whether they've had experience with berkeley or not, most bay area food connaisseurs know of zachary's chicago pizza in berkeley/oakland. (sure, i know this review's not about zachary's, but i'm going somewhere with this!) critics in the east bay have definitely handed the best pizza award to zachary's year after year after year and with good reason. that's great pizza. people say that's great chicago-style pizza. they say that if you want good new york style pizza in the east bay, that you should go to arinelli's on shattuck. i believe that as well. however, let me tell you something. even though i spent most of my life in california, i was born in michigan. then i lived in illinois in a suburb of chicago, where i _never_ ate a pizza like what i saw at zachary's. i really liked zachary's pizza, but it wasn't anything like any pizza i ate in chicago, personally. however, the pizza i eat at pizz'a chicago here in santa clara (which is, if you haven't heard by now, america's _real_ heartland) _does_ remind me of what i ate in chicago as a little kid. ok, i was really little when i lived in that chicago suburb, but keep in mind that i have vivid memories of when i was two.
i first ordered pizz'a from pizz'a chicago because they gave me a nice coupon. my wife and i ordered a pizza with one of our favourite combinations: sausage and mushroom. we're totally _not_ the type to stick with mundane combinations of toppings, but we knew they'd have those, right? well, some time later, i visited pizz'a chicago with coworkers and discovered that they have an awesome, awesome, wide selection of toppings, not just your run-of-the mill pepperoni and sausage stuff! whoa!
listen to this: they have a great vegetarian combinations, which says a lot, i.e., if a pizzera has a great selectin of veggie combos, you _know_ for sure that they've got a great selection of combinations in general. also, in general, we as the american public need to be more health conscious in our eating choices. although i'm not a vegeterian by any means, i urge you to consider eating healthier.
some of my favourite combinations at pizz'a chicago: the untouchables (bbq sauce, chicken, smoked gouda, red onions, cilantro), cubby bear (fresh spinach, tomatoes, black olives, red onions, garlic, spices and _cholesterol free soy milk mozzarella), joliet jake (four kinds of shrooms: shiitake, portabella, crimini, and button with apricots and fresh basil)...
mmm... don't those sound good? well, i understand that a pizza is judged by its toppings as well as its crust. it's got great crust too. i suppose some people would say a pizza's also judged by its cheese. yes, the cheese's good too. consider getting the soy cheese. it's great.
they also have a few outdoor tables; but i don't want you to know that because then we'll be fighting over those tables, and i want to be friends.
more