A friend of mine is from Buffalo and never misses an opportunity to go on about their pizza and…read moresome sandwich called a "Beef on Weck." Being from Chicago, I already know that the gold standards of these respective food groups are Chicago deep dish pizza and a Chicago Italian beef sandwich. But he's a friend, and I humor him when I can.
Anyway, he insisted that baddpizza was a pretty close approximation of the real Buffalo experience. So, in the interest of friendship, open-mindedness, and giving him one less thing to nag me about, I decided to give it a try.
I'm glad I did.
Their Triple Char Pizza is a lot like Detroit-style pizza, except it's much tastier, has less bread, considerably more toppings, is round instead of square, and doesn't appear to have been baked in a repurposed automotive oil pan. So, now that I think about it, it's really nothing like Detroit-style pizza. Which may explain why I liked it so much.
The restaurant itself, or at least the location I visited, isn't exactly a destination for a leisurely dining experience. The front area is small, the atmosphere is a bit dingy, and the overall ambiance says "take your food and go." Fortunately, that's an easy problem to solve. Call ahead, pick up your order, and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home, where the lighting is better and the furniture is presumably more comfortable.
I ordered half of a Triple Char Pizza, which turned out to be enough food for three meals spread over two days. This is substantial pizza. It also travels remarkably well and reheats beautifully, two qualities that shouldn't be underestimated when you're investing in several pounds of bread, cheese, and pepperoni.
So, baddpizza has officially earned a spot on my regular carryout rotation. That's high praise coming from a Chicagoan evaluating pizza on the recommendation of someone from Buffalo. I may even try their wings next time.
And, according to Yelp, there's a place up in Reston that serves Beef on Weck. Who knows? The next time I'm in the area, I might humor my friend again.
At this rate, I may eventually have to concede that Buffalo has contributed something worthwhile to American cuisine.
But let's not get carried away.