While researching that previous answer, I chanced upon this little gem:
Giordano’s sells mail order pizza – presumably for those lost Chicago souls desperate for their favorite taste of home. Despite the fact that they won’t ship a meat pizza, I’m really tempted to try this.
It can’t be any good, it’s impossible to reheat a pizza and achieve the flavor and subtlety of the original… but still, just to say I did… I might.
Stay Tuned
Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Pizza, Chicago, Restaurant
I got this question on my flickr page:
Gridman, I’ll be going to Chicago in a few weeks. Any recommendations for “best” pizza in town?
My reply:
Sadly, I’ve not had the opportunity to rate pizza in Chicago. I passed through there once when I was a few months old, but have managed to miss it since then.
I’ve been told by a couple old-time Chicago residents that Pizzeria Uno and it’s sister Pizzeria Due are some of the best local pizza. Pizzeria Uno opened a branch here in AZ, but I’m told it just isn’t the same as the original.
Other ones that I’ve heard of are Aurelio’s and Giordano’s.
Those would probably be the three I’d start with if I ever hit town. I believe they are all Chicago style.
Of those, I’d probably try Giordano’s first, based on what I’ve heard (which isn’t much.)
Anyone in Chicago like to make a recommendation?
Technorati Tags: Blog, Chicago, Commentary, Food, Pizza, Restaurant
I must say, I have a certain trepidation about eating in a pizza restaurant whose logo appears to be the forgotten Mario brother.
Sometimes pizza is a cruel mistress and last night I found myself eating at T.C. Luigi’s Pizza under the watchful eye of Luigi himself (see picture).
To further add to my discomfort, the place was virtually empty. One couple were ordering a couple slices when we arrived (7:30, Tuesday evening) and no one else came after us and there was only one phone in order during that time. We left at nearly 8:30.
The staff were friendly, efficient and helpful. They were particularly helpful by saving us money and getting us more pizza by telling us about their Tuesday $1 pizza special. It wasn’t written anywhere I could see and they could have just let us order our higher-priced order but they didn’t and I appreciate that.
Last night I was feeding the A and B furniture moving teams with pizza (The A team lifts and fetches, the B team provides transportation and baby-sitting services) so I needed to buy more than just a small review pizza.
Luigi’s smallest pizza is a 12″ (113.1in
Their next sized pizza is 16″ (201.1in2) costs $11.49 or $0.06 (0.057)/in2
With their $1 pizza deal, you get a second pizza for $1, so we had 2 12″ pizzas (226.2 in2) for just $9.99. That works out to a very economical $0.04 (0.044)/in2! That’s a price point you rarely see in anything less than the really big pizzas, which are never fully cooked, making this a great deal.
Economics aside, the pizza itself was lackluster. The cheese was just a little too bitter, the sauce a little too sweet. Instead of canceling each out, they seemed to accentuate each other in an unflattering way. The pepperoni was… come to think of it, I never noticed the taste of the pepperoni.
The crust would have been passable, but nothing outstanding, but it was undercooked. One pizza was a bit more underdone than the other, leading me to believe the more cooked pizza was the one that came out of the oven last. What difference another minute in the oven might have made, I cannot say.
Despite all that, we consumed the pizza and the consensus was, “eh, it wasn’t too bad.”
While no culinary pizza triumph, I’m going to rate this pizza just barely on the “recommend” side, but specifically for Tuesdays when you get a lot more pizza for your money. If you’re looking for cheap pizza, this pizza beats the pants off discount chains like Peter Piper.
Recommended (on Tuesdays)
T.C. Luigi’s Pizza
1805 E. Elliot Rd. #109
Tempe, AZ
(It’s a chain, there are others)
Price (Normal Conditions) 12″ pepperoni, $8.99, $0.08 (0.079)/in2
Price (Tuesday) 2 12″ pepperoni, $9.99, $0.04 (0.044)/in2
Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Pizza, Restaurant, Review
I was looking around Fry’s Electronics the other day in the book section, hoping to find some really compelling book on Web Services, when I chanced upon a copious stack of Freemasons for Dummies sitting between a Java Programmer certification guide and a text on Python (programming, not Monty, not snake).
I suppose, if you listen to the Loony Brigade, you could make the leap that since they claim the Freemasons, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati and the alien reptilians bloodlines control the entire population of this planet, this might be an appropriate book to place in the “programming” section.
Clearly, based on quantity, Fry’s certainly thinks there’s going to be an upsweep of Freemason programming.
With a little more research, I see that Dan Brown has got a new book coming out where he uses the Freemasons as a plot device. Looks like people’s knowledge of history is about to get further warping.
I’ve not read Freemasons for Dummies, but if you want more information, check out the info on Amazon.com. You can follow the picture link below.
Last time I went to Taiwan, I was still unable to reach the 3rd Costco in Taipei (designated the Shih Chih Costco) due to a variety of technical problems.
None of the Costcos are conveniently accessible via subway, not that I would imagine being able to haul back a Costco-sized load of groceries on the subway anyway. Because of that, I’m unusually dependent on the kindness (and driving) of others to get to them.
We’ve been to one several times, and my father-in-law knows (more or less) where it is and takes us there to stock up.
The Second Costco I was able to locate on my Taipei city map, and with the assistance of a GPS and a subway map, I was able to track it down and walk to it from the Jin An station, about 1 mile.
But the third Costco has even more strikes against it, not only is it even further out, but my father-in-law is unfamiliar with the area. To complicate matters, it’s so far out that my Taipei city maps don’t reach it.
It was only by complete coincidence that, as we returned by freeway from Keelung at night, we spotted the illuminated Costco sign just off the freeway. Within moments it had passed behind the hills/trees, but I happened to have the GPS on and snapped a waypoint.
Google Earth recently upgraded the eastern Taipei satellite imagery making it possible to try to locate the Costco.
With a combination of Mapquest, Costco online, Google Earth and my GPS reading, I think I’ve determined where the last Costco is. It appears to be a 2.59 mile walk from Kunyang station.
I previously made a 1 mile hike to the Carrefour (also marked on the map) and I think this should be a fairly easy position to locate –assuming I’ve got the location right!
Anybody out there got a physical GPS fix on the Shih Chih Costco?
The estimate that I’ve made is:
25º 3′ 21.02″ N
121º 38′ 0.27″ E
Unfortunately, the Costco map doesn’t quite match the mapquest map, nor the satellite pictures – which is absolutely typical of Taiwan.
Look at the full-sized image to get a better picture of my estimates
It’s said that one of the main secrets of a business’ success is “location, location, location.” If that’s true, I don’t see how Raffaele Pizza has stayed in business for so long. This place has been in the same hidden location, buried behind an IHOP and a 7-11 near the corner of Glendale and 19th Ave since at least back to the 80’s.
If the location doesn’t seem so good, they must be doing something right to stay in business and what they do right is the pizza.
I’d like to extoll the unique virtues of this pizza, but, in this case, I can’t.
There was nothing particularly exceptional about this pizza, but it was nonetheless a good, solid entry of the New York variety, and I wouldn’t hesitate to eat there again – except that I’ve always just driven past it before I see the place.
Cost: 14″Pepperoni = $12.15, Cost per square inch = $0.08 (.079)
Recommended
Raffaele Pizza
7019 North 19th Ave
Phoenix, AZ
Technorati Tags: Blog, Pizza, Restaurant, Review
This article from livescience.com talks about recent discoveries of new species in the Himalayas.
I particularly like the 2″ wasps deadly enough to kill a yak. Next time I go to Taiwan, I’m not going to quite as worried about the nasty 1.5″ wasps they have there.
They’ve also discovered new species of mice, monkeys, frogs and several insects. It really reminds us just how unexplored some parts of the world still are.
I remember when I was in 5th grade (30+ years ago) I asked my teacher (who was a science buff) why it wasn’t possible that there was some remote corner of the Earth where dinosaurs still existed, and he told me that the Earth had been so well explored everywhere there just wasn’t any place left to find anything new.
OK, a wasp is not as big as a dinosaur, but still…
Technorati Tags: Blog, Natural Sciences, Science
My favorite “Japanese” food is Curry Katsu. It stands head and shoulders above all other forms of Japanese food. The problem is, most of the places around these parts think Japanese food = Sushi.
So the funny part is the only place it seems you can get to get curry are at Hawaiian places, so I’m not displeased with this new Hawaiian fast food fad that seems to be making the rounds.
Ono Hawaiian BBQ is down the street from my office and I’ve been there several times. Among other things, they have good kalua pork, grilled teriyaki chicken, beef, spare ribs and katsu.
At first, Ono’s prices seem a bit like they came right from Hawaii – outrageously expensive. (We once paid $12 for an ordinary frozen pizza and $5 for a gallon of mile from a major grocery chain on the big island.) Then, when the food arrives, things aren’t so bad, because the portion sizes are so big the mass literally begins warping the fabric of space/time exactly as Einstein predicted in his General Theory of Relativity. Any single entrée is big enough to feed two.
And so it was with my Curry Katsu, pictured above.
Right off the bat, it was pretty good, but I have a few reservations.
Why do I care about the presentation? It just seems a bit lax. I was, essentially, given a chicken katsu plate, with a side of curry. This made it much easier to share chicken with my daughter (who won’t touch curry), but it made it feel like the dish was just an afterthought.
The rest of the food we’ve had an Ono has also been quite and and plentiful, and I don’t hesitate to recommend it.
Ono Hawaiian BBQ
3923 E.Thomas Rd., Suite B-4
Phoenix, AZ 85018
(Other locations around Phoenix)
Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Restaurant, Review
Starting today I’m branching out more on my reviews. In addition to the typical food and pizza reviews, I’m going to start reviewing DVD releases, books and miscellaneous other items.
There’s likely to be a few other changes in the next few days. Stay tuned for the surprises.
Actually, when I say, “today”, I mean, “tomorrow”. I’ve got two restaurant reviews to complete before I move on.
New Pyramid Found in Mexico City
I giant 1,500 year-old pyramid has been found beneath a hill in Mexico City. The Pyramid is 60 ft high and as large at the base as the famous Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacà n.
The pyramid is in a working class district of Mexico City and has been partially destroyed by building homes and Christians crucifying people. (Some things never change.)
Technorati Tags: Archaeology, Blog, Science
