Delivery Pizza in Vancouver

[Brenda]

I've recently discover Ali Babas Pizza in Victoria. There are a handfull of the restaurants here but as far as I know there aren't any off the Island (except the Tawassen Ferry Trerminal, and thats only by the slice-haven't tried it). They have some great flavor combinations. A 'brocolli, spinach and feta' combination blew my mind the other night. It's not rocket science and I'm pretty sure they just used frozen brocolli, but it was delicious. I mean, I don't expect much from delivery and this was something I would have left the house for. Also, the '911' Its a blend of capicolla, chorizo, and banana peppers. I think they mix chilis with the pizza sauce as well. Just right spicy. And the icing on the cake, you can substitute soy cheese at no extra charge. Gastronomically... well this might be blasphemy. But the boy has a bad dairy allergy and this is better than requesting no cheese at all. It has really opened up a whole new world of junk food to him. Taste wise, I don't notice a huge difference. But the texture certainly lacks that stringy chew quality, and I find the pizza overall to be soggier. But these are all thing I can live with. The sauce and crust are both good. The sauce just has a depth of flavor compared to most, and the crust is chewy and satisifying, yet not yoo heavy. Not to dis the Island, but it is the only thing I have found here that I like better than the Vancouver version/alternatives. I guess I just miss home

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I Love Ali Baba's. I had a smoked salmon/artichoke version last time I was in Victoria. Only problem is I live in Nanaimo. Perhaps I could open a franchise?

Romeo's is just OK - old fashioned thick chewy crust...

I'll be honest; to satisfy my thin crust cravings here on the Island, I go to Earl's

-sad isn't it?

Edited December 2, 2005 by Brenda (log)

[BCinBC]

Brenda, I would take a pizza and a glass of wine from Earls over Romeo's any day.

[Daddy-A]

^ Hey is Brick Oven still around?  I used to get my fix from their when I was a wee lad.

The one on cambie just burned down about 6 weeks ago or something.

I think it was a little longer ago than that ...

... but there's still the Firewood Cafe (3000 block cafe ... right next to this really cool kitchen design studio ) that fires up their oven at around 3 every day, filling the air around the neighbourhood with that wonderfull campfire smell.

The pizza's not bad either.

*sigh*

Must be the snow ....

A.

[eatrustic]

Slightly o/t but as I was sitting and waiting for my take out (Thai) last night I was looking at (I believe) the Saturday business section of the Sun and there was an article about the artificially high pricing of cheese in Canada.

I was astonished to read that the average profit to one of the major pizza delivery companies on a $13. pizza is .43 cents and with the next round of increases by the dairy board scheduled for Feb. this may push a number of them over the top.

Apparently frozen pizza manufacturers benefit from a discount on their cheese purchases that the retail places don't receive.

Always figured that pizzas were a gold mine at that level.

[11son]

I think it was a little longer ago than that ...

Probably. My sense of timing is all wonky anyway, and I'm so distraught about this that I'm probably repressing a few weeks in between.

... but there's still the Firewood Cafe (3000 block cafe ... right next to this really cool kitchen design studio ) that fires up their oven at around 3 every day, filling the air around the neighbourhood with that wonderfull campfire smell.

The pizza's not bad either.

If my memory serves, both the quality of the design studio and that of the campfire smell (in that order) both very much surpass that of the pizza. If my memory serves. But it's been several years since I've been to the firewood cafe/oven, and, well, we discussed my memory earlier.

What do you think Arne? How does it stack up?

~11

[Daddy-A]

What do you think Arne? How does it stack up?

Well, considering they park next to me ...

It's a very good pizza. Not great, but very good. My sons and I eat there whenever we go to a show or a game after work. Thin crust, good (although a tad too much IMO) sauce and an interesting selection of toppings. Web Site HERE

It's not my favorite pizza in town, but my favorite (Marcello's at the moment, that is when I don't make it at home) is not close enough to the showroom to pull me away fro Firewood Cafe.

A.

[Anchoress]

I'm not a pizza afficionado so I don't know how much weight my opinion should carry, but I had a quite good experience with Megabite Pizza on Commercial (604-310-MEGA - that's 604-310-6342). Yeah I know, don't trust any pizza place that spells something with its phone number, but my first and only experience with them was quite good.

I had the 'Megadeal 2', two medium pizzas with 5 toppings each for $18.18, tax in, delivery.

I chose the 'neopolitan' crust which is the thicker of the two, it was fine but I'm not a crust expert. My first pizza: pineapple, banana peppers, olives, fresh garlic and feta, was good, although they forgot the garlic. The sauce is fine but not spectacular, and the pizza on a whole was not too salty and not stingy on the toppings (excepting aforementioned garlic).

My second pizza was spinach, sundried tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and artichoke hearts, and it was really pretty awesome. The toppings were dripping off the pizza, the mushrooms and arties were NOT gooey and spongey like they are sometimes on pizzas, and frankly the sundried toms were the best I've ever had on a pizza and really comparable to anything I've ever had period: NOT the chewy and tasteless imitations of dessicated leeches that end up on a lot of pizzas; these were whole half-tomatoes, nicely-reconstituted, not oily, and actually sweet. The spinach was in big gobs, but it wasn't bad actually, because the spinach wasn't stringy or mushy.

Like I said, I'm not a crust expert. What I liked about the pizzas (besides the price) was that they weren't too salty or oily, the crust was chewy but not too doughey or crunchy, the toppings blended well and were well-porportioned, and they seemed to be of a higher quality than most non-specialty pizza places, as well as being nicely-cooked, not raw or overdone.

But as I said, it was my first experience of them. I'll be interested to see if the quality holds up, as well as reading other people's opinions.

Edited to add: Oh, and they delivered *quicker* than they said they would. Under 30 minutes I think. AND, please note: when I called to complain that they'd forgotten the garlic, the girl said, 'yeah, they often forget the garlic'. lol. And finally, I should say that I frequently have the experience of ordering a small or medium pizza and loving it, but finding the large with the same toppings less satisfying. So... I don't know if I'll like larges of the varieties I tried today.

Edited December 30, 2005 by Anchoress (log)

[vandan]

is that the one thats 1 block south of sanata barbara market on west side of street ? if so its now called 4 brothers or something and yes when on tghe drive that is always my choice for very decent $ pizza, they also have small takeaways for $4,great deal

[Anchoress]

I don't know; I've only called, not dropped by. The brochure I called them from listed two locations: 1417 Commercial (just north of 1st) and 2440 Commercial (near Broadway). The brochure they left with the pizzas listed only the latter location. The 1417 address would be on the west side of the street, is Santa Barbara near there? I don't know Commercial at all.

[vandan]

that would seem to be it as santa barbara is on the 1300 block, it only changed its name about a month or 2 ago

[grayelf]

Bumping this topic to see if there are any new places people are keen on. We've been frequenting Firewood Cafe (see upthread) which we are enjoying but it has mega access issues with the Slowlympic Line still creating havoc, and they don't deliver far enough west, so we pick up. No complaints about the pies though -- love the Asiago and the newly discovered Hawaiian (with cheddar and almond slices, mmmm). Lunch now I think.

[fmed]

I'm not a pizza afficionado so I don't know how much weight my opinion should carry, but I had a quite good experience with Megabite Pizza on Commercial (604-310-MEGA - that's 604-310-6342).  Yeah I know, don't trust any pizza place that spells something with its phone number, but my first and only experience with them was quite good.

I had the 'Megadeal 2', two medium pizzas with 5 toppings each for $18.18, tax in, delivery.

I second Megabite...I always ask for "thin crust". The Megadeals are true to their name.

[run2eat]

Sigh

I'm a loss for delivered pizza now that Amadeus has closed.

[KarenDW]

Bella, on Homer

[grayelf]

Bella, on Homer

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Thanks all. Haven't tried Megabite as it's outside our delivery (or pickup) range but will let my brother know! Bella we've had mixed results with ordering out to my sister-in-law's downtown -- a bit heavy on the tomato sauce and the crust is thick for my taste. The loss of Amadeus was definitely a hit for us too; as you may have gathered, we're quite far west so it was a go-to option... We have also tried Rocky Mountain for take out which was decent. Any other west side pizza secrets to share??

[lauraf]

My westside guilty pleasure is Minerva's in Kerrisdale. I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor (I grew up on this pizza), or if the pizza is actually pretty good, but it's my default delivery place when I'm too lazy to drive to Rocky Mountain.

Totally different style than Rocky Mountain though - nothing 'flatbread' about Minerva's dough.

[Chef Fowke]

Bella, on Homer

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Side note: the old greek guy behind the counter is the owner - The two model like goddesses you see are his daughters! GREAT pizza on the West Coast = hot offspring + $$$

[Vancouver]

So when did Amadeus go out of business? I passed by there today and noticed a for lease sign on the property. Have they relocated or are they gone?

[run2eat]

So when did Amadeus go out of business?  I passed by there today and noticed a for lease sign on the property.  Have they relocated or are they gone?

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Last time I'd had pizza from them was October sometime and it was November I'd heard they'd closed - I think (last fall's a distant memory now). I don't know if they have/will reopen anywhere, but their website is down.

[nwyles]

My westside guilty pleasure is Minerva's in Kerrisdale.  I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor (I grew up on this pizza), or if the pizza is actually pretty good, but it's my default delivery place when I'm too lazy to drive to Rocky Mountain.

Totally different style than Rocky Mountain though - nothing 'flatbread' about Minerva's dough.

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You were never really good at math.

great pizza + hot offspring = $$$$

Oddly enough, that same calculation = trouble!!

[lauraf]

My westside guilty pleasure is Minerva's in Kerrisdale.  I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor (I grew up on this pizza), or if the pizza is actually pretty good, but it's my default delivery place when I'm too lazy to drive to Rocky Mountain.

Totally different style than Rocky Mountain though - nothing 'flatbread' about Minerva's dough.

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You were never really good at math.

great pizza + hot offspring = $$$$

Oddly enough, that same calculation = trouble!!

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Neil, you insulted the wrong the person. I am actually fairly decent at math.

[nwyles]

Sorry, quote button miss fire.

[Knightafter]

Sunrise Pizza , red and white checkered table cloths , liter of house red , parmesan shakers , hot pepper shakers

[Beebs]

My westside guilty pleasure is Minerva's in Kerrisdale.  I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor (I grew up on this pizza), or if the pizza is actually pretty good, but it's my default delivery place when I'm too lazy to drive to Rocky Mountain.

Totally different style than Rocky Mountain though - nothing 'flatbread' about Minerva's dough.

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Minerva's is my standby too, and I've had it for as long as I can remember! Since we live in their neighbourhood, it's take-out for us. I think it's their pizza sauce - it has a special something-something that I haven't found in any other pizza.

[lauraf]

My westside guilty pleasure is Minerva's in Kerrisdale.  I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor (I grew up on this pizza), or if the pizza is actually pretty good, but it's my default delivery place when I'm too lazy to drive to Rocky Mountain.

Totally different style than Rocky Mountain though - nothing 'flatbread' about Minerva's dough.

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Minerva's is my standby too, and I've had it for as long as I can remember! Since we live in their neighbourhood, it's take-out for us. I think it's their pizza sauce - it has a special something-something that I haven't found in any other pizza.

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I agree - it's something about the tang of the sauce, the chewy crust, and the generous cheese that I love. The toppings matter little to me with Minerva's pizza -though they have many to choose from. I usually order a simple one with green peppers and tomatoes so as not to take away from my enjoyment of the - you guessed it - sauce, crust and cheese!. It is also really good the next day reheated in a toaster oven.