On a first visit it was a pizza, split half and half between what's often called a Victoria here,…read morethough El Mazacote doesn't give it the moniker, just offering up "bacon and pickled peppers" - one of my personal favorites. Despite panceta, or bacon, being listed right there on the menu, what arrives is ham and pickled peppers - still tasty, and a really good quality ham, but not quite the same. The other half, the classic local Calabresa, with its mildly spicy longaniza and slices of tomato. The verdict? Really good crust, though it could have used another minute in the oven to get just a touch browner and crisper. Good cheese. Good toppings. All around, one we'd happily eat again.
A second visit, solo, and to try a few things that have been cited in one spot or another as the standouts on the menu. First a couple of empanadas. The spicy beef empanada actually had a real kick to it, one of the few carne picante ones I've had in town worthy of the name. The other, a twist on the usual pollo, or chicken, which are usually chicken and either egg, potato, or some sort of vegetable, all bound up in a bechamel sauce. In this case, it's pollo a la portuguesa, the "Portuguese sauce" being a mix of bell pepper, tomato, onion, garlic, and herbs. The dough on both was near paper thin - and had a nice crisp texture to it. Both empanadas are among the best I've had in town.
The fugazzeta here tends to get high marks as well. I'll say it was good, but not among my favorites. It's, obviously, a square slice, with two fairly thick layers of doughs sandwiching mozzarella, and then the top is a nice layer of slivered onions. It just needed more something - a little more seasoning, a little more onion, a little more browning.
But the one that gets the highest raves from El Mazacote's supporters is its fainazzeta, an uncommon, though certainly not unknown offering at local pizzerias. Fainá is a chickpea bread that I've mentioned many a time before, often served as either a side or a topping to regular pizza. It's basically chickpea flour, grated cheese, and water - and usually the only thing in local pizzerias that those who are going gluten-free can eat. But it's rarely topped with anything, and often served just room temperature. Here, it's slathered with tomato sauce, then a layer of mozzarella, a scattering of onions, a good grating of parmesan, and a dusting of oregano, and served piping hot. It is, indeed, a tasty bite.
Overall, like the place. Service is friendly and efficient. The pizza offerings are good to very good. The empanadas are among the best I've had here. If it was close to home it would be a regular spot at which to have a bite when I was in a pizza mood.
