Raised in Detroit, owner Brett Obra (also of Humboldt Bay Bistro) brings two Midwestern pies to our neck of the redwoods, offering thick Detroit and deep-dish Chicago pies, as well as hand-tossed Californian for localists.
The Detroit, trending nationally these days, takes its square
shape from the auto-industry pans in which it was first baked. The
semolina-dusted bottom has a crunch and the cheese that goes all the way to the
edges browns down the sides, making a strong case for the corner piece. Unlike
its East Coast counterpart the Sicilian, the light tomato sauce, which is
simple and straightforward, tops the pie over a relatively restrained
scattering of cheese and pillowy dough filled with steamy air pockets and a
little chew. A standard sausage, olive and pepper hits the classic pizza parlor
notes, Michigan-hearty on a rainy Humboldt evening. The cheese-centric can
order extra or order a Chicago.
Obra himself hoists a Chicago from the oven and tops it with
a frantic shake of Parmesan cheese over the spread of red sauce before running
a cutter across it in the box. The depth means room for toppings that might
collapse a New York slice — there’s capicola on the list of offerings, so you
might take advantage. Purists should look away from the chalkboard — here there
be monsters/non-traditional choices from pineapple to barbecue, clams and white
sauce to taco sauce and jalapeños. They’re crazy out in Midwest.
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