Casa Bianca Pizza Pie
Pizza is one of those things that varies as much and as subtly as the people who love it. I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like pizza. Except for hardcore vegans, and they're usually game if you ditch the cheese. To me, a pizza without cheese is like a day without sun. I'll live with it, but it can be depressing. So for those of you in the pro pizza camp, particularly if you like the thin crust version, way over yonder in Eagle Rock there is a little slice of heaven waiting for you.
If you read the reviews on Citysearch, you'd think that Italy's boot punted a few pizzas our way here in sunny SoCal. I've been to Italy, and I think American pizza is much heavier than the light etherial crusts with minimal toppings that they do in Italia. But we also eat pasta as our main entree, so I accept that there is room for interpretation.
Now here's where the funny part of this review comes in. I didn't set foot in Casa Bianca. We had planned to, for months now, but we were always too busy, and time marched on, and now my friend Kat is leaving town (we'll miss you!!) and she was the inspiration for the pilgrimage to Casa Bianca, seeing as she lived in Glendale as of yesterday. So last night, a friend and I went over the Kat's place to help her pack and to taste the fabled pizza from the East. Kat ordered one of their specials and went to pick it up and paid for it. She's a trooper. I'll admit, when she told me she'd ordered eggplant and artichoke pizza, I was a little skeptical. But hey, if it's called a special, it must be at least good, right? Boy was it. They put breaded and fried eggplant on their lovely, toasty, thin crust pizza, and then piled artichoke hearts on top. It was so delicious, I gluttonously devoured three pieces. The sauce was tomatoey, rich, and well-spiced, with the right balance of sweet and savory. There was plenty of cheese, but it wasn't dripping off the pizza, which is my big pet peeve. I don't want tons of cheese, I want the right balance. And they achieved it. All in all, Casa Bianca lived up to the hype. That said, there was one drawback: the wait. Kat called at 6:30pm to ask about ordering a pizza for pick-up and was told it would take at least an hour. Since we hadn't arrived yet, she took the liberty of ordering, which was a wise choice. At 7:45pm they called to tell her it was ready. For pick-up. Not delivery. So patience is a virtue at Casa Bianca, and all the reviews will back me up on that. But in my experience, it's worth the wait.
Casa Bianca Pizza Pie
1650 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 256-9617
Pizza of note on the West Side:
Victor Jr.'s - Near Sony in Culver City. Thin crust and lovin it. Not open on Sat and Sun. *Sob.*
Dagwood's - A huge slice with well-spiced, tomatoey sauce.
Mulberry Street Pizzeria - New York style to the core. Owned by Raging Bull's Cathy Moriarty, a classy Italian chica.
If you read the reviews on Citysearch, you'd think that Italy's boot punted a few pizzas our way here in sunny SoCal. I've been to Italy, and I think American pizza is much heavier than the light etherial crusts with minimal toppings that they do in Italia. But we also eat pasta as our main entree, so I accept that there is room for interpretation.
Now here's where the funny part of this review comes in. I didn't set foot in Casa Bianca. We had planned to, for months now, but we were always too busy, and time marched on, and now my friend Kat is leaving town (we'll miss you!!) and she was the inspiration for the pilgrimage to Casa Bianca, seeing as she lived in Glendale as of yesterday. So last night, a friend and I went over the Kat's place to help her pack and to taste the fabled pizza from the East. Kat ordered one of their specials and went to pick it up and paid for it. She's a trooper. I'll admit, when she told me she'd ordered eggplant and artichoke pizza, I was a little skeptical. But hey, if it's called a special, it must be at least good, right? Boy was it. They put breaded and fried eggplant on their lovely, toasty, thin crust pizza, and then piled artichoke hearts on top. It was so delicious, I gluttonously devoured three pieces. The sauce was tomatoey, rich, and well-spiced, with the right balance of sweet and savory. There was plenty of cheese, but it wasn't dripping off the pizza, which is my big pet peeve. I don't want tons of cheese, I want the right balance. And they achieved it. All in all, Casa Bianca lived up to the hype. That said, there was one drawback: the wait. Kat called at 6:30pm to ask about ordering a pizza for pick-up and was told it would take at least an hour. Since we hadn't arrived yet, she took the liberty of ordering, which was a wise choice. At 7:45pm they called to tell her it was ready. For pick-up. Not delivery. So patience is a virtue at Casa Bianca, and all the reviews will back me up on that. But in my experience, it's worth the wait.
Casa Bianca Pizza Pie
1650 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 256-9617
Pizza of note on the West Side:
Victor Jr.'s - Near Sony in Culver City. Thin crust and lovin it. Not open on Sat and Sun. *Sob.*
Dagwood's - A huge slice with well-spiced, tomatoey sauce.
Mulberry Street Pizzeria - New York style to the core. Owned by Raging Bull's Cathy Moriarty, a classy Italian chica.
posted by Julie at 10:01 AM
2 Comments:
I agree that the Casa Bianca pie did not disappoint, but I'm still a bigger fan of the same combo (artichoke and eggplant) at Pedone's Pizza in the Hollywood Riviera village in South Redondo Beach. Those who will never make the pilgrammage are missing out. I think the difference is in the eggplant...I recall Pedone's breading to be a little lighter and tastier. Anyhoo. Next time you're craving a beach day, branch out, hit the South Bay, and call up Pedone's. I think they have a storefront in Hermosa, too, but I can't vouch for that one. Plus, you won't be shouldering up to as many frat-boy-cum-surfer-dudes at the South Redondo location.
I just dropped into the Hermosa Pedone's - awesome place, great food and nice people. And no frat-boys :-)
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