We decided to take Friday off to just have a day to chill (and so I could get a haircut in advance of a trip to Omaha later this week). Since the salon appointment was at 2pm, we decided to head into Hayes Valley a little early and catch lunch at Patxi’s Chicago Pizza.
Chicago pizza, for the uninitiated, is very different from the normal thin-crust pizza. Instead of just a thin dough that, if rolled thin enough becomes almost crackerlike, a proper Chicago crust is more like a puff pastry – flaky and buttery. On top of that, layer your meats, cheeses and vegetables, and then cover with sauce.
We decided to go for their “Favorite”, a combination of pepperoni, mushrooms and black olives. Since it was just the two of us, we went with a small… but honestly, if they had an 8 inch pie, that would have worked, because after two slices we were stuffed.
The sauce was very good… nice and acidic, which might have been due to the black olives. The crust was flaky and buttery, reminiscent of the great Gino’s East… better than most, but not a life-changing sort of crust. Then again, I usually get my Chicago pies with sausage, which does lend alot of flavor to the crust as the fat fro mthe forcemeat starts to melt into the dough. Next time, we’ll do a classic sausage, pepper, mushroom and onion.
If you miss Chicago-style pizza and are in Hayes Valley, it’s worth stopping in. They do have slices available during lunch… if you like the combos available. This time it was cheese or pepperoni and artichoke hearts.
It’s not a fast lunch. Pies take up to 40 minutes to cook, but if you have a jonesing for a taste of Chicago and have the time, it’s worth checking out.
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