Suki's in the Chase building

Suki’s Pizza might be my most obscure choice yet. This is the pizza place in the downtown Chase building’s food court.

Though the employees will do anything to try to get money out of you, the pizza is a good deal. It is pizza by the slice. For $2.00 a slice, you get a very big, very thick slice with a great crust.

The crust is unique. It is very thick, rich and chewy. The mozzarella cheese, chewy dough and flavorful sauce make for a very good slice of pizza. It is much better than anyone would ever guess. It reminds me of Domino's pizza of the 1990s. Only there is less of a chain pizza feel to this stuff.

I had a slice of cheese pizza.  It was moderately greasy. If I had a few slices for dinner, I may get that regretful feeling of being over capacity. Having just one slice made for a pretty tasty and filling lunch. If ever you are in the Chase building, I suggest you get a slice.

Chase bank?

   I was told to check out the pizza at the food court in the Chase building on Main Street in downtown Akron.
   I could not make it there today. But, I will stop by for lunch tomorrow. I have heard rave reviews. Can such a great place really exist inside of a bank? A bank in Akron, nonetheless?
   I will update you once I give it a try.

"My hair's on end about you," Fiesta Pizza.

   This song is dedicated to the pizza of Fiesta Pizza. It tastes mighty unhealthy, but it it mighty delicious. Love is not too strong of a word for this place, even for those with commitment issues. 

     Unfortunately, my picture will not upload. This is the best I could find online. It is a pretty nice box, right?
     I had a cheese pizza. This is the type of pizza you do not want to overload with toppings, especially vegetables. It is perfect with just pepperoni. But, I gave up red meat.
     This pizza has the best overall combination of sauce, cheese and dough I have ever had. The sauce is pepperoni flavored. Technically, that is the same as eating red meat. Nobody is perfect. This dough is, though. It tastes like a combination of sourdough and buttermilk. The cheese is strictly provolone. The crust is pretty soft, but crisp on the outside from the molten cheese.
     This is a very thick pizza and very deep. It is also quite greasy, which does not appeal your waist line, but it definitely appeals to your taste buds. Fiesta cooks their pizza in a rotary oven. This ensures that the pizza is very evenly cooked. I think this does a lot for its taste.
     I did not eat inside. It did not matter where I ate. Taste wise, this pizza is superior to all. It is also extremely filling. If you are not a health conscious person, you have to try this stuff. It is its own unique style and beyond decadent. The challenge is liking yourself after the meal. I am dealing with my decision pretty well right now. I think it will depend on what fades first: The memory of the taste, or the feeling being over capacity.

Fiesta Pizza

   I have decided on revisiting Fiesta Pizza in the Cuyahoga valley. This pizza is a challenge; a self-loathing challenge. It is a challenge to eat and a challenge to accept yourself as a lovable human being after you are finished.
   It is big, it is greasy, it is cheesy and it is saucy. The taste cannot be matched and the feeling of defeat after the fact cannot be matched.
   I will be taking the challenge. I will give my feedback after I am finished. Wish me luck.

Make a decision...

   I was not able to get a slice tonight. Unfortunately, I will have to wait until tomorrow. This is the plight of some college students: Not enough time.
   I hope to have an idea for a place to eat tomorrow. I will make sure I share the idea with my massive, loyal readership when the time comes.

Make a decision...

   Watching the Browns game, I can think of three places off the top of my head for my next installment. Two of them, I have made plans for in previous weeks. Cristo's and Marie's pizza, in Norton and Wadsworth respectively.
   Another idea I had was Fiesta Pizza in the valley. I have had it before and it was literally the best pizza I have ever had. I am curious if I still feel the same way, or if the pizza is the same.
   Once I get back from work, I believe I will have a better idea of where want to go.

BOGO in the valley...

   This place is as contemporary as contemporary gets. It looks like the inside of the headquarters for a vitamin pyramid scheme. You are allowed to eat inside, but I doubt that happens much. The table is rendered useless by the distance from the two chairs and its size. The two seats are far from each other and look to be quite uncomfortable.
   The colors were nothing special: Your basic red, green and yellow mixed with some more contemporary colors like peach.
   A semi-coincidence occurred. The name of this blog was influenced by Genesis' 1973 album Selling England By the Pound.  In the kitchen, I overheard the stereo. The crew was playing Fifth of Firth, a masterpiece from "Selling England."


    This is not the commercial Genesis with Phil Collins as the lead. This is Peter Gabriel's and Steve Hacket's Genesis. Phil Collins was a new member and only a good drummer with the occasional backup vocal spot. From 1970-1975 Genesis was progressive rock with a slight psychedelic twist at its finest. The fact that this song was being played instantly gave me a good feeling.

 

   The strength of BOGO is the composition of vegetables. There are many vegetables offered as toppings. I went with roasted red peppers, red onions, tomatoes, spinach and green peppers. This pizza looked healthy. It tasted even healthier. The only unhealthy aspects of this pizza were the provolone, mozzarella and dough. These things were as healthy as they could be, though. I detected virtually no grease. 

    While the pizza, itself, stood out, the vegetables took over the show. This almost tasted like eating a salad with more substance. The pizza is very light and flaky. I imagine a cheese pizza would not be that filling. The vegetables made it filling. That fact makes this a pretty healthy choice, or at least as healthy as choosing to eat pizza can be.
   There are better pizzas. There are not too many places that offer the topping options and the health aspects that BOBO offers. The "buy one, get one" does no hurt either.

BOGO in the valley

   I have made a choice for this week's entry. BOGO (buy one, get one) pizza in the valley.
   This blog has become an expensive and rather unhealthy process. I think this place can help fight this issue.
   I will be getting two pizzas for the price of one and this place is known for being a healthy pizza that goes great with vegetables.
   I am on my way there. I will give an update with pictures and opinion after I give it a taste.

Decisions, decisions...

   As I type this, I have no clue where I will be eating lunch tomorrow.
   It would be nice to find a pizza-by-the-slice place for this entry. Eating larger meals are not helping my wallet or my health.
   The only two ideas I have at this point are Cristo's Italian Restaurant in Norton and Marie's Pizza in Wadsworth.
   Which ever place I chose, I will update with suggestions opinion and pictures.

Capri Pizza

   Not often am I delighted to have to reschedule. In this case I was.
   I should have ventured down to Highland Square much sooner. It is among Akron's most quaint areas. The people and places make for memorable affairs no matter what time you are there.
   Capri Pizza is another Highland Square treasure. While the inside is a bit cramped, it gives off the vibe of just a "delicious food factory." The two employees that were manning the ship during my visit seemed to know every one of the six customers who walked in after my brother and I. There is not anything about the atmosphere that is overtly relaxing except the people. There is something about the employees and customers that let you put your hunger aside and wait calmly for your meal.
   I ended up taking the pie to another destination. But, I still took a photo. Before viewing, let me warn you. You should prepare to instantly feel starved.

   Just looking at the tomatoes, green peppers, onions and roasted red peppers makes one need a slice to provide a dopaminergic reward. This pizza is a bit similar to Big Star in Copley in the way that the vegetables taste absolutely perfect together. The whole composition is a bit similar. Capri pizza is thicker than Big Star's New York style and also has a better crust. near the crust the Parmesan becomes very apparent. It is reminiscent to the sprinkled Parmesan cheese on some pastas. As you can see, the crust is quite crispy for how thick it is.
   I cannot imagine how packed this place gets on Friday or Saturday nights. This has to be a popular place, not only for those who frequent Highland Square, but for all of Akron. I think I will soon find out. Even as a health conscious eater, I may have to catch me some more Capri in the future.

Marie's Pizza (update)

   Due to schedule inconveniences, I will not be eating at Marie's Pizza this week.
   I will be having Capri Pizza for dinner tonight. Capri is located in Highland Square. They serve pizza by the slice and pizza by the pie, along with countless other items.
   I will be sure to update with pictures, suggestions and my opinion after I try the pizza. The title will simply be "Capri Pizza."

Marie's Pizza (update)

   Due to a hectic schedule. I was unable to go to Marie's today.
   I will be able to tomorrow, though. I will make sure to update with all of the details.

Marie's Pizza (part one)

   Marie's Pizza in Wadsworth is as highly touted of a restaurant as you will see in Wadsworth. Friends of mine from all over northeast Ohio love Marie's.
   I have been to this place one time. I had grilled chicken and a salad. That is not exactly what you hear when people brag about the place. It was okay. I guess it was as good as grilled chicken from a local restaurant can be.
   My brother had eggplant Parmesan. It was not to his liking. He described it as "noodles, ketchup and a deep fried ball of nothing."
   Perhaps we made a mistake by not trying the pizza. It surely seems like we did from all of the praise I hear.
   Tomorrow I will give it a try. If it is as good as the grilled chicken, then I will have went out of my way for an above-average slice of pizza. If it is as good as the eggplant Parmesan, then I will have wasted my time and money. I am hoping it is better than both. We will see.

More familiarity (part three)

   The place changed. As for the pizza, I do not remember its appearance. I do not quite remember its taste. But, I remember its sauce and cheese were its trademark. It was also a bit of a greasy pizza. By first glance, I cannot tell if it has changed. Like previously mentioned, it does not look like anything special. It does not look bad either. Maybe it was my slight lack of an appetite. When I look at the picture, saliva drips from my incisors like water from a stalagmite.

   This pizza had a distinct aspect to it that I have not encountered before. The entire body of the pizza tasted like the crust. It was almost like having cheese and sauce on a triangle-shaped crust. Of course, the actual crust was even better. The cheese and sauce was charred onto it and solidified into one.
   The pizza was not too greasy. The picture may look different. But, this pizza was somehow juicy without being greasy. The sauce that did not crust and dry onto the crust was seeping out from under the cheese and down the edge of the slice.
   The sauce was very tomato based. That is obvious. But, it is even more apparent in this sauce. The sauce is put on very liberally. It virtually explodes out of the slice when you take a bit. This was a very hot pizza, you have to let it cool. If not, you will walk away with an injury when the sauce erupts from under the cheese.
   This is a very doughy pizza, but the dough is delicious. The dough, heavy sauce and ample cheese make for a great composition and a very filling pizza.

More familiarity (part two)

   I did not remember how odd this place's location is. It is basically in a residential area and just yards away from open railroad tracks.
   The place looks very new and very different on the outside. It almost looks high end. The place was packed, but the waitresses were easy on the eyes and seated us in a timely fashion. To the left was a bar and grill area. It looked like a nice pad, but we chose to go to the right--the dining area. In the dining area, you have no awareness of the bar's existence. The two places are very adequately separated.
   The dining area was very new and very clean. The floors looked freshly stained and paintings scaled the walls. There were a lot of eye catching objects in this place. The paintings looked familiar.

   It took some thought to realize that they were paintings of the O.C. Barber buildings scattered around the city of Barberton. Other than paintings and architecture, 50+ inch televisions airing sports call to your attention. If the place was not so crowded, it would be the perfect atmosphere.
   The service was surprisingly quick. The waitress was naturally friendly and seemed to actually care. Not only was our order placed quickly, but the large cheese pizza was sat in front of us in less than 15 minutes--fresh out of the oven.
   This pizza was piping hot. After cutting the slices away from each other, we let it cool for two or three minutes. It did not look special. In this case, looks were slightly deceiving.

More familiarity (part one)

   You can say I had a goal in mind for this blog. It was more of a plan. The plan was to go to a variety of places in a variety of cities and towns in the area. Going to the same city twice in a row was not a part of the plan.
   The last entry showed how memories can influence your experience and opinion of the restaurant and its food. I am not intentionally keeping this theme--at least directly. When an old friend brought up the idea of this place, we had to go. I no longer dine out for pizza that often. The latest visits have been for the sake of this blog. But, I would have went to this place whether I was writing a blog or not.
   The place is Angie's pizza in Barberton. It is a small dine in joint that recently had a major overhaul. It looks quite nice from the outside. I heard it is a great place on the inside. I have only been there a few times as a child. From memory, it is one of the best traditional slices in the area.
   I will be going to Angie's in an hour or two. I will be sure to observe the atmosphere, take some pictures and report on the taste and make-up of the pie.

Pizza of the past (part three)

   In the last post, I mentioned that this pizza was its own style. It is. It is not the deep dish type of Chicago style pizza. It is not the flatter, spread out New York style pizza.
   Its depth is between Chicago and New york style. The sauce is mixed with onions. The onions are so fine that you do not notice their texture, just their flavor. The only cheese used is mozzarella. It covers the slice perfectly like a sleeping bag. Wrapping around the slice, slightly, to blanket the sauce. The cheese is thick and laid on in a pretty large quantity. But, it is not sloppy. It stays on perfect and is slightly browned, especially on the crust. the crust is crispy and solid in flavor. The crispness of the crust could be a trademark. The rest of the pizza is has some bend and some give--but not too much.
   It is exactly as I remember. A great pizza overall. This place is a hidden gem of a pizza joint; a true diamond in the rough. 

   The flavor brings back the memories mentioned in the previous post. Though, those memories are overpowered by the pleasure applied to my pallet and the joy this piece of art brings to my eyes.
   This pizza is not the greatest with vegetables and actually is better with little to no toppings. Peperoni and sausage would suffice, but just peperoni would be perfect. I gave up red meat, so plain cheese was absolute bliss. If you ever find yourself in Barberton, OH, I definitely recommend Peppi's and Luigi's.

Pizza of the past (part two)

Note: Due to technical difficulties, I was unable to post this directly from my phone

   I am writing this from my phone. I just sat down in a pretty secluded seat next to a little buffet. I do not remember the buffet. I would not suggest you try anything other than this place's pizza.
   Other than the buffet, the place did not change. There were "Central Division Champs" Cleveland Indians banners, pictures of Bernie Kosar and pictures of Mark Price, the same pictures I remember from years ago, hanging near the unnaturally high ceiling.
   The entire inside smelled of some type of pasta. It was pretty warm inside. Was it because of the thermostat or the warmth of the employees? Like every pizzeria I have been to over the past few weeks, the employees were welcoming and had pleasant dispositions. They are being payed, I guess.
   If  you are a lemonade drinker, I suggest ordering the lemonade. Not only is it as thirst quenching as water, it is 100 percent natural, absolutely delicious and went perfect with the pizza.
   The pizza was much different than the slices from the last two entries. 750ml's pizza was Chicago style. Big Star Pizza's sample was New York style. Peppi's and Luigi's was its own recipe. This recipe seemed to be exactly the same as I remember it.

I'll upload pictures later. I have been having technical difficulties.

Pizza of the past (part one)

   For my third installment of Ohio by the slice, I will be revisiting a favorite from my past.

   The memories of Peppi’s and Luigi’s are lodged in the back of my mind with little league baseball and playing hooky from school.

   This place was a childhood favorite of mine. In the best way possible, it stuck out like a sore thumb between a liquor store and an adult book store. It sits in a small shopping center on the corner of two busy streets. This place, in Barberton, OH, is the definition of a hole in the wall.

   The inside of this personable pizzeria is spattered with Italian art and architecture. Aside from the art, the community’s love of Cleveland sports is spread across the restaurant.

   If the place still matches the description held in my mind’s eye, I am in for a delicious pizza pie in a comfortable, family oriented, old fashioned Italian atmosphere. This description does not fit the mold of the bland building in between the two other buildings catering to the local addictions. But this place truly is a scrumptious eatery that makes one feel right at home.

   Tomorrow, I go back in time. I revisit childhood memories and hopefully satisfy my senses with a mouth watering slice of pizza.

Pizza in NYC, OH (part three)

   With this piece of art on a plate in front of me, I hesitate to even touch the slice. I almost looked around for the "do not touch the art work" sign.
   With widened eyes and a watering mouth, I place my thumb right thumb under the crust and my index and middle finger on top. I use my four fingers on my left hand to support the body of the pizza. An epic smell gets stronger as I raise the slice towards my mouth.
   This New York style pizza was much thinner than the Chicago style pizza. The vegetables complemented the structure nicely and it was relatively light in weight. Though a little flimsy, the cheese and toppings stayed on perfectly.
   Before I took a bite, I knew this was no ordinary chain pizza. 750ml had good pizza via the Vacarros behind the bar. But, this was no ordinary pizza. this was the kind of pizza that no chain restaurant can produce. This was an original recipe  used my one pizza joint.
   The piece explodes in my mouth with flavor as I bite into it. The sauce is propelled into my mouth and the vegetable soon follow riding along on the cheese. This is the best combination of vegetables I have ever had. The sauce's subtle tartness compliments them perfectly. The taste and texture provolone cheese could not have been duplicated or bettered by any other type of cheese.
   If I did not know any better, I would have thought I was in New York City. The ambiance, the genuine employees, the imagery and the pie. If you ever get a hankering  to try a New York style pizza, Big Star is the place. If you ever get the hankering to go to New York, Big Star is the place.

Pizza in NYC, OH (part two)

   As I walk past the array of Italian colored neon lights into the propped open door, an assortment of smells invade my nostrils.
   Tiramisu, baklava, biscotti, strombolis, calzones, chicken, soups and three types of pizza were all competing to win over my senses. My nose and eyes were telling my appetite  to get some of everything. It was tough to just get one slice of New York style pizza.
   The employees were friendly and made me feel at home. I found out that Big Star Pizza is a family owned restaurant. they have been using the recipe for decades. They were the original pizza place in Rolling Acres mall. I think it is fortunate for them that the mall failed. This place should not be looked at as food court pizza. The menu is too epic and the people are too genuine.
   There were numerous slices already ready. I ordered a fresh slice with green peppers, onions, black olives, spinach and tomatoes. New York style pizzas are known for being good with vegetables.
   The inside of Big Star is a pretty visually stimulating atmosphere. Aside from the excellently prepared food on display, the mix of yellow, green, lime green and red really keeps you at attention while you are inside. It is not a negative effect, but an interesting effect. Are these colors keeping me from being bored during my wait? It made inanimate objects stand out. It was reminiscent to what Aldous Huxley explained in Doors of Perception. Huxley talks about his early trial with mescaline and how it allowed him to view objects for their issness, or istigkeit, rather than what function they serve and how proportionate they are to him. Did these colors manipulate my brain in some strange way to keep me from being bored? No. I suspect that this thought was actually a result of me being bored.
   The wait was not long. In the matter of 10 minutes, I had a delicious looking slice of pizza in front of me. The vegetables sat on the cheese like an art composition. The smell overpowered the smell of the other food constantly being cooked. I knew I was in for a better slice than my first trial with the Chicago style pizza. 

Pizza in NYC, OH

   Today I am visiting New York City for my next installment in this pizza blog--supposedly.
   I was told to eat at a place in Copley called Big Star Pizza over the summer. The place was very inviting. The neon lights, the yellow, red and lime green coloring inside along with the large selection of food just reminds one of the big city.
   I chose to have the Chicago style pizza. It was a good pizza and much better than the average slice from a chain pizza place. I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting a slice of pizza that transcended state lines and made me feel like I was outside of Wrigley Field stuffing my face with dough, cheese and sauce.
   After talking about my disappointment, I was told that I should have tried the New York style pizza. It is their specialty. I should have known this was the case. The place is very reminiscent to Sal's Pizza from Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing.
   The Chicago pizza was good. It has been described as "okay." If the Chicago pizza is "okay," I cannot imagine how tasty the New York pie will be. It has been called the best example of New York style pizza not in New York.
   You have to love an excuse to indulge in fine pizza every week. At lunch, I will go to Big Star, New York, OH and find out what the fuss is about.

Pizza at Gatsby's (part three)

   Sorry for the delay. I know my readership have been sitting at their personal computers and laptops, if not both, with their eyes glued to their smart phones just waiting for the conclusion to my pizza peril.
   This pizza was good, very good. Every facet of the pie was enjoyable.
   I talked with two of the friendly employees over this lunch. As stated last post, what I eventually learned was a little surprising. The pizza was not made at the bar. It was ordered from a take-out joint behind the bar called Vaccaro's. This explained why there was no sign of a kitchen or kitchen workers in the place--at least not on this day.
   I am not a big wine drinker. I am neither here nor there on the bar scene. I am not an advocate of the pretense and status quo mixture that is aristocratism. But I do love good pizza and friendly, chatty service. Maybe it was just the day I was in there.
   Regardless, I will return to 750ml. Fresh pizza, a comfortable chair and enjoyable employees are enough to keep me coming back.

Pizza at "Gatsby's" (part two)

   When I thought about it, I realized that 750ml was not to blame for any apprehension. The employees were nice, genuine and very pleasant. There is no reason to judge an establishment by the crowd it attracts at a particular time on a particular day.
   I looked down at my petite plate and the fancy, glistening fork in its grasp.
   "What do you expect, it's a wine bar," I thought to myself.
   When my order arrived I let any discomfort or ill thoughts go.
  



  
   The pie was poetic. The cheese blanketed the dough like a melting quilt with the sauce lying beneath in a dream state. A myriad of vegetables, spinach, green pepper, onion and tomato, rest on top, glued by the molten cheese.
   Not every pizza is good with vegetables, not a lot of pizzas are good with a lot of vegetables. This one is.
   The sauce had a slight sweetness. The cheese and toppings stayed on for the ride through every bite.
Once you ingested the body, it was not the end of the line. You still have a buttery, soft crust that crisps on the outside with a hint of garlic. The melted cheese shelled over adds the perfect touch.
   I look around the restaurant, wondering why these aristocrats and hipsters are not joining in on the epic deliciousness.
   I shake my head and start a conversation with the employees. I thought aloud and asked why it seems like we are the only people in the place eating the great pizza.
   The answer surprised me.

Pizza at "Gatsby's" (part one)

   750Ml (milliliter) is a wine bar on West Market Street in Fairlawn, OH. I was told this was the place to go for a great slice and drink.
   My brother, the wine snob, was the person to refer to this strange place. The guy knows food. I will give him that. We have found some of the best pizza in the most peculiar venues and we have similar tastes. I had no reason to reject his recommendation.
   So there we were, surrounded by aristocrats and fashionistas. Me: disorganized and discomposed by the social climate. My brother: extroverted as ever with his eyes glued to the large wine selection.
   Beverage orders are made first, of course. Be drunk--there is no better way to stuff your face in expensive excess.
   I opted for the green tea.

  
   There is something to be said about these two-dollar-a-piece Bigalow tea bags. That something is: You can get 50 of them at the grocery store for approximately $3.00.
   $4.00 tea in hand, I lean back and think of something to compare the situation to while I wait to order. Not far into my attempted relaxation, I think of Nick Carraway. In The Great Gatsby, Carraway witnesses unimaginable elitism in attempt to find his place among the wealthy of Long Island.
   This display of excess did not quite compare. Though, it was enough to urge one to put on airs for a slice of pizza.
   "The help is nice," my brother interrupted, breaking my train of thought.
   I knew he meant the hostess attending to our table. I just was not sure if he was complimenting the service or calling her attractive. In my head I agreed with both and nodded with a laugh.