alone at the table next to us wearing a large bib, scarfing down a ton of spaghetti. The staff treated her as a regular, but I can’t assume she was because they treated us the same way. I recalled the first time I stopped by Mama’s: even though they were closed, owner Tony Mudzinski (son of the namesake of the restaurant) immediately greeted me graciously and apologized almost profusely that he couldn’t make a pizza for me yet. On this visit, the staff was just as friendly and we were asked directly by Tony on our way out if the pizza was up to par.

Up to par it was: our pepperoni pie had crispy crust with more sauce and much more cheese than I’m used to on midwestern-style pizza. Not too much grease and the pepperoni was tangy. Balanced and quite filling, actually. Solid for midwestern style but slightly unique in flavor — but I can’t nail exactly what made it different. Perhaps some secret zing in the sauce? I also really appreciate it when the cheese doesn’t slide off on square cut slices.

We noticed another party enjoying mini soft-serve ice cones after their pizza and we were offered the same. Why not, right?

Many in the neighborhood consider Mama’s Pizza to be the best around — even though competitor Red’s Savoy is a mile and a half away. I’d certainly take Mama’s over Red’s. I’ll be back.

Mama’s Pizza
961 Rice St
Saint Paul, MN 55117
651-489-2005

MINNESOTA BLOGGERS FILE ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST REP. MICHELE BACHMANN FOR PARTISAN USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS

ST. PAUL, MINN – Jul. 29, 2009 – Minnesota bloggers Dusty Trice, Brian Falldin, and Aaron Landry filed an ethics complaint with the House Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) requesting an investigation into whether Rep. Michele Bachmann’s office has violated House franking rules pertaining to proper e-mail usage.

The complaint points out that an e-mail sent by Representative Bachmann’s office on May 26, 2009, advocates for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), a political organization, which is in violation of the House Franking Rules.

Aaron Landry, who first began investigating the story said, “Michele Bachmann is no stranger to NADA, they’ve been a strong donor to her congressional campaign committee.” According to campaignmoney.com, Rep. Bachmann has received approximately $13,000 from NADA since 2006. Thus, Rep. Bachmann’s ties to the organization establish a potential quid-pro-quo scenario.

Brian Falldin, who began looking into filing the ethics complaint said: “While Michele Bachmann tends to moonlight on national news shows, she apparently spends little time following the rules of the road while at her day job, which is unfortunate for the 6th District and America.”

Dusty Trice, who is well known in Democratic circles for his firebrand commentary, stated: “It’s clear that Michele Bachmann cares about one thing – and that’s making sure she rewards those who give her the most money, regardless of the rules she needs to break in the process.”

Aaron Landry summed up the reasons for filing the complaint best: “There’s a reason why ethics rules exist: to keep our representatives ethical. I believe the Office of Congressional Ethics will continue to protect the taxpayers of Minnesota against the kind of activity Representative Bachmann’s office participates in.”

Dusty Trice, Brian Falldin, and Aaron Landry are well-known writers in the Minnesota political community. For more information or press inquiries, please visit www.dustytrice.com, www.brianfalldin.com, www.s4xton.com or call 612-234-5614.

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