Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! LIVE, in Prince George, British…read moreColumbia! IIIIIIIIIIT'S...TIIIIIIIME!!! Introducing first...FIGHTING out of the blue corner, this restaurant is a pizzeria Napoletana. It has a massive traditional wood oven and a rooftop patio; it grows many of its ingredients on site and is run by a head chef chiseled from Okanagan wineries and island resorts. From 3rd Avenue, presenting the current reigning champion...BETULLA BURNING! And introducing the challenger...FIGHTING out of the red corner, this restaurant is craft brewery. It has a traditional wood oven, a concrete patio, and eight different varieties of craft beer. It's head chef traveled Europe discovering new horizons in the culinary craft before returning home. From George Street, presenting...CROSSROADS BREWERY!
On the surface, it might be strange comparing a pizzeria to a brewhouse, but let's be honest, it's going to happen. They're the only two locations in Prince George featuring traditional wood-burning pizza ovens (Betulla's is notably larger). Both menus are dominated by dishes emerging from the fiery depths of said ovens. They both boast rustic decors, with Crossroads taking the extra mile with functioning garage doors offering access to the aforementioned concrete patio. Both are commanded by two of the best chefs this town has ever seen. Comparisons will be made. Infiltrators from both sides attempted incursion to glean valuable intelligence on dough recipes and cooking techniques. And even among my group of five, without prompt, they began discussing which of the two were superior. My stance is complicated given the differences that still separate them. Betulla is defined by its pizza oven. With Crossroads, it's a gimmick; their purpose is in their pints...beer pints that is. Fermentation tanks occupy more than half the complex, all shiny and chrome, visible from the windows dominating one wall of the restaurant. Their pizza oven is nudged in the corner, almost forlorn.
As said earlier, the décor is impressive, with polished natural wood tables, corrugated sheet metal fringing the bar, and that adorable pizza oven sitting in the corner like an oversized Chinese steamed bun. A counter runs along the glass wall with uncomfortable chairs for people to sit, though credit is given for offering both traditional and USB power ports for those stopping for lunch. I tip my hat; that's a damn good idea. The tables were obviously expensive, but they still resembled picnic tables.
Two friends ordered beer while extolling the quality of the Crossroads brand. They never leave without picking up growlers. I don't drink beer, believing it a joke passed on from the Sumerians to the rest of time. I found one brand at Crossroads that didn't make me vomit, and that's as high a praise you are ever going to get. It was called the Mother Heffer, which I couldn't help thinking sounded dirty. As for the food, we opened with the share platter, a spotlight of all the other snacks, including olives, beer nuts, stuffed dates, flat bread, and biltong (South African jerky). Although all fantastic, high points go to the dates and flat bread.
As for pizza, we oredered four, the Italian Deli (salami, capicola, garlic parmesan), the Angry (Grana Padano cheese and fleur de lait, roasted garlic and spicy tomato sauce), the mushroom (mushrooms, it has mushrooms), and the Off the Grid (chorizo, pepperoni, farmer salami, mozzarella, and aged cheddar). These pizzas all read and look, very westernized. There isn't much at Crossroads deviating from what you'd expect from franchise pizzerias, though with considerable more gusto. Betulla still has the claim on fancier pizzas. Then there are the prices; when Crossroads first opened, they were on par with Betulla. So, in a fair match, Betulla would take the belt. However, since then, Betulla has increased their prices by nearly 20%, while Crossroads has remained flat, an important factor to consider. Crossroad pizza is fantastic, far better than any of the tried and tested examples offered by franchises and chains.
The pizza bread is sturdier than the softer varieties made at Betulla--when you slice a wedge and lift, it doesn't flop over. It's a culinary choice rather than a statement on pizza quality, but those seeking more conventional pizzas may be more satisfied with Crossroads. When taking a group vote, three votes went to Crossroads as having the better pizza, a consensus impossible to ignore. At my first outing to Crossroads during the soft open back in March, I noted the dough was inferior. The bakers needed to raise their game. Well...they did. One assessment everyone agreed was that Betulla boasted the better toppings but Crossroads had the better bread.
