the pizza before…

So Aziza’s on Main has been open for a while and their brick oven has been in place for a pretty long time too. So long that I blogged about it opening and never actually went to check it out.  I moved away, moved back and finally connected with a couple of friends that are slingin’ pies there now.  Brett and Chris I knew were quite some kind of foodies, but I didn’t realize they were pizzaiolos too!  They invited Andy and I to come check it out on a rainy Wednesday evening and we were served up three pies and a dessert.

I’m sick of carrying a real camera around so these shitty iPhone pictures are all that we got.  Above you’ll see a traditional white pizza adorned with some fresh arugula and parmesan cheese.  This pie was incredible but note that it does not normally come with arugula.  That’s a dollar or two extra but Andy (or maybe his girlfriend Sarah) made the great recommendation.  Do it!  Every aspect of this pie was nailed to perfection and the server even mentioned how good Brett’s white pies were so don’t be afraid.  I normally shun white pie but this was easily the top of the tables.

Next to the white pie you’ll see some shit I ordered.  8 1/2 has me spoiled with an anchovy dream but that just doesn’t translate everywhere you go.  Anyways, this is a typical red pizza with mozzarella and anchovy and it didn’t turn out so well.  The whole thing ended up kind of messy and the anchovy distribution was a bit overkill, though I may be one of those assholes that likes anchovies but doesn’t.  I enjoy a tiny bite of them here and there, but as soon as they make the whole table smell like fishing bait, I’m checking out.  My bad!

Here is your de facto Margherita pizza pie.  Basil, mozz, you know the deal.  The only thing I wasn’t crazy about with this pie (and the fishy faggoni) was the sauce.  I noticed on the menu there is an option to use San Marzano tomatoes for an extra $2 but hey, we’re idiots and we didn’t pick up on it.

All that aside, these guys can cook a really great naples style pie that kicks the shit out of the other crap you’ll get in this town (aside from Pizza Tonight!) and the service is fucking fantastic here.  We also had a cream puff and that shit was too good.

So what have you learned today?  The pies here can be great, just choose your toppings wisely.  Stay away from fish, get a white pizza and tip your fucking waitress.  If you’re looking for brick oven pizza in the bottom you can be sure of a quality pie here and not from that other place a few blocks down…

Aziza’s on Main, no pizza

A while back I posted about Aziza’s building a pretty sikk pizza oven originally slated to be finished around January 2010. Word from them today is they hope to have it ready within the next 3 months.