Pizza Party

The seven pizza’s in seven days experiment is over. I am now off pizza until Christmas. (I am kind of sick of it.) Anyway, here is a rundown of each pizza with a grade attached. Kudos to my wife Joyce, for allowing me to indulge in this little exercise.

Friday June, 19^th Gino’s East – (http://featuredfoods.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/a-store/c-GinoAns_East.shtml?E+scstore+ginos) - We went to the O.G. location for my brothers graduation celebration. The first problem was that the 15 year old they hired to wrangle everyone in line could not have been more rude if she tried. Just a complete bitch. Anyway, I will say the appetizers we ordered were really good. The pizza, well that was another matter.

I got my usual, deep dish cheese and sausage. Now, I won’t say it sucked because it didn’t. However it did leave a lot to be desired. Maybe I just remember it being better then it was. I remember loving that pizza when I was a kid. This time the crust was really thin for a deep dish and it was very “soupy.” I really wanted to love it and sadly I was a tad disappointed. Grade C -

Saturday June20th Ricobene’s (http://www.ricobenesfamoussteaks.com/) -We traveled to Orland to hit the location on 159^th street. Ricobene’s has become one of my favorite thin slice pizzas. I went years without ever eating a slice simply because when looking at the menu my eyes stopped as soon as I saw the breaded steak. Thiers truly rocks. Then one day Joyce got a slice and I had a bite and all of the sudden I realized I was missing out on a quality ‘ZA.

Now, their slice is very New York like. Which if you like that style (and no matter how much shit I get from other Chicagoan’s I do) is very good. They have the fixings like NYC as well. I only recommend the thin as that is all I can personally attest to. They have a think as well but their thin is so good and I go there so rarely that I have never ventured to the pan slice. I got 2 slices of cheese (Thiers is so good, I don’t even need a toping) and devoured them in record time. A great sauce that makes the slice. Grade A -

Sunday June 21^st Fasano’s (http://www.fasanospizza.com/) – On Sunday I hit one of my all time favorites in Fasano’s in Justice. I pretty much grew up (and out) eating this pizza. I know it is not for everyone but to me there is nothing better in the thin pizza realm.

I was at my Aunt’s house celebrating my birthday so I went in on a cheese and sausage. Needless to say I was not disappointed. It was greasy like it always is, but I have always maintained that is what makes that place so good. Grade A

Monday June 22^nd Joe’s Italian Vila (http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3586648/bridgeview_il/joe_s_italian_villa_inc.html) – On Monday I went with another of my favorites in the Villa on Harlem in Bridgeview. I was fearing I was getting in a sausage rut so, I went with the pepperoni instead and got half cheese for Joyce.

Joe’s crust is really thin and his sauce is on the sweet side. I like the thin crust but, I know others are not big fans. One thing I like about Joe’s is that you will never get an undercooked pizza there. I live my ‘za well done as they say and for Joe’s that is the standard. It is greasy (not as greasy as Fasano’s) and delicious. Grade A –

Tuesday June 23^rd Vito and Nick’s (http://www.vitoandnick.com/) – Went to the O.G. Vito and Nicks on 84^th and Pulaski. I remember this place being the balls back in the day. I hadn’t been there in over ten years so, I was anxious to go back. There is a knock off on 95^th street right by my house but, it is very hit or miss so I never order from there.

So Joyce and I headed over and well I was disappointed. Again this may be a case of me remembering it being better then it was. I thought it was good but not anything to write home about and certainly not worth the ride out there. I will admit it is worth a trip to get a look at the decor (like carpeting on the walls.) We ordered the half and half which is half sausage and half cheese. Joyce simply hated it while I was pretty much indifferent. It is very thin and they still cut in into very small pieces. But something just wasn’t right. Maybe we just got a bad one, it happens. Grade D

Wednesday June 24^th Palermo’s (http://www.palermos95th.com/) – On Wednesday I decided to grab some Palermo’s on 95^th street in Oak Lawn. Palermo’s makes a pizza that I really like but one that I don’t think you can eat all the time. However, when you get a taste for one nothing else comes close to it.

I again got a half sausage, half cheese and we ordered it with their thin and crisply crust which I highly suggest. Of all the pizza’s I had last week Joyce would probably give the biggest ups to Palermo’s. She really liked it. I also liked it a lot and always have. There pizza is very consistent. I have never gotten a bad pie from them. It is always fresh and always tasty. It is unique and if you don’t like sweet sauce look elsewhere, but for my tastes the place is damn good. Grade A –

Thursday June 25^th Lou Malnati’s (http://www.loumalnatis.com/) – Since I was giving up pizza for awhile I decided to end with a bang and grab a Lou’s. We ordered from the carryout joint in Western Springs. I was always a Gino’s East guy but in the last couple of years, I have switched lanes and now prefer Lou’s deep dish.

Joyce at this point was sick of pizza so, I ordered a small cheese and sausage and devoured two slices. Their butter crust is to me what makes this pizza. They also use fresh ingredients. Many people will tell you that there are some Lou’s locations that are not as good as others. I usually order from this one in the western burbs and don’t have any complaints. Grade A+