Update: As of Dec 16, 2014, guests are reporting a two-hour wait for tables during the week. Combine that with 45 minutes to cook a deep-dish pizza, and you're not going to be eating in a hurry. Caveat diner.
One of the culinary world's eternal battles is between the cities of New York and Chicago, and the topic is pizza. In one corner you have the svelte New York-style pizza, thin and flexible, topped only with sauce and cheese, and perhaps a meat or two. In the other corner is the burlier Chicago-style, a thin, pastry crust piled high with cheese, lots of toppings, and finished with a chunky tomato sauce. It's a classic battle, the scrappy wisecracking dancer vs the heavy, no-nonsense bruiser, both fighting for bragging rights and a place in your belly.
So on our recent visit, we ordered a small deep-dish, and selected the Meaty Legend,
one of Gino's East's most celebrated pies, and one that we'd sampled years ago in Chicago.
These thick pizzas don't cook fast; our server estimated 45 minutes to an hour for it to cook. Since we ordered a small, it cooked a bit faster, but expect a wait when you order one of these pizzas made to order.
Ours appeared in about twenty minutes, and the server wrestled out a slice.
Back when I lived in Austin, I dined frequently with my good friend Bruce, a talented amateur chef who was very knowledgable about the restaurant industry. He had one rule he always recommended when dining: Order what the restaurant is known for.
Italian Beef at RC's Pizza |
Fried Calamari at RC's Pizza |
We've made no bones about being fans of Crust Pizza Co., the independent pizza empire that has announced the expansion to a third location in the Woodlands. Their focus on fresh ingredients, innovative recipes, and rock-solid consistency makes them our go-to place for a great pizza.
Even if you love to try new things, it's easy to fall into a rut. For years I was in a pizza rut - every time I'd order a pizza, pepperoni would be the key topping. Sure, I'd occasionally augment things with some Italian sausage, onion, or bacon, but it wasn't a pizza for me without pepperoni.
The Woodlands quickly becoming a full-fledged city, its residents not needing to leave the area when they want to shop or dine. But the savvy diner will notice one distressing fact: Most of the restaurants in The Woodlands are part of a chain that's based elsewhere.
Fortunately, that's starting to change. Now there's a new kid on the independent pizzeria block: Crust Pizza Co.
Crust Pizza Co. is an upscale, family-oriented pizza parlor located in the Panther Creek Village Center, on The Woodlands Parkway at West Panther Creek. It's a true independent — the owners, Mark Rasberry and Clint Price, are on-site and deeply involved. Price is a resident of The Woodlands, and Rasberry is currently making a weekly commute from Dallas — he'll be relocating after the school year ends.
They decided to open their pizza concept in The Woodlands, citing the family-friendly environment as a key reason for Crust Pizza debuting outside both the Loop and the Beltway.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza at Crust Pizza Co. |
The strip-center location has been converted into a warm, inviting spot for lunch or dinner. Custom is the operative word here — custom banquettes, custom countertops, and beautiful custom lighting with exposed copper supports.
The warmth extends to the new staff — a bunch of fresh faces, many of whom have never worked in the restaurant business before. Price and Rasberry are training them to be professional as well as friendly, and from our first impression, we received a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and a growing degree of polish.
The warm, inviting dining room at Crust Pizza Co. |
The experience, however, is behind the counter. Crust's pizzas are hand-built by a pizza chef who was brought in from New York, and his East Coast sensibilities are baked right into his work.
Each pizza features a handmade thin, crispy crust with house-made sauce. The fresh toppings range from the traditional pepperoni and sausage to the exotic, like cashews and muffaletta-style olive relish.
Preparing a pizza at Crust Pizza Co. |
"So how's the pizza?" you ask.
I'm typically a pizza traditionalist, so I started by sampling a margherita pizza. The crust was light and crisp but not hard, and its faintly sweet flavor was a solid base for the savory roma tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh chopped basil.
The crushed garlic added a bit of swagger, and the result was both fresh and bold. (Bold is a recurring theme at Crust Pizza Co., and one that is a welcome change from the often bland offerings at chain restaurants.)
Margherita Pizza at Crust Pizza Co. |
Next was a walk on the wild side. We tried The Jerk, featuring Jamaican jerk chicken, caramelized onions, red, green, and yellow bell peppers, thick-cut bacon and a mixture of cheeses.
This was, again, a bold pizza, the jerk chicken's spicy bite offset by the sourness of the bell peppers and the smoky undertones of the nice quality bacon. I didn't expect to like this pizza (I'm not a big bell pepper fan) but it turned out to be my favorite.
We also sampled their sandwiches, including a memorable Spicy Link sub, with hot Italian link sausage, a variety of peppers, caramelized onions, and a blend of cheeses over the housemade pizza sauce.
Spicy Link Sausage Sandwich at Crust Pizza Co. |
Not to be trite, but this, too, was a bold piece of food art. The Italian links were nicely spicy, and the peppers' gentle sourness made for a very savory combination.
We were impressed by the food coming out of this new kitchen, and feel that it's only fair to overlook any pre-opening jitters, which were few and far between. Rasberry and Price are pros, and they've brought their distinct style of upscale, high-quality pizzas to the central Woodlands. And they're doing so at very reasonable prices.
The verdict? We'll be back.
(This entry first appeared on CultureMap.)
The Woodlands has many places to dine out. Most are units of large chains, but we've noticed an uptick in independent, mom-and-pop restaurants with owners who are active, involved, and on the premises.
The latest privately-owned restaurant to appear on the scene is Crust Pizza Co., located at Woodlands Parkway and Panther Creek in the Panther Creek Village Center.
Crust Pizza Co. - Under Construction |
(Crust Pizza is so new that they're not yet open - their contractors were busy finishing out the restaurant when we stopped in for a visit. The brand-new pizza oven was still in its wrapper, and the phones were in their boxes, awaiting connection.)
Crust Pizza Company is the brainchild of Clint Price and Mark Rasberry. Clint lives in the Woodlands, and Mark and his family are relocating from Dallas after the school year ends.
Mark and Clint describe the restaurant as a family-focused spot, with handmade food, good prices, and a slightly upscale family atmosphere. A variety of pizzas will be front and center, with Chicago-style thin crust and a wide variety of fresh toppings. Pasta, sandwiches, and salads will also be on the menu, and daily specials will be offered. Beer and wine will be available as well.
The cozy location will seat about 50 people indoors, and another 25 or so on the wraparound patio amidst the pine trees.
We're looking forward to the grand opening of Crust Pizza Co., and will have a full review once they're up and running.
Crust Pizza Co. - 4775 West Panther Creek Drive - The Woodlands, Texas 77381 - 281-298-8844
We've lived in the Woodlands for about five years now, and have watched the restaurant here scene steadily grow and improve. No longer just a sleepy little suburb, the 80,000+ residents of the Woodlands can enjoy dining out at some of the best restaurants in the Houston area. From high-end establishments like Tesars and Jasper's, to small mom-and-pop restaurants like Eden Cafe, Capri, and Mel's, the Woodlands area has something for everyone.
One particular area of interest is pizza. Houston isn't a great pizza town (Sorry, Star Pizza) and many folks believe the best pizza can be found in the suburbs, particularly Sugar Land and the Woodlands. You'll find great local spots like Brother's Pizza and Pizza Tonight, and bigger chains like Russo's and the stellar Grimaldi's (from Brooklyn.)
We'd been hearing good things about a small pizza place that had quietly opened two locations in the Woodlands. When one of our trusted sources said that the pizza was worth trying, we headed out to investigate.
We drove west from our central Woodlands headquarters to the Sterling Ridge location of Gozzetti's. Located in the well-hidden Marcel Crossing Shopping Center, Gozzetti's is a small, tidy spot with both indoor and outdoor seating. We were immediately greeted by the gregarious staff, and we learned a little about their story.
Gozzetti's is owned by two families who moved to the Woodlands from New Jersey. Unable to find the kind of pizza they were accustomed to in their home state, they decided to make their own, using ingredients imported from the East Coast.
Gozzetti's formula begins with a thin, hand-tossed crust that's made in-house. And these crusts are big - a large at Gozzetti's is 24". (That's not a typo). Next is the specially blended sauce, spread sparingly, as they do on the east coast. Above that are a mixture of imported (from NJ) cheeses, and the meat and veggie toppings.
The result goes into a conventional conveyor oven. And what comes out is the reason we're here. From this unremarkable oven emerges a pizza that's among the best in the Houston area - thin, crunchy/chewy, and loaded with flavor. Gozzetti's gets the foundation right - the thin, tasty crust, the right amount of tangy sauce, and a rich, gooey cheese layer supports the top quality toppings. We sampled the traditional pepperoni (large diameter, similar to what they use at Ciao Bello) and the untraditional bacon and pineapple. All were delicious.
We've often bemoaned the lack of great pizza in Houston. Thanks to places like Gozzetti's and Grimaldi's, you don't have to go far to find great pizza in the Woodlands. And for you inside-the-loop folks, it's a nice drive out on a sunny day.
Gozzetti's Pizza
8000 McBeth Way, #170
The Woodlands, Texas 77381
832-585-0303
Gozetti's Pizza
25919 I45 North, Suite A
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
832-585-0600
We love a great pizza. We've been known to discuss great pizzas at length with friends. But compared to Jeff Varasano, we are complete and total dilettantes... because Jeff is serious about pizza, and is willing to share his opinions.
We don't know if his recipe tastes as amazing as he says, but we are in awe of the amount of detail that he puts into it.
If anyone in Houston successfully duplicates his work, we'd love to try it.
Pizza by Marco, based out of Dallas, will open its first Houston location at Market Street this July. Market Street is the outdoor shopping and entertainment district in the Woodlands.
Pizza by Marco is one of the oldest pizzerias in Dallas, and was honored by D Magazine as the best pizzaria in Dallas.
Founded by the Nuccio family of Dallas in 1955, Pizza by Marco is known for to its secret family sauce and flatbread crust. The new restaurant will serve lunch and dinner with delivery available. The menu will feature pizza, pasta and a wide selection of vegan toppings and preservative-free cheese.
Pizza by Marco at Market Street will be led by owner Frank Barnard, a longtime resident of the Dallas area and successful restaurateur.
We've noticed an increased number of Google Mashups, and here's one dedicated to pizza lovers: PizzaShare. It's not perfect, and there's not much for Houston, but it's an interesting idea that's worth a peek.