Category Archives: Pizza

Pizza Bruno

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Pepperoni, ricotta, basil

Cauliflower

Exterior

Interior

**** (4 stars)

I have to admit I was expecting a bit more from this place, given the hype, but while the pizza looked authentic, I didn’t find anything remarkable about its flavor or consistency. It struck me as odd that the basil was applied before baking, resulting in burnt leaves.

However I did love the kale salad! It was a perfect combination of a house-made Caesar dressing, plus little crunchy and sweet elements.

I also liked the cauliflower appetizer, although be warned that the sauce is very sweet. It’s almost dessert cauliflower.

The place can get quite loud, because the floors are concrete, and there are no soft surfaces.

Service was excellent.

Pizza Bruno
3990 Curry Ford Rd
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 440-3894
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-bruno-orlando

Pizza Hut

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Counter

Side Caesar

Hand Tossed Pepperoni Lover's Pizza

Hand Tossed Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza

 

**** (4 stars)

This is a counter service location with a small dine in area that includes a bar. There is the obligatory wall of sports-bar-like TV monitors.

Service was efficient, even on a bustling Saturday night. The side Caesar salad is a great deal at $2.50, and the individual hand tossed pepperoni lovers pizza was served piping hot from the oven and had plenty of toppings.

Pizza Hut
7970 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Ste 100
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 909-4327
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-hut-windermere-2

Luigi Stefani Pizzeria

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*** (3 stars)

This place has quite a collection of poor reviews, but it is possible to get a good meal here. In fact, it can be one of the more healthful options in the entire airport food court. The trick is to go around the corner, past the greasy pizza, to the deli salad area. There, for$10, you can get a green salad topped with your choice of three fresh made deli salads. I chose grilled vegetables, asparagus, and something called harvest grains. They were all delicious.

Luigi Stefani Pizzeria
5700 S Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 838-8824
http://www.yelp.com/biz/luigi-stefani-pizzeria-chicago

Dough Bros: Pizzeria & Sub Shop

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**** (4 stars)

This place makes great New York style pizza and sells it by the slice for the great price of $4 for any type. It’s heated to order, and comes out piping hot. Because there are very few seats, you’ll be tempted to get it to go, but don’t. The crust is a perfect combination of thin, soft, slightly chewy, yet crisp on the bottom, and it won’t still be that way when you get home.

If you like spicy food, try the Roland. It has Thai basil, lemon grass, and sausage, and is covered in a sriracha drizzle. Wow!

Dough Bros: Pizzeria & Sub Shop
400 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 600-9078
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dough-bros-pizzeria-and-sub-shop-chicago

Pizza @ Artegon

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**** (4 stars)

I’ve been to this mall many times over the past fifteen years, and it has always been deserted. But I hadn’t been there since it changed to Artagon, so I was surprised to find… that it’s still deserted.

Be that as it may, this is an excellent pizza spot. You place your order at the counter and supervise as they assemble your pizza and run it though a conveyor oven, a process that only takes a few minutes.

The resulting pizza is on a thin, tasty crust. What’s really nice is that for about $8 you can put up to six ingredients on. Usually extra ingredients are ridiculously expensive, so I love this build your own approach.

That said, I decided to go with one of their featured recipes, the”Goofy Foot.” I’m not sure what a sauceless seafood pizza has to do with where you put your feet on a skateboard, but it was delicious. The combination of cheeses, mahi, shrimp, basil and chili oil really went together. My only complaint was that for some reason–probably the amount of moist ingredients–condensation immediately began to form under the crust, and I had to keep moving it around to keep it from dissolving. I’d like to experiment with ingredients and see if there’s a way to get a truly crispy crust.

Everyone in our group absolutely loved their pizzas, and said they’d like to return. That shouldn’t be a problem, as there will likely be no lines.

Pizza @ Artegon
5250 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 480-5008
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizza-artegon-orlando

Giordano’s

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*** (3 stars)

I’ve never been a fan of deep dish pizza, so there’s that. I find the crust tastes like saltine crackers, and there’s just too much filling.

Plus, it takes about 40 minutes to cook, which is tool long for lunch hour. So it’s unfortunate that the only pizza lunch specials at Giordano’s involve deep dish pizza (what they called stuffed).

Still, they offer regular pizza and even an extra thin version. Unfortunately they have that same weird dough. Not my favorite.

That said, their Caesar salad is excellent. And the service at this Giordano’s is excellent. So if deep dish is your thing, by all means check it out.

Giordano’s
6203 W Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 377-0022
http://www.yelp.com/biz/giordanos-orlando-3

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

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**** (4 stars)

This BJ’s has the nicest interior decor of any BJ’s I’ve been to. As with all of them it has a very extensive menu, and a full page devoted to a very clearly described array of beers.

We took a large (16 people) group here after playing the Escape game nearby, and our servers did an amazing job of dealing with so many people.

I really liked the queso dip appetizer, which was more about chili than cheese. The appetizer combo was less exciting, and I particularly disliked the egg rolls and the spinach dip.

My entree, the ahi tuna salad, was delicious, with tender, rare slices of ahi arranged around a nicely tossed pile of greens with just the right amount of tangy dressing, and a nice variety of textures.

In short, this is a great place for large groups or small parties, for groups who all want something different to eat, and for beer lovers. One of the better choices on I-Drive, for sure.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
8103 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(321) 732-8190
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bjs-restaurant-and-brewhouse-orlando-4

Mellow Mushroom

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**** (4 stars)

This is a really nicely decorated Mellow Mushroom, with a music theme that is well executed throughout. Because it’s near the theme parks, it attracts a larger crowd of newbies, and a lot of small rather rambunctious kids, so it has a different atmosphere than other Mellow Mushrooms.

The pizzas are still great, and there are lots of creative offerings. As at other Mellow Mushrooms, you can build your own salad or pizza from scratch, however because the individual ingredients are quite expensive, you can quickly end up with a twenty or thirty dollar production.

I took the opportunity to try the new veggie burger, and I must say it was one of the better veggie burgers in town, with a nice sear on the mostly bean-based patty.

Service was a bit inexperienced, but the location is new, and I’m sure it will work itself out. Management seemed on top of things.

Mellow Mushroom
10725 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32821
(407) 351-9670
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mellow-mushroom-orlando-2

Quartino

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**** (4 stars)

There is an overabundance of Italian restaurants in Chicago, and many have little to recommend them. Quartino is different, though, in that it takes a tapas approach to Italian food, emphasizing small plates of antipasti.

The best way to experience this is through their Salumeria Tasting, which lets you choose seven items to your taste, including veggies, cheeses and meat, all accompanied by several additional sides.

Everything I tried was tasty and delicious, and it was a good way to experience a broad range of offerings.

Of course they also offer pizza, other entrees, and an extensive dessert list, and they brag that they have wine that is cheaper than water.

My server was very friendly, and I enjoyed a relaxed meal in one of their spacious dining rooms. There is also a large outside dining area.

Quartino
626 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 698-5000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/quartino-chicago