Stop 022: Sexy Pizza (Capital Hill)

Sexy Pizza

Location:  1018 E 11th Ave, Denver

In my opinion, Sexy Pizza has an awesome name and product.  I really liked the pizza, and I ate it like a pig.  Hence, I didn’t  give myself much time to dissect the flavors, but here is what I got…  Their crust is hand tossed, my slices  were slightly charred and well done.  They actually put what I consider to be  a fair amount of sauce on their pizza, and the sauce is tangy and red.  Yes, Sexy Pizza is greasy and somewhat floppy, but those are common characteristics of real pizza.  The cheese and toppings were at the level of quality that constitutes a thumbs up.   At Sexy Pizza, slices of cheese go for $2.50, while specialty slices are $3.  Bonus!  Buy 2 slices get a free Boylan’s soda fountain drink (during certain times) like the time I was there.   If you are not creative enough to choose your own adventure, they offer plenty of decent specialty slices/pizzas.  On 4 of their signature pies, they donate $1 to non-profit organizations, so consumers like me can justify how their pizza consumption actually helps make the world a better place!

Stop 021: Slice Works (Capital Hill)

Slice Works

Location:  700 E. Colfax  Denver, CO 80203

I did not realize I was drunk until I had to make a decision on what type of slices I wanted.  I looked at the pizza showcase for about 10 minutes until I snapped out of my pizza trance and ordered the first 2 slices that popped into my pea-sized, whiskey-soaked brain...  which happened to be chicken and veggie and  Sicilian.  The chicken and veggie slice was okay, but I did not care for the sauce.  They either forgot to use any, or they used a bland pesto sauce that had absolutely no game.   The chicken and peppers tasted just fine, but the cheese was flavorless.  They make a decent crust, which held the whole thing together,  but it tasted more like a toasted sub  than a piece of pizza.    I thought the Sicilan slice was good, but the sauce was not as inspired as I wanted it to be.  The crust is crucial with a Sicilian slice, and they were able to get it right and crispy.    Two slices were enough to fill me up, but I did not get as much flavor as I was shopping for.  This pizza has the feel and taste of a mall food court, but since they have so many options, I think I will keep trying to find a slice that works for me! 

Stop 020: Belmonti's Chicago Pizzeria (Santa Fe Art District)

Belmonti's Chicago Pizzeria

Location:  644 Santa Fe Dr.  Denver, CO  80204

As you can see from the photo, I could not resist the classic little corner sample as soon as I received my pizza.  Those corner pizza slices are like tasty little pizza crackers, and I wish they were sold in little bags like chips.  Anyways...  Belmonti's is a quaint little pizzeria with a decor inspired by Chicago.  How Chicago was it?  Well when I happened to stop in the Cubs were playing the White Sox on a TV set in the dining area.  Belmonti's was not busy and they were able to produce my pie in about 10 minutes.  I got a cheese pizza and it was topped off with fresh ground black pepper.   As  I got 2 slices deep I started to accumulate a strong sensation of oregano.   They use a good sauce, but I think they could have put more on the pizza.  Belmonti's provides quality cheese which is cooked just right, as you can see above it has caramelized patches, and that's the way I like it!  The crust was decent, and had a wood fired flare to it.  I was hungry and ate the majority of a 12" pizza.  Hours later I consumed the remaining  slices cold, and they still held their value.  I think Belmonti's  has a good thing going here, and this will not be a one and out.

Stop 019: Frank "The Pizza King" (Englewood)

Frank The Pizza King

Location:  4701 S. Broadway  Englewood, CO  80113

It is time to dethrone the pizza king.  First of all, this must have been one of the saltiest pizzas I have come across in some time.  This sodium fueled adventure made me thirsty and not willing to continue further after my 2nd slice, which is hard to fathom.  The crust was lousy, and the sauce and cheese did not have enough game to make up for its incompetence.  One of my friends had a slice and agreed that it was salty and not something he wanted to continue eating.  Another friend was admittedly hungry and finished the pizza, although he said it was not very good, and if he had other pizza options he would pursue them instead.  I respect Frank the Pizza King because it is a family owned and operated business since 1961, so they must be doing something right if they have been around that long and have multiple locations.  I do not think Frank's is worthy of his title as The Pizza King, and I think he needs to forfeit his crown, or admit that his kingdom is full of pizza peasants who don't know any better.

Stop 018: ParkSide New York Pizzeria (Wash Park)

 

ParkSide New York Pizzeria

Location:  305 S. Downing St.  Denver, CO 80209

ParkSide has mastered the art of making pedestrian pizza.  If I was hungry, I would certainly not refuse a slice of this pizza.   However after having it once, I will not go out of my way to get a slice here.  They sell pizza by the pie or slice, and athough the shop was getting ready to close down the amiable staff were fresh and ready to serve me.  As far as New York style pizza goes, Parkside will meet you in the middle of the road.  I don't feel like saying anything negative about ParkSide's pizza, so  basically, if you have a hankering for pizza, ParkSide makes pizza. 

Stop 017: Rico's (Englewood)

Rico's Pizzeria

Location:  3500 S. Broadway, Englewood CO 80113

As I pulled into the parking lot I was greeted by the "pizza creep",  which can be found on a wooden sign just yards away from the entrance of this charming pizzeria.

I don't know how you are supposed to feel after looking at this guy, but I certainly would not want to see this guy holding a pizza in my bedroom window at night.

NO CREDIT CARDS, NO DELIVERY! I like their confidence, but I'm not so sure their product can back it up...  After considering all aspects of my experience with Rico's I think it is important to mention that the service was excellent and the staff was friendly.  The atmosphere was cozy and modest with enough charm to make me regret taking my pizza for carry out purposes.  Someone else might replace my use of the words "cozy and modest" with "cramped and dingy".  These are the same people who might get excited about the development of new strip mall because it can lure in new chains from around the country!   Stepping away from generic social commentary, I think it is fair to say that Rico's is an authentic pizzeria with a strong base of local support deserving of a stop from the pizza train.  Where the debate lies in, is how good their pizza actually tastes.  I like the puffy style crust, which had substance and tasted good enough to support something better than their pedestrian sauce and lousy cheese.  Rico's cheese was on the cheaper end of the solids made from milk spectrum (the kind that gets kinda gross when it cools).  I believe this pizza loses most of it's value when it hits the refrigerator, so eat it while it's hot!  My buddy who ate  a slice with me offered his opinion by telling me he would not respect any of my reviews if I gave this pizza more than 2 fingers, so...

Stop 016: Pizzeria Locale (Baker)

Pizzeria Locale

Location:  550  Broadway, Denver CO 80203

I must admit, due to all the hype, I came into this review wanting to dislike this product. It felt like meeting an ex-lover's new romantic interest.  You heard a lot about them, and they were nice enough when we first met, but upon further scrutiny more flaws were unveiled.  If you look at the picture above, you can tell that Pizzeria Locale is a good looking pie that comes in a 6 slice serving.  However, after my first 2 slices, I saw past its good looks and my opinion of their pizza dropped significantly.  The best way to describe this pizza is Chipotle does Grimaldi's.  You walk up to a counter, you pick your sauce, you pick your toppings, and the pizza is placed into a hyper speed oven that cooks your pizza in less than 2 minutes giving it an authentic appearance and texture.  However, I really think I can taste the imperfections of the 2 minute bake.  The sauce is kinda runny and the crust is hot/charred, yet on the soggier side of things.  I had the veggie pizza and I must say the ingredients are fantastic and fresh.   The sauce had a solid tomato-centric taste, but he problem was the fact that they use a Grimaldi wanna be crust and the 90 second bake, which can't quite "fake the funk" with the taste buds of the Denver Pizza Train.