timber pizza co.

timber pizza co.
809 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011
tel: 202) 853-9746

what was consumed: the mina (salad), the green monster, pretty in pepperoni (mix and match! that's ok!)

more pizza please!

and while there are lots of options in most of DC's quadrants, be sure to visit timber pizza co., preferably more than once. all of their pizzas are made to order in their wood fire oven. what's more, they used to be a food truck and now they have their brick and mortar location! yaaassssss ... 

online: http://www.timberpizza.com/

    

a baked joint

a baked joint
440 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 408-6985

what was consumed: pizza! i got the motherload pepperoni (#3) + arugula (no uncooked meats for me, for right now) and friend got the house (#4). i am dying to go back and try one of their breakfast biscuit sandwiches (with a runny egg! soon, friends, soon).

sister to "baked and wired" out in georgetown, i was excited about having a baked joint join the options in downtown/chinatown. and while they have loads of delicious sweets, they don't have cupcakes (my current fav!). but that's ok. because they have PIZZA. 

yes, teresa's pizza is served in the evenings (be sure to check out a baked joint's website for when, along with their hous) and the pizza is delish. friend and i each ordered a pan, but we probably should have just ordered one for sharing (but we wanted to try the different options!) we both took home about half of our pizzas, and i for one was happy to enjoy teresa's the next day. the crust is thick and the toppings are plenty. you will not be disappointed!

online: https://abakedjoint.com/

little coco's

little coco's

3907 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20011
tel: 202) 853-9889

what was consumed: brunch! coco's daily doughnuts (filled with cream today!), italian baked eggs (bolognese, grilled bread, parmesan), steak & eggs (grilled hangar stea, eggs, argula, crispy potatoes), coco's delux pizza (fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, broccoli rabe, red peppers, pecorio)

more italian food, please! happy to see little coco's added to the list of restaurants in the DC area. c had mentioned little coco's to me and i was glad to finally get the chance to visit.

the ladies and i got together for a yummy italian brunch and some good conversation. we ordered a couple of different different dishes to share. delicious daily doughnuts, check (that cream! creamy and not too sweet. i would like a vat of that, please. steak cooked and seasoned well, check. delicious pizza check. bolognese on grilled bread that we seriously contemplated ordering another of, check (definitely get the italian baked eggs).

thank you ladies, thank you little coco's!

Online: www.littlecocos.com/

il canale

il canale
1065 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007
tel: 202) 337-4444

what was consumed: bread to start, pizza (la regina), lobster ravioli

delicious il canale! good for small groups or large groups, veggies or meat eaters, even those who are gluten free (i know, odd for a pizza/pasta place).

il canale has been on my radar for a while as one of the earlier places in DC that has a coveted D.O.C membership (and is part of the italian associazione verace pizza napoletana). that means different things to different people. for me, that means i can go to il canale and be assured that the pizza (and the rest of the meal) is going to be delicious. and it surely was!

m and i head over for some good food and god company. neither she nor i had been, despite our many collective years in the DC area. we made sure to order (and share, of course!) pizza and pasta. the pasta's sauce also went will with the additional plate of bread that we ordered (and devoured). so many yums here!

online: http://ilcanale.com/

all-purpose pizza

all-purpose pizza

1250 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

tel: 202) 849-6174

what was consumed: don's meatball surprise, duke #7 

e and i met for a late dinner (after the kiddo went to sleep; happy to accommodate!). as we were catching up, we enjoyed all-purpose pizza's wares.

as we hemmed and hawed about what we should order, our server suggested we order the meatball surprise as it's plated on delicious cheese "sauce" that pairs so well smothered on the meatballs as well as on the crust of your pizza. and the pizza! the duke #7 has a spreadable meat that is just a little spicy. pickled veggies also grace us on the duke #7 and it took all i had not to ask for double, triple, portions of the veggies (they're that good!). i can see why everyone is chatting about all purpose pizza ... !!!

online: http://allpurposedc.com/

lou malnati's

lou malnati's

439 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654

tel: 312) 828-9800

what was consumed: chicago style pizza, spinach salad.

a student of mine once gifted me lou malnati's pizza and friend w has been ordering giordano's for super bowl since the mid 2000s. all of this is to say that i am not totally new to the chicago pizza scene; that said, being able to enjoy this deliciousness, fresh, was a treat that everyone should indulge in.

we arrived in chicago late for our weekend in the windy city (my plans to see a taping of npr's "wait wait don't tell me" were CRUSHED as a result of a delayed flight and plane re-routing due to weather). i was a little worried (and would be very hangry) that there wouldn't be an eatery open so late. but fear not! a lovely gentleman at the hotel we stayed at told us that we couldn't come to chicago without eating at one of their institutions: lou malnati's (and, lucky for us, their kitchen closes well past midnight).

upon arrival, we were pleasantly surprised to see that we weren't the only late diners. the large bar, set up in a pretty typical bar/pizzeria style with high tables/stools and booths, was about half filled with folks already enjoying their lou malnati's. i wanted in! 

our server took our order soon after we were seated. she told us that our pizza could take up to 35 minutes (fine by us!) and asked whether we wanted the salad first or with the pizza (first please. we were starving!). lucky for us, the salad (and drooling over others' meals) kept us preoccupied until it was our turn to enjoy delicious delicious lou malnati's pizza.

deep dish chicago pizza is characterized, in addition to the "deep dish" high butter crust (that was even more delicious with the left over ranch from the salad. YUM), by the inverse layering: tomato/sauce on to, toppings in the middle, cheese on the bottom nearest the crust. lou malnati's does a great job with that too as the cheese is plentiful and oozes as you enjoy each delicious bite. and while i wish i had more room for another slice, i only made out with two slices under my belt. YUM.

so, when in chicago, be sure to get yourself to lou malnati's ASAP (or one of their other famious pizzeria's. sorry w, we opted for lou malnati's this time around. we'll have to hit up giordano's for what i hope is a guaranteed re-visit to chicago!). you and your taste buds will be glad you did!

online: https://www.loumalnatis.com/

paulie's

paulie's
서울특별시 종로구 종로3길 17 디타워 2층
tel: 02-2251-8200

what was consumed: ny style pizza! i like the godfather (probably one of their most popular). and chicken wings.

more pizza! when paulie's opened in d-tower, friend jen took a bunch of us over to its soft opening (apparently she has friends in high (and delicious) places) and we went at it. 

paulie's is a brick oven pizzeria that makes pizzas in the NYC style (thin crust, full toppings). i was just looking forward to having some delish pizza near the office. they do the classics, make your own, as well as the recommended pies. i could probably eat a whole pie by myself, especially if it's the godfather and accompanied by the bottomless soda i was sipping on.

paulie's also has all of the usual sides pizzerias boast: fries, chicken wings, etc. don't miss out! additionally, they have a pastas for those who are opting out of pizza (those folks are ridic, btw). i haven't tried the pastas, but look forward to when i can. yum.

note: paulie's, though, is a bit on the pricier side. but sometimes, when all you're craving is a good slice, it's worth all the monies. yay for paulies!

online: https://www.facebook.com/pauliesbrickovenpizzeria/

spacca napoli

spacca napoli
서울 마포구 양화로6길 28; also at 서울 마포구 합정동 413-2 2층
tel: 02-326-2323

what was consumed: pizza! and caprese salad

pizza pizza pizza pizza pizza. i love it so much and could probably eat it for every meal. so, when i hear that there's a place that has the OK by multiple italian diplomats, as well as foodie friends, i welcomed it in to my repertoire with open arms. 

the pizza at spacca napoli is great. a wood-fire oven to bake a delicious crust, lots of cheese, ample toppings. just pick one; you won't be disappointed. i've also heard that their pastas are home made and super delish. and don't forget their salads! some things have a korean take (yes, iceburg lettuce abounds), but when the salads are covered with cured meats, really, it's all ok.

online: https://www.facebook.com/spacca.napoli.kr

cheesewick

cheesewick
서울특별시 용산구 녹사평대로 236; also 서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 656 2층
tel: 02-797-8415

what was consumed: pizza! and mac 'n cheese with bacon

a friend of mine, allergic to dairy, once told me he went to cheesewick and had a delicious meal. i wasn't sure why he went (with his dairy allergy and all), but decided to see for myself if cheesewick lived up to its name. so, on a cold winter day, m, a, and i head over to cheesewick.

like many of the hip-ish places near gyung-ri-dan gil, cheesewick sits, maybe, 30 people. right as you walk in, you see the dim lighting, high top stools as well as regular four-top tables. the chalkboard listed the menu along with beer specials. and most everything had cheese (with some items having the ability to "hold" the cheese. you know. for friends with allergies). YESSSSS! 

on this cold and quiet monday evening, we grabbed a seat next to the window. we decided what cheese covered dish we'd be enjoying and quickly put in our order. and now, the waiting and anticipation.

note: i find my love of cheese so strange, especially when i consider how much i hated cheese as a kid. i didn't understand why my mom and sister wanted to cover everything with cheese. blech. and then i grew up and got some taste buds. hahaha. and now, i can't get enough. the sharper the better, the stinkier the better, and when there are those little crystals in the aged cheese, oh YUM.

anyway, contrary to what i had remembered about cheese in korea, our dishes came out, loaded with oozing and delicious CHEESE. the pizza crust was nice and thin, but thick enough to hold all of the cheese (and bacon, as our case may be). and the mac 'n cheese! overflowing with cheese, macaroni that was cooked just right, and with just a touch of a broiled topping.

the only downside with all of the cheese is seeing it when the dishes cool down. of course, maybe not hte most appetizing, but as we thought about what it looked like just minutes ago, and because it still tasted delicious, we easily overcame it and continued enjoying!

must. go. again.

brera

brera
서울특별시 중구 다산로 41 선교제일교회; also 서울특별시 중구 신당동 366-440
tel: 02) 2236-0770

what was consumed: insalata gioconda (fresh salad with rucola, parmigiano, walnuts, cherry tomatoes, apple and balsamic vinegar, lasagna nonna silvana (baked sfoglie filled with bolognese sauce - original "nonna silvana” recipe -, mozzarella, parmigiano and béchamel), gnocchi al pesto (pine nuts, basil, parmigiano and extra-virgin olive oil), quattro formaggi pizza (gorgonzola, mozzarella, emmental and parmigiano)

brera italian kitchen and bar district (not to be confused with the online fashion shop) is a delicious italian spot that has quickly turned into many's go to place for delish italian fare.

after a raved about her experience there (and after my own experience at a delish group event there), a, m, and i decided we wanted our own brera experience. even with no reservation (we got lucky - we agreed to eat with a restricted amount of time), we were seated immediately and we started to order away - a salad, a stuffed pasta (the recommended lasagna), a gnocci dish (because i can't not), a pizza, and wine.

all of brera's pastas are home made, and you can tell! the pasta has just the right amount of elasticity that shows that not only were the ingredients fresh, but that they were never dried and then cooked perfectly. the oozing cheese, the meaty sauce. i prefer a more tomato-y sauce, but i will take brera's nonna silvana recipe! delish all the way to the end. the gnocci was pillowly without being overly starchy and dense. the pesto was just the right amount of basil-y, nutty, and oily. what little sauce remained toward the end of the dish was scooped up by the pizza crust. and yes, the pizza! a thin, but tasty, crust that supported all four of the cheeses.

the wine drinkers at my table also commented on the affordability (for korea) and wide selection of wines, available both by the glass and by the bottle.

so, listen to the raves! it'll be worth the short ride to hangakjin station (brera is about a block away from the station, so no excuses!). delicious!

online: http://www.brera.kr/