The Score:

Chicago Deep Dish- 1/ NYC Slice- 1

Can it really be a tie? Let’s break it down…

Though the experiences were immeasurably different, the outcome is pretty close.  Both had intense flavor, strange/awesome presentation elements, and ultimate satisfaction.  They succeeded in fulfilling their respective fantasy.  So, in the end, it will all depend on what your expectations are, and your frame of mind at first bite. 

If you’re looking for a one-night pizza fling, Deep Dish is your man.  He is ooey-gooey, hot and steamy.  His reputation precedes him.  You’ll hear about him from other people and you’ll begin to wonder what he’s like.  After some consideration, you’ll finally give in and go find him.  Once in view, he will make you wait… and wait… and wait… until your desire outweighs your rationality… like any good affair.  But be warned… there will be no morning after.  Day two, he is crusty, a bit soggy and the once-attractive cheesy factor will have turned hard and unwelcoming. 

Lesson: enjoy him for what he is and don’t look back. 

On the flip side, the NY slice is more casual… upfront.  He knows who he is and doesn’t make apologies for it.  He will give you what you want, when you want it, no questions asked… and keep you coming back for more.  You’ll enjoy your time, again and again… for days if you want.  You may even roll over and enjoy a leisurely morning. Though no matter how often you go back to him, it will always be over too fast.  You’ll find yourself thinking about him long after you’ve left the city, when you’re back in your regular life, with cravings.  The delight is, that you can find a version of him nearly anywhere- a reliable, tasty treat that you can have again and again. 

The lesson here, however: nothing’s as good as the real thing.  Even if the first time was a bit rushed because you were so hungry for it- that’s the one you’ll always remember.

Ultimately, it turns out I had a pizza waiting for me at home that was even better than both… it was a homemade, decadent treat orchestrated by my good friend Derek (the amazing chef from Chill Winston/Guilt & Co in Vancouver.)  Spicy peppers, delectable, fancy cured meat, mushrooms… the works!  Not only was it made with love, but with our very own hands amidst endless laughs.  Ultimately, I found that fantasies and adventures may have their place, but nothing beats coming home to good friends and good wine! J

A Tale of Two Pizzas: (Part Two - NYC)

Continued from Part One - Chicago Deep Dish...

ROUND TWO: 

Now, let’s be clear, I’ve had pizza.  I’ve had lots and lots of pizza. 

Pizza will vary from slice to slice… there’s the pizza you run to after a bad break-up, the pizza who’s just a buddy for the big game, and the pizza you can share with your girlfriends.  It can be hot and messy, but delicious, and it can be comforting when you feel a bit blue.  Sometimes it’s weird and hard to manage, and then there are the times you have to have it, even if you know you shouldn’t want it.

But here I was, in New York City, and I wasn’t just looking for any old pizza, I was on the prowl for a very specific type… the NY Slice.

I heard the rumours, hell, I’d built my fantasy around them.  Would it be able to live up to its reputation?

I spent the day contemplating how I would do it.  I wandered the streets of the city to build an appetite.  I started to get excited as the sun set over 29^th and Lexington and then, finally, night fell. 

Game on.

I had a few martinis at the hotel, to loosen up, and set out in this city of bright lights to find my perfect…. Pizza.

I passed a million places.  There really were pizza joints everywhere.  I got a bit confused, and frankly didn’t know where to stop.  My mind was whirling with all the possibilities, when I decided to stumble into a friendly, super Italian-looking spot. 

It all happened faster than I had imagined.  Not like Chicago and it’s slow build-up… here, in New York City, it was all about instant gratification… you walk up, you choose, you order, fugghedabout it… bing, bang, boom. 

Score.

It really was the biggest slice of pizza I had ever seen, but as soon as you lifted it up it sure was floppy, just like you see on tv.  It was exactly as I had imagined - thin, but strong… hot, fresh and delicious.  I loved it.  And what the ‘restaurant’ lacked in atmosphere, the pizza made up for in quality.

Score one for New York.

As I sipped my wine out of a paper cup in the neon (after)glow of Times Square, I watched the world walk by and contemplated the score…

Stay tuned for the results of the Chicago Deep Dish vs NYC battle…

A Tale of Two Pizzas...

Last week, Chicago played NYC and it was a close game.  Nope, it wasn’t Da Bears… (come on, pre-season just started,) it was Da Pizza.  A battle I’ve always wanted to ref myself… and I finally got my chance.

I was in Chicago for a conference and then flying out to the Big Apple the next day for a few days off and so I decided to pit a classic Chicago deep dish in a back to back double-header against a New York slice the very next day to see who came out on top.

Let the games begin.

ROUND ONE:

For my deep dish extravaganza, I went to the best… Giordano’s on Jackson.  It was a perfect choice.  Just past lunch hour, this legendary hot spot was still bustling.  Delectable, tomato-y smells were wafting out of the kitchen- so I settled into a booth, ordered a cold one and a ‘classic for one’ and waited… and waited… and waited.

35 minutes to be exact- just as predicted by my server, Lorita. 

This is part of their strategy, I’m sure of it.  The anticipation is part of the game plan.  You sit, comfortable, waiting… ready.  You sip your beer and think about what it’ll be like, your imagination takes over and you start to day dream… you look around and see all the other people enjoying it… you start to want it so bad, you can practically taste it…

… And then it arrives.  Oh. Yeah.

Hot, deep, gooey, deliciousness.  Steam rising. Cheese oozing across the plate.  The moment of truth-  Chicago Deep Dish, in all of it’s backwards, inside out, pizza glory (but don’t say that it’s "backwards" out loud to the Chicagoans, it’ll ruin the mood, trust me.)

Forget the game, I was falling in love.

It’s more of a casserole than a pie, really, but the crust is insane.  Artful pastry, thick and flaky.  Then comes the cheese…So. Much. Cheese. Yum.  Then the toppings smothered in this amazing tomato sauce- tangy, full of herbs and spices- and of course, more cheese. 

It’s a beautiful thing.  And as a deep dish virgin, I have to say that my first time was definitely all it was cracked up to be.  I was not disappointed, and left satisfied, with the remnants of my affair wrapped neatly in a little package for later.

Touchdown.  Score one for Chicago.

Post-Game

The morning after… I decided to revisit my romance from the day before.  With hours of delays out of O’Hare, there came a point when my doggie bag came in handy.  Sadly, as hot and deep as it had been, deep dish doesn’t hold over as well as the pizza I’m used to. 

The cheesy-cheesiness that was once gooey and hot wasn’t quite so luscious in its cold, hardened state.  Hmmmm, I guess deep dish is more of a one-time-thing kind of pizza, not so much for the long term.

Stay tuned for Round two:  New York Slice.