Stop 027: Pudge Bros. (Capital Hill)

Pudge Bros.

Location:  3434  E. 12th Ave.  Denver, CO

Pudge Bros. uses the kind of marketing strategy that says  if you make pizza available, people will eat it at least once, and even if it sucks, at least we got them to buy it once,  and that is good enough for me. I was pretty hungry when I stopped at Pudge Bros. and purchased 2 slices of cheese pizza.   They were priced at $2 each, which if the quality was anywhere on the spectrum, I would consider it to be a good deal.  After my first slice I thought, this isn't very good, but its okay.  After my second slice I thought, this isn't very good, actually... it fucking sucks!  Here is the breakdown...   The sauce is straight out of a giant Garden Food Service can.  The cheese is a thick sheet of sodium fueled cheapness, and if you pull too hard,  it all comes off like a wet chewy wad that would be better used to caulk a bathtub.  When you are done eating, there is a strong aftertaste of table salt.  The crust is weak.  This pizza sucks!

Stop 026: Massimo's (Aurora)

Massimo's Pizzeria

Location:  1250 S. Buckley Rd.  Aurora, CO  80017

I am going to start off by saying that I did not think the pizza at Massimo's was good, I feel that it was below what I would consider to be decent pizza.  Just to be fair I did a little research so my review is not completely ignorant.  In my research I came across Massimo's Mission Statement which I decided to analyze based off my experience with their pizza. 

     "WE SERVE PREMIUM ITALIAN QUALITY FOOD AT A GREAT VALUE. AT MASSINO'S, QUALITY AND QUANTITY CANNOT BE COMPROMISED... AND WHEN YOU WANT THE VERY BEST ITALIAN FOOD, COME BE OUR GUEST AND ENJOY THE GREAT FRESH ITALIAN FOOD IN A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT."

Statement #1  FALSE.  We serve premium Italian quality food at a great value.  I agree that $2.29 per slice was a great value, but I disagree with the usage of the word premium to describe their quality.
Statement #2  FALSE.  At Massimo's quality and quantity cannot be compromised.   Once again in regards to quality, I believe somewhere along the line the quality of their pizza has been compromised.
Statement #3  TRUE/FALSE ...and when you want the very best Italian food, come be our guest and enjoy the great fresh Italian food in a friendly environment.   I do feel that Massimo's has the ability to provide a friendly environment with Italian food, but to say the best Italian food is simply a false statement.

Massimo's  pizza is by no means the worst,  but lets put it this way... I had 2 slices and was less than eager to start my 2nd slice after spending quite some time being not sure what was wrong with my first.    My 2 slices of cheese were littered with stagnant pools of yellow flavorless grease.  These pools rested in every dimple of the generously dispersed cheap bland cheese.    The sauce did not even  penetrate through the flavorless greasy cheese, although the crust underneath had potential to make a better name for itself if it were paired with better pizza components.  On a positive note, I received  friendly service and the atmosphere was PSP- pizza shop pleasant.