Jumbo Slice, Adams Morgan

Nothing helps curb a hangover like a big, greasy slice of pizza, and there are no bigger slices around than Washington, D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood
Jumbo Slices! They nightly serve up their humongous 'slices' to hungry crowds of barhoppers desperate for some calories. Each piece is about the size of my entire torso, and to say it's just one is a cruel joke to play on your digestive system. However, two warring establishments lay claim to the best jumbo slice in DC, and having patronized the original recipe Jumbo Slice Pizza after a night of drinking and debauchery I can safely give my stamp of approval to it as the superior jumbo slice available. If you find yourself in the Adams Morgan area with a rumbling stomach, dare to compare and take on one of the mighty slices to declare your own winner. Really, it seems like win-win, doesn't it?

Image taken from Yachad-DC.org/

Andy's carbonara pizza

Having an enthusiastic and talented chef as a roommate definitely has its perks. For as much as Andy can appreciate and manipulate dishes of magnificent quality, he is equally passionate about some of the lower echelons of culinary exploration, such as the quintessential pizza and beer combination. Truly, if there is a better pairing of food and drink I haven't yet found it.

Having said that, there's certainly nothing wrong with run-of-the-mill pizza pies from any number of chain establishments or your grocery's freezer; there's always a time and a place for some cheap eats. However, if it's something a bit higher class that you yearn for and you don't mind putting a little elbow grease into it, I recommend the herb pizza dough available at Trader Joe's. I find it to crisp up nicely while leaving a gooey trail within the crust. For our particular experiment this night, we gathered up some of the best dry and sharp cheeses, along with some fresh arugula and herbs smattered on top of a thick, creamy, mushroom sauce that smothered the misshapen pie to ultimately be crowned with a halo of fresh eggs (cracked at the very end to ensure maximum runny-ness while avoiding that pesky salmonella). I can't truly explain the details without my mouth suddenly becoming full of saliva in a desperate yearning for a recreation of the glory, so perhaps a visual is necessary.



When confronted with a particularly savory group dish, a quandary often presents itself soon into the meal. Does one A) scarf it down with relish to ensure as much possible goodness is selfishly consumed by oneself, or B) does one maintain a sense of decorum and savor each bite to maximize the pleasure time? Let's just say with two hungry boys standing between me and my fair share of the pizza, the entire concoction was gone within moments. A glorious triumph for pizza lovers everywhere.

Blind Lady Ale House

San Diego was recently named the Best Beer Town in America by the Men's Journal, and one of the places that helped us to acquire such a noble title is Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights. We had first attempted to drop by for a pint and a bite a few months ago, and unhappily were never served or helped. You know that feeling when you walk into a new place for the first time and you can tell it's not quite the standard way of doing things, but you can't quite put your finger on how it works? That's BLAH. It's a small joint on Adams Ave., in between 34th and 35th Streets with open shared seating (not unlike Pizza Port Solana Beach), and the "waitstaff" is more of a one to two person bussing and food running operation. To order, there's a cashier line for food, and a small bar to take your drink orders. The beers of the day are written in chalk above the plain taps (no fancy tap pulls here!) and it seems to be a consistently rotating and well thought out selection. Read here about their "Honest Pint" Certification!

Our second attempt proved more fruitful- after spotting their weekly ad in CityBeat, I noticed that they were kicking off their Saturday with a cask of Stone Vanilla Bean Smoked Porter. Generally, porters aren't my bag, but this sounded like something I couldn't pass up. Our initial plan was to head to Hamilton's Tavern for their Green Flash night, with 19 Green Flash beers on tap, free BBQ, and 3 hours of David Bowie in honor of his birthday weekend, but by the looks of the line wrapping around the corner half of San Diego got that memo too! Not discouraged, we decided that this was a sign to spend our evening at Blind Lady, which proved to be a wise plan. Families, foodies, and beer-o's alike were swarming the place, but even with 7 of us in tow we managed to finagle a spot after a few minute's wait. Now that we had our bearings, the separate food-and-drink ordering lines became less daunting, and the food selection promised to be top notch.

I'm still getting used to the idea that San Diego is filled with people who love beer as much as me... most of them more so! It's refreshing to know that the bartender at any given "beer" bar is going to know just what the hell they're talking about. He enthusiastically recommended the Stone brew, describing it as a beer milkshake. After an endorsement like that, how could I resist? The pour was perfection; the head took minutes to fall and the smell reached my nostrils even with his back turned to the pour. Generally, vanilla makes itself known much more by smell than taste, which remained true for this brew as well. Nonetheless, it was a surprisingly pleasant porter that went down more like a stout with a quick sweet bite during the aftertaste. It took a while to down the pint (this is definitely a "sipping" beer) but by the time I'd reached the bottom of the well-poured glass I was a little saddened by the lack of beer that I held in my hand.

Since we were nibbling as well, a second porter wasn't in the cards for me, so it was a Delirium Tremens next, which served as a great pairing to the clam appetizer and prosciutto pizza we had ordered. The clams were good, the broth was hot, buttery, and the sausage was a light and tasty side afterthought, but nothing spectacular. The pizza was fantastic- the crust, prosciutto, and all ingredients met in a sweet harmony of bliss that was well worth the $13 it cost. Others in our group also got the vegan butternut squash pizza with mushrooms and lemon zest, which tasted a little too clean and not enough like pizza to tantalize my tastebuds. The margherita pizza looked and smelled great, but unfortunately didn't make it into my mouth. Just something to look forward to next time- it's a definite recommendation for casual dining that's a step above the norm!

Una Pizza Napolentana

Friend and comrade in food/drink enthusiasm Amy McFadden shared this quick and drool-inducing video of Una Pizza Napoletana's owner from 2004-2009, Anthony Mangieri. Watch if you love pizza and salivation!

NATURALLY RISEN from michael evans on Vimeo.

Pizza Port Solana Beach

I have discovered my new favorite place to grub. Let me just tell you, this is not whatsoever a minor thing to declare. It's not terribly hard to impress me with pizza and beer, but Pizza Port, established in 1987, takes it to an entirely new level. One of my best friends and the person responsible for my foodie-ism, Andy, arrived in San Diego for his first ever West Coast trip for a weekend in which we planned on spending the majority of the time inebriated with beer and also food. We knew that only the best of the best could be considered for his short time here, and Pizza Port came highly recommended from several sources. You can't really go wrong with a good pie with a nice selection of beer, and I can assure you that Pizza Port has both. We drove to the closest one of three, the original location in Solana Beach on Highway 101 (the other locations are San Clemente and Carlsbad), and the line at 6:30 PM on a Saturday was understandably out the door. However, our determination fueled us to stand our ground and surprisingly the line moved faster than expected. I had my doubts as to the possibility of sitting based on the communal sitting arrangement of picnic tables and a few bar tables outside, but in the 15 or so minutes it took us to order our pies there was enough coming and going of patrons that it wasn't a problem. For parties larger than 3 it might have been more problematic, but with a watchful eye and a quick pounce for spaces opening up you should be fine.

We had decided to get 2 small pizzas, the Carlsbad (Pesto, mesquite grilled chicken, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, & feta) and the Monterey (Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, & artichoke hearts) sans onions, but at the recommendation of the cashier who assured us that getting a medium half-and-half was not only bigger, but cheaper, we obviously jumped at the chance. At the recommendation from my cousin (an Encinitas native and Pizza Port enthusiast) we also got an order of garlic Beer Buddies (Bite sized pieces of signature crust or wholegrain beer crust brushed with GARLIC or CAJUN SPICE served with Ranch dressing or Marinara sauce) to snack on while we enjoyed a few brews while awaiting our meal. The medium pizza measuring 14" seemed to be enough for 3 hungry twentysomethings who planned on filling up with a few beers as well, and it ended up being just the right amount.



Besides being told about their great pizza, Pizza Port's other claim to fame is their un-bottled, cask-only homemade brews that are only available in-house or at select local retailers. They had about 12-15 house beers available along with an assortment of local brews for those who can't live without their favorites. At the recommendation of the bartender, my first beer was the California Honey Ale (recommended for those who enjoy a good lager). Despite the name, it was not thick or syrupy at all, but extremely crisp and refreshing. For a house beer, a fantastic selection. Since I was driving, over the 2 or so hours we spent dining, I only enjoyed two refreshing beers, but both were top-notch. The second beer was the Cardiff Chronic, an amber ale with absolutely no bitterness an a medium body. The color was slightly deceptive, and I anticipated a much maltier finish, but happily it sailed down my tongue without leaving the wince often left behind with heavier amber ales. That particular pint is pictured below on the far left, with the house porter and the house Belgian-style, both excellent.



For a guaranteed great experience, kid friendly, casual, inexpensive but fun, be sure to check out any of the locations. I can guarantee you'll most likely run into me there!

Port Solana Beach
135 N. Highway 101
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(858) 481-7332

Port San Clemente
301 N. El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 940-0005

Port Carlsbad
571 Carlsbad Village
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 720-7007

Westgate Pizza- Bethlehem, PA

For over 30 years, Westgate Pizza in Bethlehem, PA has been a family-owned town icon with a fantastic variety of pizzas, subs, stromboli, and more. Luckily, the lovely Marylou Ivey, native of Bethlehem, knew just where we should stop on our journey to Vermont. After a quick tour of the town (voted #88 of the 100 Top American Cities to Live in!), we stopped here to begin what would prove to be The Greatest Week of Eating in the History of Beth. Scott and I were overwhelmed as first time visitors, but Ashton took charge and made some great suggestions. Eventually I settled on the "small" stromboli, and weighing in at about 1-2 lbs. of pure cheese, meat, and veggies it was anything but small. I got through about half before I succumbed to the food coma threatening to pop my buttons and expose my quickly swelling belly. Ashton and Scott stuck to the famous cheesesteaks, and were kind enough to share bites of the majestic concoctions. The marinara they provided as a dip wasn't the greatest, but the hot n' heavy sandwiches and stromboli more than made up for it.

As if we needed more, their perogies couldn't be passed up, and they were great. Obviously quality, the edges had just a tiny crisp while the molten middle melted in my mouth. My only regret is that I didn't have another stomach to try the Sicilian Pizza, which was voted BEST PIZZA in 2000. If you're in the mood to drool, check out the menu, and if you find yourself in the neighborhood I assure you that anything you get will be fantastic. There are few things better than a greasy hot sandwich from a local deli, and I'm hoping to make a repeat visit to this one in the future.







Westgate Pizza
Located in the Westgate Mall, next to Eckert Drug
Bethlehem, PA
610-865-1393

Pizzeria Luigi

Ah, pizza. An American staple, which like so other many American staples we have just stolen and claimed as our own. There's no shortage of amazing pizza joints in San Diego, and something to tantalize the tastebuds of everyone, whether your dig be New York, Sicilian, Chicago, or whatever style you crave.

However, if your loyalties lie in the New York style pizza arena, then Pizzeria Luigi in Golden Hill is a sure bet. This cash-only joint on the corner of 25th and B offers some of the best pizza in the city. Not only do they have a solid menu with fresh ingredients, they also offer vegan and vegetarian options that can be made to order (like any of their pies) if they aren't already made. If pizza's not your bag... then you are no friend of mine, but they do also offer calzones, stromboli, pasta, and salads.

I was pleased to see that they make their strombolis the RIGHT way, which seems to be non-existent in the majority of pizza places nowadays! When I order a stromboli, I don't want the exact clone of a calzone, just with different cheese. I was a rolled, baked, and sliced crisp crust with the innards spilling out like a cannibalistic zombie cheese holocaust. Not that there's anything wrong with the doughy pocket of nuclear cheese from calzones, it's just NOT THE SAME THING, AND I COMMEND PIZZERIA LUIGI FOR KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE!

Our dining partners for the day were Mike and Mandie, a vegan and vegetarian who recommended it as a great place for vegans and carnivores alike. Since there weren't any of their vegan selections already prepared, they gladly offered to toss one up for him fresh, which is pretty awesome of them. Mandie seems pleased with her cheese slices.



For $5.50, you can get any 2 slices and a drink, which is a great deal for this caliber of pizza. They also deliver nearby and have outdoor dining, which is a super-duper plus for Southern California weather. Nothing is better than cracking open a cold beer (available here!) and chowing on some great pizza while enjoying the weather in a fantastic neighborhood. The crust was very crispy but not thin, and the atmosphere was casual but serious. All pizzas are made in front of you and there's a great variety of ingredients available- including artichokes, which I LOVE on pizza!

Here's a sampling of some of the treats we encountered on our quest.




Their case is constantly being rotated with fresh pies for individual slices, and whole pies to order. Fast service, good prices, booze available, great atmosphere, and most important- great food. Absolutely worth a repeat visit.




Mike demonstrating how full he is and also how angry he is that there is NO MORE PIZZA TODAY.