Stop 014: Jimano's Pizza (Englewood)

Jimano's Pizza

Location:  2950 S. Broadway  Englewood, CO 
Don't judge a pizza by its photograph.  This pie looks much better than it tastes.  Not that it tastes bad, but it looks voluptuous, but after the first slice the honeymoon is over.  It went for a 5 to a 3 in 2 slices.  I did some research and discovered that Jimano's is an 11 shop chain based out of Illinois.  They specialize in Chicago-style deep dish, so that's what I ordered.  The crust was bland, but not a total disappointment.  They showed some generosity with the cheese distribution, but the sauce was sporadic across the pie, and I think it has lost a little in translation by the time this recipe arrived in Colorado.  I must admit I was a bit disgruntled about the $3 delivery charge and the fact that the chubby teen who brought my pizza, sensing I was disoriented,  systematically galloped to his car with a $9.75 tip. By the time I had a chance to understand that I tipped him the price of the pizza his Jetta was rolling away from my house.  I thought about throwing a snowball at him, but I decided that he will most likely get his ass kicked someday when he is old enough to go to bars, and that is good enough for me.

Stop 013: Bennie Blanco's (Capital Hill)

Bennie Blanco's

Location:  616 E. 13th Ave.  Denver, CO  80203 

Well, so far this is the best drinking slice in town.  Let me refute the negatives that people attach to BB that has nothing to do with their product.  Many people complain about the service, but how bad can anybody fuck up a pizza by the slice transaction unless you let them.  If you don't like the service here, that's fine because your entire experience should  be less than 2 minutes long.  If the guy is being a "dick" don't engage him in conversation, and when you get your slice, just walk away and eat it.  There is no need for exceptional service in a pizza slice shop with no dining area.  Parking is tough, so  grab a slice if you are in the area, don't make it a destination.  I'm sure the residents of Capital Hill could care less if you are having trouble parking a Subaru in their neighborhood to grab a slice of pizza, because BB is designed for foot traffic.  Now let's talk about the pizza...  a single slice of Bennie Blanco's is literally  the size of an infant, and for the meager price of $2.50, what's not to like.   If you manage to make it through the mainland without being filled, the puffy yet crisp crust will  expand in your stomach to leave less room for  future slices.  My only gripe is the sauce is just lightly painted onto the dough which is absorbed by the cheese to bind into a compound element.  Two slices will do the trick for most consumers, but I respect anyone who wants to go 3 or 4.  One of my favorite things about Bennie Blanco's, is that it leaves the eater with a pleasant hint of garlic for reflection.

Author's note:  I returned to Bennie Blanco's within a week of my first experience