That said, my BFF-K and I decided to make some time to have dinner together on Friday after work. (Thanks JP for picking Bunny up from school for me). I asked her if she'd be interested in helping me scratch this item off my list and she was game. So I found a handful of restaurants that were recommended by the Houston Press and in the general area where we wanted to go and let her pick.
Here are some of what seemed to me to be the most interesting choices:
$ - Taco's a Go-Go
$ - BB's Cajun Cafe
$ - Frenchy's Chicken
$ - Pizzitola's BBQ
$$ - Daily Review Cafe
$$ - Irma's (she had already been there)
$$ - Last Concert Cafe
$$ - Max's Wine Dive
$$ - Polonia Restaurant (I still remember Alex's grandmother's Pierogis... I still want to try this place!)
$$ - Ponzo's Italian Food
I think I might list these places on a new 101 list - like 101 restaurants I'd like to visit. But for now, we'll focus on Ponzo's, because that is where we ended up.
You might wonder why we decided on Ponzo's. Was it because of an enticing menu, an incredible review, or irresistable music that starts up as you visit the website? Well it was none of the above. K remembered it was right next to Dog House Tavern, a bar we have enjoyed in the past. So we chose it to just go ahead and give it a try AND because we knew we wouldn't have to drive to our next destination, hehe.
First we met up at The Maple Leaf Pub, a bar we can both get to easily from work so we could avoid parking troubles at Ponzo's, which is located in a strip in Midtown in Houston. We had a drink and a shot there while we enjoyed the rather stream-of-consciousness discussion provided by an acquaintance of hers whose name already escapes me.
When he heard we were going to Ponzo's he was incredibly enthusiastic. He insisted we have the hot pastrami sandwich - there were no if's, and's, or but's about it. We sort of shrugged him off because we knew we'd probably split a pie but finished up our drinks and conversations and all parted ways.
K and I went to Ponzo's and as we discussed options at the counter with the owner, she asked K, "Oh - are you K?" Turns out he-who-cannot-be-named (because I forgot, not because he's evil Voldemort) had called ahead and insisted that she could not have anything except the pastrami sandwich. We laughed and I said to get it, and I'll get the Freedom Pizza that we wanted to split, and then I can taste both and do a review on both of them on this blog.
The owner did us a solid and made us an 8" pie which is not normally an option for the Freedom but when you know important people like what's-his-name, you get favors, know what I mean? She told us we could go next door to Dog House and have some drinks and they'd bring our food over.
So we went over to the Tavern, found a comfy booth, started drinking and talking, and waited. And waited some more. Eventually we were starving so K went over to see what the hold-up was. They had the food ready and were about to bring it over.
K brings it back and we tear into it. She eats half of her pastrami sandwich (which is slightly more than what she normally eats for a regular dinner - the thing was pretty huge) and I eat a couple of slices of the pie. She tries some of the pizza and... ok I also had another slice! It was pretty enjoyable.
The freedom pie has extra virgin olive oil, fresh sliced tomatoes, and a touch of oregano. Very close to a margherita pizza. MMMMMMM. Some of you may think, "Sheesh - couldn't you have tried something a little more interesting so we could see how good the pizza really is? But the thing is, the other pizzas on the menu weren't real options for us. The deluxe had a bunch of things I'd take off (olives, sausage, and K hates bell peppers and onions). The Beachcomber is something my JP would eat (Ham, Canadian Bacon, Pineapple, cheese) so I thought if the place was great I'd bring him back. After taking off what we don't like, the Garden would have been like the Freedom plus mushrooms. The Sicilian looked delicious but we didn't want to wait 45 minutes for that bad boy. And finally the Big Boy had way too much meat on it for my taste.
So let's review the Freedom pizza: The cheese was thick and melted, the oregano flavoring it well, and generous slices of tomatoes covered the pie. It was very tasty.
BUT.
The crust was a cross between a thin crust and hand-tossed. I'm a lover of a good pizza crust so I like a cross between hand-tossed and pan, so the crust left me wanting a little.
The oregano was dried oregano. If I'm going to eat a pizza that has nothing but tomatoes and spices, I want the spices to be fresh, not dried. So while it was tasty, it wasn't as aromatic and flavorful as I would have preferred. Maybe I'm not being fair. I mean I DO eat pizza from Center Court in Pearland on a regular basis and people drive from inside the loop to P-town for these pies. So the pizza quality bar was set pretty high for Ponzo's.
So then, how about the Pastrami sandwich? It was pretty delicious, actually. The bread was nice and flaked just right for a hot Italian sub - just a little. The pastrami was piled on high and the cheese was melted throughout. But hot pastrami sandwiches aren't my bag so I had a bite, enjoyed it, and wrapped it up.
What I liked best about the pastrami was it gave K tummy troubles. We were roommates for over a year and a half and she saw me in a variety of post-meal digestive conditions, some of which she can use for blackmail. We won't get into details... and you're welcome. But after living together over that time and after 12-13 years of friendship, I have only known the girl to pass gas one time. However, based on what that pastrami was doing to her, I was pretty sure that if I could hang for the long haul that night, I might witness a replay, hehe.
In conclusion, after sampling both a pie and a sandwich, I think we both walked away feeling the pizza was yummy but not mind-blowing; the pastrami was definitely something for a fan of hot meat subs (in other words, guys); the rest of the pizza options were for either lovers of onions and peppers or meat lovers, so they might knock the socks off of those fans but it was just enjoyable for us, really.
However, no matter what kind of pizza pie fan you are, the one thing that can't be beat at Ponzo's is the customer service. The owner was funny, engaging, accommodating, and incredibly sweet. You can order a pie by calling from the bar next door and they will deliver it to you there - they deliver too to homes too. It is definitely a hole-in-the wall that, if you are in the area, you should at least give a try if nothing else for a lesson in good customer service.
But if you really want a good pie it is worth the drive to come on down to Pearland and try out Center Court Pizza and Brew. Seasoned crusts, fresh ingredients, rich and decadent specials or your standard pepperoni, delicious subs AND fabuous pastas - it's the best pizza I've ever had and I guarantee you'll love it too. Trust me!
