Makers of some of the most distinctive pies anywhere, Plaza is going strong nearly 40 years into the game. and it just might be the best pizza in the world. so here's to another 40 years! then another!!!
I moved to Granville in 1971, around which time the old Granvilla Pizza was started by the same original owner (along with Park Pizza, which still thrives on Union St. in Newark) and cut my teeth on THIS recipe.
that owner is looooong since gone, but it's still pretty much the same amazing pizza at Plaza and Park (in spite of different owners respectively these days). Gran-villa long ago lost its way (much as the town has lost much of its soul and character, if not its superficial beauty) stumbling through a series of new owners who tried other recipes and pretty well renounced a commitment to great pizza by the early 80s. the Del Mar now occupies the old space.
you can trust me though; plenty of Old Granville people - and even a few Newbies With Taste who've been hipped to it -- are perfectly prepared to make the short drive when it comes to Pizza Night. Indeed, I can testify from experience that Old Granville friends who've migrated to other parts of the country will predictably crave a fix whenever they visit. honestly,it's THAT great and THAT memorable.
But be forewarned......this is NOT the generic, thick and doughy, soft and bready, floppy and gloppy, half-baked, mild-sauced dreck that many folks either prefer or are conditioned to. it's NOT a slice that, like so many, bends and has everything - from sauce to topping - cascade off in a gooey mess when tilted even slightly.
this is a pie with integrity, boasting a perfectly calculated ratio of crust to sauce to cheese. there's no excess, but neither is there any skimping, and its usual structural integrity isn't the only thing that distinguishes it. it's about as far from bland, in all particulars, as pizza can possibly be, and I say that recognizing that lots of folks DO like bland (or -- never having had anything BUT bland -- simply don't know better).
however, if these things sound good to you;
1) a thin, crispy crust (at its best almost pastry-like in its delectable and flaky perfection)
2)a tangy, peppery, and very garlicky sauce (it's not really all that sweet, as someone suggested, but it does have a definite zing), and
3) a powerful, almost "beer-y" tasting cheese, you need to try this stuff.
ask for it done so the crust is crisp. straight pepperoni or straight cheese are HIGHLY recommended. You WILL NOT regret it. and don't be taken aback when you open the box and see the characteristic strips with a single dividing crosscut. that's how they slice all their pies except the extra large. yep, it's distinctive, even in that way. read more