Pizza House- Bye Bye American Pie

While running errands at lunchtime I found myself nearby this North Columbus standby, which I last visited (and enjoyed) 10 years ago.

At that time, they had won several "Best Pizza in Columbus" awards and my experience was positive. They featured a very airy, thin and light crust which is a hard thing to find in these parts. It didn't travel well for take out but served at the table, it was one of my favorites in Columbus.

I'm not sure what changed- the recipe or my aging taste buds- but this time around was a whole new ball of waxy mozzarella.

Certainly the location near the train tracks, the cinderblock building and the tacky interior have not changed. Neither has the menu, that I could tell. It lists the same old red sauce and pasta and pizza with assorted toppings you can find in every Italian-American joint from here to Hoboken. Not that that's a bad thing. A great red sauce is a thing of beauty and the straightforward but impeccably prepared pizzas like the ones found at Lombardi's in New York or Patsy's in New Haven, CT are the stuff of legends.

Of course everyone has a favorite style of pizza, that's part of the fun. Personally, I'm a Tommy's guy, but I appreciate the debate comparing Rotolo's, Iocanos, Plank's, Mellow Mushroom, Panzera's, Rubino's, etc., etc.

What's not debatable, at least in my mind, is the decline of Pizza House. My Pee Wee pizza (a personal sized lunch special) was frighteningly close to a microwave pizza from 7-11 in texture and taste. It was greasy, the cheese was rubbery (I'm guessing they use part-skim mozzarella) and the sauce was dark, almost brown, with a jar of Ragu-like sweetness. Worst of all, the crust had none of the characteristics of homemade, even though the web site claims they make their dough fresh every day. It was nice and thin but it had a texture like it was cooked in the pan with no blisters or flakiness. It made me think of a twist on the DiGiorno TV commercials, only the line would go: "Is this a frozen pizza? No, it's Pizza House!"

The side salad of tasteless Iceberg lettuce, white bread croutons and bottled Italian dressing, did nothing to placate my dismay.

They were quite busy, so there seems to be a following. Service was pleasant, if not slow, considering I chose a lunch special. The price was reasonable- $6.95 for a 7" mini-pizza, salad and drink.

Looking for something good to write about, I scoped out the pasta dishes being served to the other tables. They did not appear to feature home made pasta and if they contain the same sauce as the pizza, there would be more bad news.

So my search for the best pizza in Columbus continues- and currently ends- not at Pizza House but at my house. 

RATING: 2 BITES

 

747 East Lincoln Ave.
Columbus Ohio 43229
614-885-3121