Tag Archives: Deep Dish Decision 2011

I asked the hubby write the review for this week’s Deep Dish Decision 2011. He had strong opinions about this wedge, so please pardon his language.

Lou Malnati’s | Lincoln Park Location: 958 West Wrightwood Ave.

There’s an old saying that goes something to the effect of, “No matter how bad they are, sex and pizza are still pretty good.” I thought of this phrase while thinking about a review for this week’s deep-dish pizza franchise. That’s not to say Lou Malnati’s pizza is bad, because it’s not really. But it’s not good either. It just sort of exists. There’s a reason Nicole asked me to guest-post this one, and it’s sure as hell not because she loved it so much. When I go out for pizza and the thing I enjoy the most was the salad appetizer, you know there’s something wrong with this picture.

Sauce: Sweet and tasty, with just a hint of herbs, and by far my favorite part of this pizza. My only problem was there wasn’t enough of it.

Cheese: Nothing to write home about. A thin layer of good ol’ mozzarella, with minimal salt (read: flavor) content.
(Note from Nicole: I loved the cheese, which tasted like it had some provolone melted in. I thought it was the tastiest so far.)

Sausage: Ugh, the disk o’ sausage makes another appearance. Much better than the Gino’s disk, but not as good as Uno’s. The squishy texture gets to be a bit much in every single bite, and there wasn’t nearly enough cheese and sauce to cover it up. Why can’t they offer a crumbled option?

Crust: The reason that I didn’t get enough cheese or sauce for my liking. This guy was tiny (relatively speaking, of course). If you sat a Malnati’s deep dish next to Uno’s or Gino’s, I’m guessing it’d measure about a ½-inch shorter. Good enough, with a nice bit of cornmeal mixed in with the flour, but lacking in overall flavor.

Atmosphere: If Gino’s has a dingy bar vibe to it, and Uno’s is a pizza-centric Applebee’s franchise, the most apt comparison for Malnati’s would be a cafeteria. It was bright, clean (almost too clean) and unbelievably quiet. You can tell this is the family-friendly suburban pizza franchise around town.

You’ve probably been to an Uno franchise, as they’re scattered across the U.S. I’ll admit, I wasn’t too thrilled about eating at a chain restaurant. But I gave it a go, since this is where deep dish supposedly began.

Pizzeria Uno | 29 E. Ohio St.

The sauce: Tart and salty. The chunky texture of real tomatoes is commendable, but the ketchupy flavor made me question their quality. Something about the taste brought to mind Chef Boyardee.

The cheese: Proportionate to the amount of sauce. Didn’t ooze everywhere and didn’t dominate the overall flavor.

The sausage: Surprising. I was wary of the disk after the experience at Gino’s East, but Uno’s disk was much more appealing, with a firm texture and a slightly spicy bite.

The crust: Bland. Had the taste of a flour-based quick bread. Didn’t have that buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture I love. It was, however, softer and easier to cut with a knife and fork.

The atmosphere: Touristy and cramped. The decor is 50s-style diner meets your neighborhood Applebee’s — black and white tile on the floor and walls, forest green wainscoting, blue Christmas lights and framed photos of days gone by. If you’re unlucky enough to have a party of two, you’ll get jammed into a small table placed in extremely close proximity to two booths. To distract yourself from the back of your chair getting pushed every time the server squeezes by, listen in on the booth-dwellers’ intimate dinner conversation and watch as they order two large deep-dish pizzas for a family of four (read: WAY TOO MUCH PIZZA).

After a few beers, the hubby and I started arguing over whose deep dish pizza was better. Then it hit me: This is the perfect series for Nicooks (Not to mention the perfect excuse to chow down on pizza)!

Welcome to Deep Dish Decision 2011. Each week, I’ll give you the lowdown on a new slice wedge. We’ll start with the place where the debate began.

Gino’s East | 162 E. Superior St.

Lured by the legendary disk of sausage, I flocked to one of Gino’s suburban locations within days of moving to Chicago. But I needed to dine at the original to get a real feel for the place. I’m glad I did.

The sauce: Best part of the pizza! It looks and tastes like sweet, fresh stewed tomatoes, with a vibrant red color and chunky texture. I’d love to toss this stuff with pasta or get an extra cup on the side for crust-dipping purposes.

The cheese: Thick and viscous. The pizza must’ve moved straight from the oven to my table,  because it oozed all over the plate when it was served. But after the standard 45-minute wait, I wasn’t complaining!

The sausage: Go for crumbled. The disk’s texture is a bit off-putting, unless you like soft, gummy steamed sausage matching every bite of cheese and tomato.

The crust: Buttery and moist, with hints of cornmeal. Reminds me of a cross between a bread and a shortcrust pastry. The hubby described it as similar to focaccia, which probably comes from being made with olive oil. Quite tasty.

The atmosphere: Feels like a cozy bar, despite two stories of seating space. Had fun reading the writing on the wall (literally) and trying to distinguish the framed celebrity caricatures. (Another subject we debated: Is Ditka a celebrity? Then why isn’t he on the wall along with Oprah and Belushi?)

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Know of a deep dish joint I should try? Leave your suggestion in the comments.