Papa Gino's and D'Angelo

[Verjuice]

The restaurants are owned by the same company.

I used to love them, twenty years ago when I was in grade school. I moved out of the area, and I haven't had them since.

Now that I've just moved back, I'm wondering if Papa Gino's plain cheese pizza and D'Angelo pita pocket sandwiches could possibly live up to my expectations. As a seven year old, I was convinced that food just didn't get any more delicious.

[elrap]

The restaurants are owned by the same company.

I used to love them, twenty years ago when I was in grade school. I moved out of the area, and I haven't had them since.

Now that I've just moved back, I'm wondering if Papa Gino's plain cheese pizza and D'Angelo pita pocket sandwiches could possibly live up to my expectations. As a seven year old, I was convinced that food just didn't get any more delicious.

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Chacun a son gout, but IMHO there is nothing edible at Papa Gino's except the diet coke. On the other hand, once in a while I get a nasty craving for a d'Angelo's chicken salad pita pocket with letttuce, tomato, onion and lots of hots.

BTW, is hots completely a northern NE thing? I grew up in southern CT and never heard of ordering them on a sandwich until I moved into official Red Sox nation (E of the CT river valley and/or N of the Mass border).

--L. Rap

[Toasted]

Whenever I drive by the Papa Gino's in Waterford CT, I have to get the two cheese slices and med. drink special. I just love that stuff with a sprinkle of hot peppers, maybe some cheese, yum! The best thing, besides the taste, is the ability to fold those huge slices up and eat them in the car with out making a big mess. I can't speak about D'Angelo's because I just never order their stuff even though their in the same building as Papa Gino's.

[Tauphin Mauphinburphy]

Well there's pizza (domino's, papa ginos, bertucci's, pizzaria regina, uno's, etc.) and then there's "gourmet" pizza. They're only barely related and you just can't judge them the same.

A fresh slice of Papa Gino's pepperoni...good stuff. A Domino's cholesterol bomb...deadly but tasty.

My current favorite in the gourmet pizza category is Pizza Republic in Brookline, MA. Their chicken and potato is their best. Good crust. Sliced red potatoes, rosemary, chicken, and grated parmesan. I usually drizzle mine with white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar.

Anyone else have favorite "gourmet" pizza favorites in metro Boston?

-Tauphin

[dscott]

In the realm of not-exactly-fast food chain joints, I'm not sure that a D'Angelo's steak & cheese is surpassed. I can't say anything about their pita pockets but their steak & cheese's are a very occasional guilty indulgence.

[Elizabeth Clauser]

Well there's pizza (domino's, papa ginos, bertucci's, pizzaria regina, uno's, etc.) and then there's "gourmet" pizza. They're only barely related and you just can't judge them the same.

A fresh slice of Papa Gino's pepperoni...good stuff. A Domino's cholesterol bomb...deadly but tasty.

My current favorite in the gourmet pizza category is Pizza Republic in Brookline, MA. Their chicken and potato is their best. Good crust. Sliced red potatoes, rosemary, chicken, and grated parmesan. I usually drizzle mine with white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar.

Anyone else have favorite "gourmet" pizza favorites in metro Boston?

-Tauphin

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[/quote

I still love Figs - especially the Spicy Chicken Sausage and the Bianco.

Also, I don't know if it qualifies as gourmet, but the pizza at The Upper Crust (there's one on Charles St. and one in Coolidge Corner) is outstanding.

[galleygirl]

Well there's pizza (domino's, papa ginos, bertucci's, pizzaria regina, uno's, etc.) and then there's "gourmet" pizza.  They're only barely related and you just can't judge them the same. 

A fresh slice of Papa Gino's pepperoni...good stuff.  A Domino's cholesterol bomb...deadly but tasty. 

My current favorite in the gourmet pizza category is Pizza Republic in Brookline, MA.  Their chicken and potato is their best.  Good crust.  Sliced red potatoes, rosemary, chicken, and grated parmesan.  I usually drizzle mine with white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Anyone else have favorite "gourmet" pizza favorites in metro Boston?

-Tauphin

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Lemme get this straight, you don't consider Regina's (and of course, I mean the *original* Regina's, on Thatcher St., in the North End) gourmet, but you consider Pizza Republic, a joint that's always empty and gets panned on other Boston forums, a favorite? Chacun a son gout, of course, but I heard the only time they had customers was during the blizzard.

[Chantilly Bob]

In the realm of not-exactly-fast food chain joints, I'm not sure that a D'Angelo's steak & cheese is surpassed.  I can't say anything about their pita pockets but their steak & cheese's are a very occasional guilty indulgence.

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IIRC, the "number 9 pokket" (Steak, provolone, peppers, mushrooms) was the way to go.

[Tauphin Mauphinburphy]

My criteria for "gourmet" vs "pizza" is whether the pizza is drowned in mozzerella and tomato sauce. Drowned = "pizza"

I'll defend Pizza Republic...sure, they appear to be empty but that's more of a matter of poor location choice. They're in kind of a no-man's land. Empty doesn't nessesarily mean crappy. I've been more than pleased with the chicken and potato and get it a few times per month.

-Tauphin

Well there's pizza (domino's, papa ginos, bertucci's, pizzaria regina, uno's, etc.) and then there's "gourmet" pizza.  They're only barely related and you just can't judge them the same. 

A fresh slice of Papa Gino's pepperoni...good stuff.  A Domino's cholesterol bomb...deadly but tasty. 

My current favorite in the gourmet pizza category is Pizza Republic in Brookline, MA.  Their chicken and potato is their best.   Good crust.  Sliced red potatoes, rosemary, chicken, and grated parmesan.  I usually drizzle mine with white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Anyone else have favorite "gourmet" pizza favorites in metro Boston?

-Tauphin

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Lemme get this straight, you don't consider Regina's (and of course, I mean the *original* Regina's, on Thatcher St., in the North End) gourmet, but you consider Pizza Republic, a joint that's always empty and gets panned on other Boston forums, a favorite? Chacun a son gout, of course, but I heard the only time they had customers was during the blizzard.

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[TPO]

The best thing, besides the taste, is the ability to fold those huge slices up and eat them in the car with out making a big mess.

Yes, yes, yes!

When I lived outside of New England, I missed Papa Ginos terribly. When I finally moved back, all the Papa Ginos in Maine had closed except for one, which is quite a hike from where I live. I swear I can still taste the cheese and sauce if I think about it though...

IIRC, the "number 9 pokket" (Steak, provolone, peppers, mushrooms) was the way to go.

That was my weekly order when I worked within walking distance of a D'Angelos.

[Toasted]

Picked up slices at Papa Gino's after leaving the hospital (just had a baby)- Good stuff people!!! Ate 2 slices in the 15 minutes it took to get home. I love the sauce and the thin slices. I need to figure out how to make this at home.

[HungryChris]

I used to get the 'vegetarian pocket' with hot peppers. I thought that was one of the best followed closely by the 'original pocket'. My ex would always get the number 9 and loved them. I recently stopped in to a D'Angelo, but the menu was completely foreign to me and the girl behind the counter had no knowledge of my old favorites so I just left. As for Papa Gino's, I'm just not a fan of that type of crust. After going to Frank Pepe's and Modern there is just no turning back.

Cheers,

HC

[ErinB]

I used to eat the "crunchy veggie" pocket at D'angelo's before they got rid of it. It was pretty good, with broccoli, carrots, onions, but i'm sure not very healthy with all of that cheese on it.

As far as Pizza Chains go, Papa Gino's is above average. And, at least they hand stretch their dough, as compared to Domino's and Pizza Hut who don't.