#15 - Delivery Pizza Blindfold Taste Test @ The Rhode's House

To Deliver or not to Deliver...

That is the question.  We ranked 4 of the chain delivery pizzas to see which would be the best to order.  In this we included: Domino's, Little Caesars, Papa John's and Pizza Hut.  The catch though was everyone was blindfolded while they tasted their pizza.  A big thank you to Neil, Brendan, and Tom for joining us on this adventure!

Food

In order to keep a control with this taste test, we ordered cheese pizzas from all locations.  We also included a pallet cleanser - lemon sorbet - to take this experience just one step further.

Taste Test

On the score sheet, we asked everyone to rank the pizzas in the order of their initial preference if they were to order from one of the 4 places (1st is their preferred):

Brendan - Domino's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars

Tom - Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, Papa John's

Neil - Little Caesars, Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's

Chris - Papa John's, Little Caesars, Domino's, Pizza Hut

The score sheet asked everyone to rank each slice based on cheese, sauce, crust, and overall flavor on a scale of 1 (not tasty) - 4 (tasty).  The highest score that could be given was 16 points.

Round 1 (Little Caesars)
Brendan's score - 3
Tom's score - 7
Neil's score - 5
Chris's score - 8

Round 2 (Domino's)
Brendan's score - 10
Tom's score - 11
Neil's score - 12
Chris's score - 10

Round 3 (Pizza Hut)

Brendan's score - 8

Tom's score - 7

Neil's score - 9

Chris's score - 5

Round 4 (Papa John's)

Brendan's score - 5

Tom's score - 4

Neil's score - 6

Chris's score - 4

Recommendation

If you're going to order delivery pizza from one of these chains, the consensus was to order from Domino's.  Everyone ended up ranking this one first overall out of all 4 rounds.  Some of the comments were "Not bad overall", "Could eat multiple pieces", "Was cheesy", and "Crust was pretty good."

*Note - all pizzas were kept warm in the oven, in their boxes, at the same temperature throughout the whole taste testing.

Stop #14 - Falcos Pizza

FALCO'S PIZZA

Normally I was able to keep up with everything but we got busy over the last few months and found out we are expecting our first baby in early December! So the pizza tour and blog went by the wayside for a few months while the taste buds were adjusting.

Falco's is/was a go-to especially when we visit our Aunt Jody in Willowbrook.  It is a quick stop you can make off of I-55 and Rt. 83/Kingery Highway with dine-in or carry-out.  They have made renovations and added in a bar area in the larger dining room with several televisions above the bar as well.

When we went in it was not very crowded but it was for lunch on a weekend.  We have seen it much more busy over the dinner hours.

I'm sorry there isn't more to include at this time like usual (I can't even find the pictures that I took), but we do recommend Falco's if you are in the Burr Ridge area.  As the usual blogs did include, here is Rhode's Recommendation:

#13 - Fiamme (Naperville)

Woodfire with Flair
We ventured to Fiamme near downtown Naperville for our 13th stop.  We had a good group with us too!  Thanks to the Svejda's and the Blakeman's for joining us.  We had a blast!

Location
Fiamme is located on the corner of Washingon and Franklin.  The parking lot is not very big so either arrive early or go around the corner and park in the garage on Benton (stoplight after Fiamme if you head south on Washington from Ogden).  We called when they opened and made reservations for the 9 of us at 5 pm.  That was a perfect time as once it got closer to 6:30 pm, it started to get busy.

They also have a patio that is shaded in the afternoons and looks to be a nice place to sit if it would have been a little warmer outside.

Food

We ordered bread right away and they gave us olive oil and a spicier olive oil to dip it in.  We found out that the bread was complimentary so that was a score!  We had a good variety of food as well.  Andrea ordered the wedge salad which was with romaine lettuce instead of iceberg.

We had many options for pizza and among all of us opted for the margharita, montanara, salsiccia, fiamme, and roasted vegetable.

Each pizza had their own distinct taste and the sauce was not too overwhelming.  My first favorite was the margharita and my second was the montanara which had lightly flash fried dough.  There were minimal left overs when we were all done eating.


Total People: 2 (on our bill)
Total Bill: $ 31.83 (2 pizzas - he didn't charge us for our sodas)


Recommendation: Yes
If you are going to be in the area and want a quick pizza, Fiamme is the way to go.  The woodfire makes it cook much faster and since the pizzas are all 12" you could easily pop in for a quick lunch if you needed to.  Don't get me wrong, the food is delicious, but sometimes when you have had 1 woodfire, you have basically had them all.  To hear from the pizza connoisseur himself, you know what to do:

Stop #12 - Pizano's Pizza & Pasta (State Street)

A Sox fan walks into a Cubs bar...
Chris, of course, is decked out in his White Sox attire and the minute we walk in, all televisions are pointed to the Cubs game.  Needless to say, we weren't there for the environment but for the food!

Location
Pizano's has several locations around the Chicagoland area and I chose State Street because it is closest to shopping!  Chris wanted to go to the Under Armor store too and that was only a 15 minute walk south / southeast.  I'm sure if it was a little warmer out the front windows would have been wide open, inviting guests in with the wonderful pizza aroma that was irradiating throughout.
Seating is limited though so if you're not going in to have a drink at the bar, you're better off hitting up an early or later lunch (we went around 1 pm).  There is a parking garage next door as well and your best bet is to Spot Hero if you have that app.  Otherwise there are plenty of parking garages in the area.

Food
We started the meal with their fried ravioli that came with a side of marinara.  This is one of Chris's favorite appetizers so when we saw that on the list we knew what we were getting.  They came out hot but quickly cooled down.  The breading wasn't too spicy and they weren't over-done.

For pizza, we opted for a thin crust pepperoni.  At first bite you think you're at Lou Malnati's, but there is a reason for that.  The widow of Rudy Malnati still makes the dough - an old secret family recipe and the owner of Pizano's is Rudy Malnati, Jr. 



Fun fact: did you know that Rudy Malnati Sr. originally opened Pizzeria Uno? We haven't been there yet but it's on the list!


Total people: 2
Total Bill: $40.22 (1 medium pizza, toasted ravioli, & 2 sodas)

Recommendation: Yes - no special trip needed
I liked that the menu offered several different options, especially personal pan deep dish and gluten free.  Although we didn't try those, my guess is going to be that the deep dish will taste like Lou's.  If you are downtown and want Lou's, Pizanos is going to be your choice.  You don't need to make a special trip though. Of course, Chris has much more to say about his recommendation:

Stop #11 - Angelo's Pizza

Gem off Main Street

One of my favorite places to go in the suburbs is downtown Downers Grove.  They have the Tivoli, Every Day's a Sundae, and now my next favorite place - Angelo's Pizza.  A HUGE thank you to a good portion of my extended family for joining us too!

(front: Marnee, Mya, Samantha, Brianna, Aunt Jody, Mom, Carly, Auntie M, Cynthia, & Josh; back: Dad, Chris, & Keith)

Location

I wish we would have thought of this sooner (because our niece would have LOVED it) but you can take the Metra to Downers Grove.  Head one street east of Main Street and south of the tracks you'll find Angelos. They don't take reservations so tables are first come first serve.  You also order at the counter and there is no wait service other than when they bring out your food and take your dirty dishes away (which is also a good time to ask for a box if you have left overs!)

Food

We started with a few appetizers - cheezy garlic bread, regular garlic bread, and buffalo wings.  Both versions of the garlic bread were good and each came with a side of marinara.  The buffalo wings were really good - breading and the sauce were both delicious.  The wings also came with a side of ranch dressing.  I also ordered a caesar salad which was fresh and the caesar dressing wasn't too overpowering.

9 of us shared a jumbo (20") pizza with thin crust- half pepperoni and half sausage.  The crust was good and pretty thin.  There was a good balance of toppings vs cheese - one didn't outweigh the other.  

We also ordered a medium pan pizza for the table to try (12" - 8 pieces).  The crust wasn't too buttery or heavy.  By heavy, I mean that for what the pizza looked like, I thought it would sit in my stomach like a brick, which was not the case at all.  The ingredients on both pizzas were fresh and the sausage especially was not overly spicy. 

Total people: 9 (on our bill) - $91.00

Total bill: $91.00 (8 sodas, 1 water, 3 appetizers, 3 salads, 1 jumbo pizza, 1 medium pan pizza)

Recommendation: Yes!!

The best parts about traveling to downtown Downers Grove is I get to make Chris happy with some good pizza and also treat my sweet tooth at Every Day's a Sundae (thank you to my Aunt Jody for introducing me when I was little!)  You could do so many things in this area for a wonderful date night - movie, dinner, and dessert.  It's like a one stop shop! So what are you waiting for? Oh yeah...your favorite part of the blog.  Here's the PeppeRhodes founder with a special guest to give you their review!

Stop #10 - Beggar's Pizza (Plainfield)

Should you be beggin' for Beggar's?
In this house, we won't be begging but one of us would request it more frequently than the other.  Chris and I headed out for lunch last Saturday to Plainfield to see if the White Sox's choice of pizzas is good in and out of the park.

Location

The original location is out by Midway and we didn't want to travel that far.  The Plainfield location is south on Rt. 59, just past the Renwick intersection.  When you turn in you don't see it at first but head to the smaller strip mall to the left and you'll find it.

When we walked it there was one other couple and us.  Maybe they are busier at dinner time but even the hostess stand when you walk in is empty.  I will tell you it wasn't the best first impression for a place that says you can order pizza by the slice and you don't have any displayed.  There was only one other couple that came in while we were waiting and they had pre-ordered their pizza before they came in.

Food
We didn't order any appetizers this time around and opted for a medium thin crust, half pepperoni / half sausage.  The sausage wasn't anything special and in fact neither one of us thought it tasted that good.
Chris thought the pepperoni was fine.  The cheese is laid on thick and the sauce was nothing special - more like a tomato paste with little seasoning, if any at all.

Total people: 2
Total bill: $21.78 (2 Pepsis & 1 medium pizza)

Rhode's Recommendation - Maybe
I personally would not crave pizza and suggest Beggar's Pizza.  I'd equate it to ordering Rosati's or Home Run Inn and I would still recommend one of those over Beggar's.  I expected a lot more flavor with the pizza and felt like the cheese drowned out what flavor there could have been.  Chris on the other hand, well watch his review here:

Stop #9 - Evviva (Lisle)

Just off the Tracks
If you live close to the BNSF Metra line, this is an easy way to take the kids (or yourselves) for a train ride to dinner.  We were joined by our friend Cari too and she gave us a great appetizer recommendation too!

Location
Take the Metra to the Lisle exit and head to the south side of the tracks.  Evviva is on the corner of Main Street and Front Street.  If you decide to drive, there is parking in their own (tiny) lot behind the building, street parking and of course the lot for the train station.  You will notice a larger lot next to the building but park there and risk being towed.

We met around 12:30 pm (they opened at noon) and took our time ordering an appetizer and our pizzas.  The service was good and with St. Patty's decor, everyone was in good spirits!  Plenty of TVs around too so that Chris and Cari could watch the Sox play the Cubs at Spring Training.

Food

Cari recommended Nacho Fries for our appetizer: waffle fries topped with melted cheese, tomatoes, bacon, green onion, and ground beef with guacamole and sour cream on the side.  Very delicious!

Pizza selection was pretty extensive.  There are several crust choices from thin, traditional, stuffed, and the Big Boy - a 24 x 26 sheet pizza.

We opted to try a small stuffed and an XL traditional crust both 1/2 pepperoni, 1/2 sausage.


While the stuffed pizza looked delicious, it was a little greasy and the flavor wasn't what we thought it would be.

The traditional crust is not quite as thick as hand-tossed but not a super thin crust.  The cheese was perfectly golden on top and toppings were plenty.  The sauce was evenly distributed and somewhat thick but not chunky.  The best way we could describe this was that it was a basic pizza sauce, not too sweet or tangy.

Rhode's Recommendation Yes
Although Chris and I have visited Evviva in Lisle before, we have always ordered carryout in our to-go pizza bag back to Plainfield.  Now that we live a bit further away, we decided to dine in and highly recommend that you do too.  The pizza tasted much better!

Stop #8 - Oregano's Pizza Bistro - Glendale, AZ

Chicago-style Pizza in AZ

The best part about being on vacation here is not having to bundle up every time we go outside.  The second best part is finding a pizza place that reminds you of home, but has put their own twist on Chicago-style pizza.  Giving a shout out to my date for letting me post this goofy pic of him and for giving me a good laugh!!

Location

2010 was the last time we were in AZ and are pretty sure we went to Oregano's Phoenix location.  This time we wanted to try a different location and we loved Glendale.  The patio area is enclosed with windows and a bar area.  Whether you dine indoors or out, it's still a very family friendly environment.


Food
We ordered baked ravioli to start.  It has a jalapeno cheese inside so if you're not a fan of spicy, you won't like this.  These were served with a side of marinara.  We ordered a 12" pan pizza (8 slices) and were not disappointed.

There is definitely a difference in the crust from the crust back home (maybe it really is the water) but the crust was more like a breadstick - crispy on the outside while being soft, light and airy on the inside.

It was all fully cooked too which made it even more delicious.  The cheese had a tang to it so we asked our waitress what type of cheese they use.  She confirmed with the manager that they use a mixture of mozzarella and provolone (and there's the tangy taste!)

Total people: 2

Total bill: $38.17 (1 Pepsi, 1 glass of wine, baked ravioli appetizer, & 12" pan pizza)

Rhode's Recommendation YES!
There is no reason to travel thousands of miles for this pizza (that would be some expensive pizza!!) but if you are going to be in the area, make a point to go to Oregano's. They also offer a thin crust, a stuffed pizza, and for dessert you have the option of their pizza cookie.  You won't be disappointed!

Stop #7 - Pisa Lisa - Sedona, AZ

Pisa Hut? Nope! Pisa Lisa
When in Rome...I mean Sedona...eat at Pisa Lisa.  It was our first trip to Sedona and one of the things we noticed was the store fronts are set back from the road (or hidden by trees/shrubs) so travel up and down the main street a few times or do research first to figure out where you need to go.  Luckily we had Uncle Dennis to tell us where to turn!  A big thank you to Aunt Corinna and Uncle Dennis for letting us vacation with them for their last few days in AZ.  We're having a blast!

Location
Pisa Lisa is located on the southeast corner of Dry Creek Scenic Road and Shelby Drive. You could also look for the old Pizza Hut building since we are pretty sure they converted one to also include outdoor seating (windows look familiar?)

When you walk inside there is a little gift area and you can purchase a shirt with their logo.  While you wait to be seated, your eyes cant help but look left to watch the chef toss the pizza dough in the air.  Just past the chef, you can sit at the bar or wait for the server to seat you inside or outside.

Look right to view the gelato choices (around 7-8) and taste test each one if you want.  Past the gelato you will see the dessert case where of course I spotted my favorite - tiramisu!
Pisa
There are multiple food and drink choices but of course we settled on the pizzas.  All pizzas are 14" and have 8 slices each.  We ordered 2 for the table which was plenty and had some left over.


Bufalina - Bruchetta tomatoes, free-range water buffalo mozzarella, sliced red onion, EVO, oregano and arugula



Da Dorothy - Mother sauce, provolone-mozzarella, Calabrese sausage, picante peppers and parm-reggiano (option to add Ricotta but we didn't)



Aunt Corinna, Uncle Dennis, and I preferred the Bufalina.  The crust was crispy and airy with the perfect amount of toppings.  We thought Da Dorothy was too greasy which also caused the crust to be a bit soggy.  They could have eased up on the cheese a little bit too.

Chris of course had the opposite thoughts but he is more of a traditional pizza guy anyways.  To find out more of his thoughts, see his review below!

Aunt Corinna had a bambini (small) pistachio gelato, Uncle Dennis had a bambini raspberry gelato, and Chris had a grande peanut butter cup gelato.  All were very delicious and come highly recommended!

Total people: 4 adults

Total bill: $57.41 (2-14" pizzas, 4 waters, 2 bambini/small cups of gelato, 1 grande/large cup of gelato, 1 piece of tiramisu)

Rhode's Recommendation - Yes
You don't need to travel all the way to Arizona to have this pizza but if you are ever in Sedona, stop by Pisa Lisa.  Save room for dessert as you can't go wrong with the gelato, especially with multiple flavors to choose from.

Stop #6 - Barone's of Glen Ellyn

Family Friendly, Fantastic Food
That is not an understatement either.  Well worth our drive and if we are looking to head out for pizza, Barone's will be one of the top places on our list.  This week we were joined by the Ozga family - Dan, Jamie, and Alex, and CJ made another appearance!  Thanks for joining us!!

Location
It took us about 40 minutes to get to Barone's from home and although they have a tiny parking lot next to the building, there is plenty of street parking as well.  Barone's is in downtown Glen Ellyn on the north side of the train tracks.  If you are trying to go for lunch, you'll be out of luck unless it's a late lunch.  Their hours are:
Monday - Thursday 4 pm - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday 3 pm - 11 pm
Sundays 3 pm - 10 pm

 We changed our time from 6:30 pm to 4:00 pm and it was the perfect time to go.  We left around 5:30 pm but there was a steady crowd even before we got there.  It is very family friendly.  They gave Alex a coloring page with a small bag that had a few toys in it too.  There was also a play room to occupy kids.

Food
When we first sat down they delivered fresh bread, butter, olive oil, and parmesan cheese to the table.  We also ordered the mozzarella sticks.  Of course I forgot to get a picture of them but you could tell that they were very fresh, no freezer taste.  We ordered 2 pizzas for the table:
1 medium pan pizza (8 slices) - half pepperoni, half sausage
1 18" party pizza - half pepperoni, half sausage

 We can't brag enough about how much we loved this pizza.  Up to this point, Pizza Barra in Oak Brook was at the top of the list.  Although they are still in the top 5, Barone's now #1.  In talking to our waitress Georgia, she told us that the pan pizza is a different crust than they use for the other 2 kinds of pizza - thin and stuffed - which use the same type of crust.
The ingredients were fresh and the pan pizza was well worth the wait.  The sauce wasn't too sweet, too zesty, or too much tomato flavor.  I'm not a big sauce fan anyways so that was a huge plus for me!
I got a piece of tiramisu to go (it's my weakness) and that was delicious.  With their carry-out area you can walk in to buy frozen pizzas, beer, pop and other desserts.  We also took a frozen pan pizza home and made that for dinner the following night.

Total people: 5 & a toddler
Total cost: $67 (before tip) - 2 pizzas, 1 order of mozzarella sticks, 1 glass of wine, 4 pops and a kid's apple juice

Rhode's Recommendation - YES!
If you haven't gotten the vibe yet, we are telling you to make the trip to Barone's in Glen Ellyn.  This is the best pizza we have had on our tour yet and will be going back (or if you go, make sure you invite us!)  Dan had a great point - you could order a thin crust one week and a pan pizza the next and never get sick of it.  The frozen pan pizza that we made the following night was better than Gino's East's frozen you can buy in the store, but not as good as it was fresh in the restaurant.  Make this a place that you put on your pizza list.  It is so worth it!